major relapse

Stress can keep you down. Stress can also help you create. Learn to make stress a positive force in your life.
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homeagain
Posts: 1
Joined: Sat Feb 24, 2007 3:35 pm

Post by homeagain » Sat Feb 24, 2007 8:50 am

I went through the program about a year ago, but right when I finished it some major things happened in my life. My dad died, I got a divorce and ended up starting another relationship immediately. Now I have finally had to move back home with my mom and am starting to have panic attacks again. Its as if I never got to practice my new skills because I was too overwhelmed with these other porblems and focusing on another relationship. I am not sure what to do. Should I just accept that I will always have panic attacks and depression or can I start the program over? I went through the coaching program instead of just doing it alone. I want to be able to get over this problem for good but can't seem to get back on track. Can the program still work for me? Where should I start?

Guest

Post by Guest » Sat Feb 24, 2007 9:06 am

There will always be stressful situations that we'll have to deal with in life. You can't expect to go through the program and never be affected by anxiety again. That's just not going to happen. Especially when you're wired to react a certain way to stress.

Now is the time to put into practice everything you learned from the program. If need be, listen to the tapes all over again and complete the homework as it applies to your life now.

So yes, while you do have to accept that you are and will forever be predisposed to panic attacks and everything else that goes along with having an anxiety disorder, you do not actually have to have a panic attack and cease to function just because your life threw you another curve ball.

Guest

Post by Guest » Sat Feb 24, 2007 9:28 am

Hi,

First of all I would like to say I am sorry for your loss of your father.

This is my second time doing the program as well. The same thing, stressful things all happened at once right around the holiday's, But this time it was easier because I knew that what was happening to me was due to anxiety. Because the first time I had a panic attack I had no idear what the heck was happening to me. And it was the fear that kept them coming. So I stared the tapes again, and it was like riding a bike once I listened to the first tape the light bulb went on. I knew I was going to be ok, It was just anxiety.

This fourm has realy helped me alot because when I did the program the first time it was in 1998 and I did not have access to a computer. I do not know if the web site was even up in 1998 so it has made a difference this time for me.

I hope things get better for you, do the program agian and you will NOT have to live with panic attacks.

Best of luck,
Debbie

Guest

Post by Guest » Sat Feb 24, 2007 10:00 am

Hello. I can relate 100% with what you are going through.. I went through the program in 1992-93... It along w/medicine made my panic attacks go away..I thought I had it licked..I went off all meds about 3 yrs ago.. Well within the last year I have had alot of things happan in my life that were stressful..I notice my anxiety level going up..Then in Sept. I had my grandsons Uncle got killed in Iraq..It seem to blow my panic attacks into action..Since then I have been on a roller coaster ride..I knew I had to do something..I went to my doctor who put me back on meds..I told him my anxiety level went down but not completely...He said the medicine has done all its going to do and the rest is up to you... Well, I started listening to tapes again, over and over and over..They helped to calm me down and to convince myself it is anxiety ,not some mysterious illnes that is going to kill me :)... I also started a vitamin regimin that my doctor recommended..I still have some tinge of anxiety that comes & goes but I am much better than a month ago..Keep the faith and work the program...Good Luck..

Guest

Post by Guest » Sat Jun 13, 2009 12:47 pm

I am also going through a "relapse", but I like to think of it as a "growth spurt" as Lucinda calls it and you should too.
My mom was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer this past Novemeber. This is the first time I have ever had a loved one seriously ill. And my mom is an incredibly close and important person in my life. One of my greatest fears has always been losing a parent (I used to worry about it as a young child).
I went through the program over a year ago and I have been doing SO well. I was able to do so many things that I couldn't do before and i felt so content. Then my mom is diagnosed and a few months of shock go by. And I am starting grad school in the fall. Then my 25th birthday arrives and BOOM all of my old habits come back: Generalized anxiety, bewilderment and unreality, panic attacks.
So I am doing the program again and it is helping. When I feel unreality (the worse part for me) and aniexty I remind myself that it is a reaction to and distraction from the worry and stress that goes along with my moms illness. BUt then that reminds me of the reality that she is fighting for her life which brings on other horrible feelins. So I need to accept a little bit of anxiety and bad feelings right now as normal. I need to give myself permission.
I know I am talking about myself here...sorry...but it feels so good to know others have gone through a "relapse" due to stress.
So, yes, restart the program. It is definitely helping me. You need to refine and remember those coping skills. They worked before and they will work again.
We will never be anxiety free. That is not a realistic goal because life happens. But we can use the tools in the program and the support of others with this disorder to deal with it and control our reactions and emotions.
Best of luck to you :)

Guest

Post by Guest » Mon Jun 15, 2009 11:35 am

I agree that restarting the program is always a good idea. Something I did recently when I started to have obsessive scary thoughts again was to listen to specific tapes ALL the time in the car (tapes 2, 3, 10 and 14 are the most helpful to me). We need to teach ourselves new habits, and this takes time and practice!

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