Stress Center Peer Support

Well I've actually been doing the program for 5 weeks and its helping for sure. I am just now to the eating right and excercise week, which i have been trying to avoid but now its actually the main focus of a chapter.
My panic attacks started about 4 months ago and they preceeded me having a scare of a disease and then I got engaged to a woman with a kid and we are getting married in January. We have been dating for 2 years so its not like i sprung this on myself but in the past these situations always seem to not work out for me. My last relationship was 5 years and the one before that was 5 years. The last one though i was engaged for 3 months and 4 days, I know that because the ring was only returnable for 3 months heh) and she decided that she didnt want to marry and left me for a co worker. In the end this was the best possible thing that could of happened because I wasnt happy either but I had decided to settle in this situation because we had been together for so long. However thats not to say that its not part of my problem right now fearing that this one is going to leave too. I know shes not going to and she has always been real with me so this is just one of those control issues that I have.
As far as symptoms go, I always get chest pain, not as much lately after going through these lessons, and sharp pains in my head. Frequent urination seems to happen alot though i just wrote that off to drinking to much water. I have shortness of breath alot and when im trying to fall asleep is when everything is the worst. I will wake up suddenly thinking i cant breathe or my heart is not working properly. Top all that off with the fact that I live in Oklahoma and we never have earth quakes, well in the last month we have had 3 one was the biggest in state history and all you hear is that the scientist dont know why its happening. Lately, Ive slowly started trying to let go of things i cant control, which is real hard because I feel like since i have a family now i should be able to control everything.
Well thats my story theres a lot more to it but Im just getting a little bit out there to see it posted and stuff, testing the waters i guess you could say.

First, congratulations on the January wedding ! Hope all goes smooooooooooth.

The night time was bad for me too. I'd get the same feelings. What worked for me was to have the radio on just low enough for me to hear it. I don't know why it worked, but it did.

Unfortunately, there comes a time when we all hit the exercise chapter ! LOL Just take it a bit at a time. Don't push yourself too much. When you feel an attack coming on during the exercise (like I did) just keep on with it. The attack will go away.

Keep posting and let us know how it's going !

Thanks for letting us know you are doing the program and it is working for you. Eating right and exercising and relaxation (or meditation) are big components, as is the positive self talk. I have not done the program but know about CBT (Cognitive Behavior Therapy) that the program is based on. Do give it your time and full attention. It tries to restructure your thinking which cannot really happen over night. You are an active partner to help yourself get better.

Keep us posted. Best to you.

Well, last week was my honeymoon and we drove to Vegas and California. My biggest stress/anxiety was driving over the past 3 months far distances. I am here to report that I drove 3045 miles most of it i did myself and I am still alive and in one piece and my symptoms have really deminished since I pushed myself to make this drive. I drove from Flagstaff AZ to Santa Rosa NM on a sheet of ice with pretty much just semis around me going 2 mph, talk about really getting the adrenaline pumping, however i made it through it and arrived home with my new bride in one piece very tired but not freaking out. This program has given me the tools to calm myself down when im getting out of control and has also allowed me to centralize whats making me feel bad which is pretty much my diet going with my stress. Thanks for being there Stress I plan on finishing the program still, though i have made it past my wedding and honeymoon which were really stressing me out =). Now just have to make it till they bury me in the ground with my new bride right =P.

I've been thinking about your fantastic driving feat. It is truly impressive which I can appreciate because driving is definitely a problem. Major driving you describe would send me to the moon (to escape it). Nice going. And if the slick roads did not put you 6 ft. under nothing will at least not until you and your bride are 100 plus.

Thank you for sharing. Triumphs of one inspire everyone.

Thank you for saying i inspired you, when you listen to the tapes shes always talking about getting all worked up before hand and then before you know it its over. I worried about that drive for weeks had head aches my whole left side whould hurt making me think my hurt was messed up which in fact was my stomach being aggrevated by me always being so tense. When I was worrying about it though one of my biggest fears was it was going to snow in flagstaff and we would like not be able to stop going down one of those step grade hills, low and behold that fear came true and i dealt with it and all those weeks of worrying were for nothing because it was not near as bad as i thought it out to be. Glad I could help you though stick with the program if your still doing it.

Be accepting of fear it gives you something to triumph over!!!
(hehe just thought of that but its true in my eyes)

We have our own Outward Bound experience just driving. We don't have to climb Mt. Everest. I drive to the gym and earn heaps of praise.

I came here by invitation of someone else and so learned about CBT. I like learning and being creative, so I virtually invented my own program tailor made for my issues. For me positive self talk is big, as are diet and exercise and meditation and keeping a notebook. My problem is a condition known as ISS, Identity Suppression Syndrome which I'm working on to correct. CBT aims to recondition the mind. I'm convinced it can work wonders.