Stress Center Peer Support

I'm new to the group, Ive had the program before and gotten as far as week three, after my symtoms decreased I stopped the program, How can I get myself motavated to keep with the program? I just need some encouraging words.
(:

Dear Samantha,
I have been thru the program. Please dont give up and continue thru. I am a firm believer in the program. It has made a huge difference in my life. Before the program I had severe anxiety and panic attacks. It was difficult to leave my home and I was not functioning well at all. Apply yourself and do the homework, it really makes all the difference. Make this program a priority in your life. It will make your life so much better. Not to say I dont have anxiety anymore just deal with it and life so much better. I have had a loss in my family and dont think I could have or would be dealing so well if it were not for the program. It helps you deal with life better,look at things better with a more positive attitude. Never give up you can do this!!! Do this for yourself and your family too. If I can help any other way just let me know.
Your Friend Angla

Hello Samantha
I am also new. This is my first time trying this program. If I was totally honest – I don’t always want to listen to the CDs. Especially when I am going through anxiety attack. But they help, really help. I want to do this program because I am tired of being unhappy, overreacting, obsessing and not being able to enjoy my life. I would imagine that your anxiety interferes with the quality of your life. Don’t you want to be better? Don’t you want to enjoy things? This program has worked for so many. It will work for us too.

Be patient with yourself and resolve that you WILL finish it. That said, I'll let you know that I started the program in Dec. last year & am just on Session 7. I realized right away that doing "a session a week" like suggested just would never work for me. I take probably 2 weeks at least per session if not 3 and I've had a week or 2 off here and there due to my PMDD (hormone imbalance) and illness. I have just decided I am in this and I'm finishing it, but that it will take how long it takes. I get more out of it if I take my time and also I have already decided that after I'm done with 7 I'm going to review 1 - 6. BTW things have improved with me, but I see that I have a ways to go. It's just life; there's no "start & finish line," its an ongoing growth process. Please don't give up! Best hopes!

Hello Samantha417,
I'm on Session 6. I've stopped and started in the past so many times I've lost count. But that's not important. I finally realized I can't do this myself so I told myself whatever it takes, that's what I am going to do. So I jumped on the progam and made getting better my motivation. You need some encouraging words? Well here I go. You are smart, strong, and capable. You can do anything you set your mind to (I believe that). Now you believe it too. You deserve to feel better to enjoy life and you will do whatever it takes to achieve that. I believe you can because I believe I can. So get started. Keep with it.

All my best,
Inside Man

thanks everyone!! I apreciate all the feedback, Im going to start listening to the tape tomorrow, its 225 in the morning and sleep isnt looking good so tomorrow may take longer to get here than I hoped, Any advice on a better nights sleep?

Dear Samantha,

The best motivator I can offer you is my own recovery, by stating to you LUCINDA'S PROGRAM REALLY DOES WORK.

My anxiety disorder triggered in APRIL 2005. It came hard & fast. I was informed, by my reg dr & the psychiatrist I began seeing "your case is 1 of the worst I have seen". After several initial therapy sessions, I was diagnosed w/ ANXIETY DISORDER + PANIC ATTACKS + PTSD(several reasons why). My anxiety disorder was so severe - I was forced to stop working for the 1st time in my adult life(I was 37 at the time). Because of the severe state I was in, & after serious consultation, I agreed to go on anxiety med 3x's per day + 2 sleep aids(I was only averaging 1-2 hrs per every 24 hrs). I also became very dependant on my husband for a majority of things - which was never the type of woman I ever was. I was living w/ a level of terrifying fear 24/7. I didn't understand what this "thing" was that had befallen me. Because I didn't know what it was & didn't understand it, I FEARED THIS WOULD BE MY FOREVER. <span class="ev_code_RED">SAMANTHA - THAT WAS MY MOTIVATOR. Cumulatively, everything I was feeling - the existence I was living was hell on earth. Everything my anxiety disorder made me feel & the poor quality of life I had - frightened me to a level I had never known. </span>

My therapist has 30+ yrs experience - he told me, after several sessions & getting to know me "lenore, anxiety disorder is something you can recover fr - it will be hard work". LOL, I literally told him "sir, I think you're crazy" - oh lord, I laugh at that statement now. However, that statement he told me PLANTED A VERY IMPORTANT SEED - 1 I desperately needed - it wasn't enough for me to just TAKE HIS WORD FOR IT - <span class="ev_code_RED">me being who I am - I had to prove it for myself to myself.</span>As a result, I began journaling: to get myself comfortable w/ acknowledging what I was thinking & feeling - & FEEL IT, w/o fear of it or w/o apprehension = I TAUGHT MYSELF TO LET IT ALL OUT. I also began research: I read loads of books. TRUST ME WHEN I TELL YOU - knowledge is THE CRYPTONITE to anxiety disorder. When you become educated about a said condition, you become informed & empowered - consequently, you give yourself THE TOOLS NEEDED TO COMBAT IT - HEAL & RECOVER.

I was home for 3 yrs recovering, while everyone I knew was out & about living life: spouses/children/families/homes/jobs - my husband, inlaws-extended family, & friends. I felt alone/isolated/afraid/discouraged & paralized by the 24/7 fear I was living. See thats the thing Samantha, that was not LIVING - that was EXISTING. It was the TOTALITY of that EXISTENCE that was my MOTIVATOR, no more or less. I had to face some pretty tough things in therapy - consolidating 20+ yrs of trauma into 20 mths of very intensive therapy - being home alone for 3 yrs - no not agoraphobic - cause I went out by myself - I just wasn't able to handle working & everyone I knew did work. While @ home, I did what I called HOMEWORK - facing/feeling some tough past pains - lol, 1 of which was facing the fact that I <span class="ev_code_RED">had a fear of being alone & abandoned as a result of being alone & abandoned as a child. Imagine the irony in that, lol - facing those 2 particular fears - while home & alone. </span>It wasn't easy. After going thru therapy/journaling/reading books - I was ready to face myself - I started Lucinda's program in NOV 2006. I successfully completed it in March 2007. Nelson Mandela once said, when describing all those yrs he spent in prison, "prison gave me time - you see, changing yourself is the hardest thing you have to do in life. So, while in prison, I had no where to go or run. It forced me to face myself & change myself - so I could then, change my country". Well, I may not be that great man - but I can relate. Being home gave me the chance to change myself - so I CAN FEEL BETTER + LIVE BETTER + LIVE/HAVE/EXPERIENCE A BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE + HAVE THAT "INNER PEACE" I HAD LONGED FOR ALL MY LIFE. Till this very day, I continue to grow/change/evolve - that is GREAT - cause that is life. When we stop growing & changing - we stop living. I'm greatful I realized that & learned not to fear CHANGE.

Today, APRIL 17 2008 - <span class="ev_code_RED">3 years after my anxiety disorder triggered</span> , I am recovered. I haven't taken an anxiety med or sleep aid in well over 1 1/2+ yrs. In addition, 1 month ago, I returned to WORKING U.S.A - I got a job & work FULL TIME. I made a lifestyle change = the way I think + act + react + what I eat + exercise + who I surround myself w/-the type of people I surround myself w/ + I've learned to RESPECT MYSELF/TAKE CARE OF ME/LOVE MYSELF - <span class="ev_code_RED">all being, 1 day @ a time.</span> Recovery for me, can best be described as feeling as though you were born again - being given a 2nd chance @ life - except this time KNOWING YOU HAVE A SAY IN HOW YOU WANT TO LIVE + WHAT YOU WANT TO DREAM/FEEL/DO - KNOWING, ITS YOUR LIFE. Kind of like "wow, I don't have to feel this way - I can change that & live better. Like, I have a choice w/ where I want to go/do - who I want to befriend" - sounds silly, maybe adolescent - but I realized that.

Samantha - we all look for inspiration or motivation, particularly w/ anxiety disorder. For me - it was truly remembering how very bad it was in the beginning - when it all went dwn: how I felt, what I was thinking, the existence I was living - the poor quality of life I had - how anxiety disorder attempted to ROB ME OF 2 OF THE GREATEST THINGS I HOLD DEAR TO ME - my indenpence & self sufficiency + my lust & love for life & people. That was, is, & always will be my MOTIVATOR - no, not in fear - but in empowerment - so that, I never again fear "fear" itself + what I'm thinking or feeling + taking care of myself: <span class="ev_code_RED">mentally - emotionally - physically - spiritually. So that, never again do I fear CHANGE. </span> Every single thing I felt/thought/experienced in the beginning of my anxiety disorder - was my MOTIVATOR cause I quite simply, wanted to FEEL BETTER. Feeling better just happened to emcompass MANY THINGS FOR ME & required many things of me: therapy + journaling + research + homework @ home by me - alone w/ myself + LUCINDA'S PROGRAM + eating healthier + cutting back caffeine to an almost nonexistent level + cutting sugar + exercising a little something everyday. <span class="ev_code_RED">No one was going to do it for me & no one could - all that needed to heal/grow/change - was inside of me. So, if I wanted to feel better - THEN IT WAS I WHO NEEDED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT & SO IT = ACTION.</span>

Is is a lot of work? Is it all very hard? TO BOTH, HELL YEAH & lol, & then some. But - yep, there's a but in there no harder than what anxiety disorder @ its worst made me feel & the poor quality of life I was existing in. What I am feeling RIGHT HERE - RIGHT NOW - the personal freedom I am beginning to experience for the 1st time in my life - even b/4 anxiety disorder triggered, MADE THE WORK ALL WORTH IT. <span class="ev_code_RED">I just had to "want it" - find a way to make it happen & be willing.</span>

For SLEEP help, I'd advise: cut your caffeine & sugar intake - they will effect your ability to sleep + gradually start to eat healthier + exercise: gradually build up - just get moving baby + do them RELAXATION SESSIONS - OMG, they are like the best thing - seriously.

LENORE