Stress Center Peer Support

I was looking up something about a symptom I'm having and ran across this site:

<A HREF="http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/NMPcms.php ... e=symptoms" TARGET=_blank>http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/NMPcms.php ... ymptoms</A>

Sure did make me feel better because my current and most past symptoms were all there.

Hopefully you can't check them all off guys. But, I'm thinking that sometimes seeing that something is "just" anxiety can be a real comfort some days.

Thanks Faith great web site!!

Debbie

Probably one of the best resources for anxiety that I have yet to look at.

I'm going to look more at this later on and study it further.

The only few things I noticed while briefly skimming it were the parts about using the STOP technique. I really think that this is a bad way to rid yourself of the thoughts. Instead, like it says, you should flow with the thoughts and remove the fear from them. It really comes down to understanding that the thoughts hold no real merit and that they will dispitate when you stop giving them merit.

Focusing on the thoughts/fears and facing them will help you overcome them quicker than pushing them away and annoying them (which is what I think the STOP technique does.) Just my opinion from experience.

Another thing I would like to check out is their sources, etc.

Other than that I just wish they would put down that these are symptoms of anxiety not just a panic attack. I think far to often people get confused over whether or not these can be symptoms of stricly a panic attack or anxiety. They should really just call all of it Anxiety or OCD and do away with these sub-categories for anxiety disorders (with the exception of specific phobias and ptsd.)

Forgive me if they do cover these issues on the site I am just going on what I briefly skimmed.

Anyway,

That is an amazing resource thanks Faith for providing the link.


- Beat

wow !!!
what a great website - thanks so much! who is this person? Is he/she credible? i found all my symptoms on there! can you tell us more about them?

This site is amazing. Thank you so much for posting it. I really feel better after reading it. Thank you!!!!!

Honestly, I don't know a whole lot about them. I plan on reading more tonight myself as I was supposed to be working at the time.

I want to check out all the links and learn more about who they are, but it all sounds pretty credible. . .

As for the STOP technique, that is an interesting point. There are differing views on that. Currently that's what I'm doing. . .if I start "hearing" something negative in my thoughts, I say something like "ohhh, cut it out. . . " or I will come up with a counter to it or a FACT that helps me remember that I'm just blowing it out of proportion.

I like what Dr Liebgold's book says about the "boo voice" and how it always lies to you. I try to go with that.

However, I've also read "get out of your head and on with your life" which talks about just letting the thoughts come and go and not giving them much attention and that helps too. I guess there is no one 'right' answer. . .who knows?

Lately I'm trying to find the balance between wanting to be "cured" and realizing that I may have some anxiety just because of the way I'm wired. I don't want to believe that I'll always have panic attacks regularly, but I don't want to beat myself up if I have one either.

I was doing really well almost a month without them and then got one out of the blue that totally caught me off guard last week. Since then I've been feeling a little out of it and sort of watching myself too much. On one hand it's good I was caught off guard because it meant I was just living, but on the other it scared me so much because I wasn't prepared for it. . .I actually thought I was coming down with the flu when it first hit me because I had nausea and dizziness which is not normal for me (maybe it was a 3 hour flu hahaha)

Hey I'm not where I want to be but I'm better than I was. . .that's what we call progress, right people?

what is the name of Dr Leibgold's book?

Curing Anxiety, Phobias, Shyness and Obsessive Compulsive Disorders the Phobease Way.

Dr. Howard Liebgold's book is called Freedom from Fear. You can order it on Amazon or also go to Angelnet.com

The STOP technique is not to cure anything. It is used to stop the circular thinking so you can get a sense of control. It helps you to stop the anxiety symptoms. Circular thinking takes you nowhere. You learn nothing from it. When you stop your thoughts you are then in a better position to use your techniques - whether it be "allowing" the thoughts to come and go (which they will at a slower pace and that's fine), or some other form of cortical shifting to get your attention onto things in the present moment which helps to take you out of your circular thinking. The ultimate situation for obsessive thinking is to dismiss it by allowing it to come and go without your attachment to it. The exercises help you to get to that point, but it takes practice. If you can dismiss that scare voice right off the bat, then great, but most people need to work up to that. If STOP works for you then use it. If not, don't. There are probably about 40 different tools available for conquering anxiety and depression. You take what works and let the rest go. Sometimes when I shout STOP and then use my breath work it enables me to get back into the present moment. It's just a simple technique that I find helpful. I still practice "allowing" much of the time because that is useful as well. If I find I'm scaring myself then I use the "chicken little" technique where I treat that scare voice like it's telling a big story. "Ya, right, OK, fine. Whatever you say." And move on. There are many things to use.

Chris, practice putting yourself in anxious situations and let yourself know that you are doing this on purpose so you will not be afraid of the feelings anymore. You're almost there, Chris. I can tell by your posts. Use your calm breath when you feel anxious. Breathe in. Hold for four and then breathe out slowly. Welcome the feelings in. "Ok, do your worst. I'm ready for you." See what's on the otherside of those feelings.

i stumbled upon this website when i typed in derealiszation a few months ago and thinking it was great but i never saw that part and let me tell you it is fantastic. i get sooo much of those and always think i am dying. its good to read that. thank you for posting that