Stress Center Peer Support

Dear Anxiety,

We have been together 5 years this August but I think it's time to offically same good-bye. You have hurt me more than anything in my life. You've made me miss out on family dinners, functions, time down the shore with friends, traveling, and taking a vacation with my boyfriend. You're like an abusive relationship that I can't get out of. You're not my friend, you're not my family. You've made me feel worthless, dissappointed, terrified, confused, worried, and sad. You've held me back from so many things, but not anymore. I am ready to start fresh, begin a new life, without you in it. I've dissappointed a lot of people having you in my life so long, but mostly I am dissapointed in myself that I let you stay. I'm ready to go back to my old life, going where I want, being with people I love and care about, and not worrying about silly things. I don't like people telling me what do, so why am I letting you? I know that you will always be with me, somewhere, deep down inside, but I am not going to let you come back anymore. Goodbye, anxiety, it's time to let you go.

What a wonderful, fantastic, encouraging, strong, heartfelt, powerful letter!!!
I am going to print that out and pin it up for myself!!
Thank you so much for that...
Martin

Martin,

Thank you. It puts a smile on my face knowing someone else understood and enjoyed my letter. I hope it helps you and me get over our fears. Good luck!

this is kind of hard to admit but reading your letter hurt!!! that's exactly how i feel, it takes me back to how i used to be; strong-willed, creative, determined, smart, funny, outgoing, i never backed down from a challenge and i let that all go away. All those things i once was are distant memories. this summer will be my 4 year anniversary with anxiety and its been the worst 4 years of my life. all during the prime of my life too. i'm 29 now and i know that i dont want to keep living like this. I want to see the colors of a great sunset and feel the enormous amount of freedom you get after riding a huge wave or climbing a mountain. Thats why it hurt me to read your post because it feels like i'm not the person i used to be and i don't know if i'll ever be him again. But i want to be and i've never wanted something so bad in my life as this. i think i've waited long enough dont you think!!! I THINK WE'VE ALL WAITED LONG ENOUGH! thanks gi

Hi Victor,
Have you done the program? I totally understand. I feel like I am in prison with my anxiety and depression. If it's not this it's that.. If i don't have anxiety I have depression...Cant have a good day without a bad one... Mine left for a year and returned with even more power and I have been in mental hell for for almost 4 months. Im sorry to hear how you feel. Do you take any meds? And G1822,
Very good post. I hate my anxiety/depression and wish it'd go away now.. but I am working on it with the program. I'm glad yours is no longer ruining your life. What courage. Hopefully soon I can write a success story. Good luck with everything and congrats on telling your anxiety to flip off!!

@ victor

im same, and i have been lost battle with my anxiety on 6 years.

im still thinking about joining the programs

and the post GI822 really make me feel " ... "

Thanks for the great post

i hope im the one can share successfull story next time

Hi everyone,

Thanks for reading my letter. Don't get me wrong, I am still batteling some of my anxiety but I think "saying goodbye" to it makes me feel strong and that I can beat it finally. Mainstaymama, your post made me laugh. And Victor, I agree I think we all suffered long enough and it's time to live our old lives again. Holly I'm sorry to hear yours came back again but you stopped it before and you can do it again. And donskut, join the program, it really helps and one day we will be reading your success.

I was sad when I was writing it and thinking back on my life before anxiety but I think we can achieve that life again. I think writing a good bye letter to your problem and carrying it around with you will inspire you to do better. The program is def. helping me and writing what I felt also helped. Good luck to everyone

OMG! GI822! That is what i say to myself on my "strong" days. Then all it takes is one little thing, One doubt & i'm back to "that" feeling again! I have missed out on a lot, regret a lot & I'm ashamed of my behavior these past 12 years. I don't like to be told what to do either. I like to be in control & I think that's why this gets to me so bad. I never used to worry or feel "detached" from everything & everyone. It's un real when I think of all the time it would free me of if I let this thing go. Time to think of so many other wonderful exciting things. The funny thing is, I'm doing it to myself. I'm keeping it alive. There's so much power in words & reading yours was very inspiring. There's even more power in thoughts. We all need to remember that always! As we think.... so we go! We are in contol of our thoughts. We just forgot that for a little while!

I am changing,

You're right. I wasn't born with these scary thoughts, I created them. We can't help that we have anxiety but we can change the way we think and feel. I don't want to lose anymore time to anxiety. I think like you said we need to remember that we control our thoughts and we are the ones that can change our behavior. I mean there just thoughts, not reality.

I totally agree! You sound like you have such a good head on your shoulders. It's so true that we sarted w/ the thoughts that led to our anxiety. I don't think any of us knew what triggered it, but once it had that breath of life, it had a life of it's own. It would die if we didn't keep resuscitating it w/ our negative thoughts. It would die if we didn't nurture it. I would rather put my energy into nurturing my family & myself! Grieving over time lost & regrets is just another way for it to keep hold. We need to just accept it & move. Our lives are waiting for us....Lets start over. Sometimes you can't have a new beginning but you can have a new ending! I wish everyone out there along w/ myself a great attitude! If we can't see the shiney side, lets polish the dull side!