Friends on the healing path

Don't let a setback discourage you, face the challenge and come out stronger for it. Celebrate your successes and be open to all of new opportunities that are about to come into your life.
Junebug 333
Posts: 1
Joined: Tue Mar 17, 2009 9:59 am

Post by Junebug 333 » Thu Sep 10, 2009 6:58 am

Hi everyone, I have been on my healing path from anxiety for about 10 years now. I am amazed at the progress and the growth spurts that I have experienced along the way by practicing the tapes for the most part, alone. I have come to realize that even though I have worked the program on and off over the years as I have needed it....I still kept my anxiety a secret from those closest to me. WhatI understand about this now, is that although I was working HARD at my healing, I was still doing it in secret...and so I was still doing it with fear. Does that make sense? I have recently begun to review my program again for a variety of reasons, and I thought to myself...would the growth spurts be lessened if I truly shared my pain and fearful feelings with some of the people who are closest to me? My family and friends knew I had anxiety issues, but I never really told anyone the degree with which I SUFFERED at times. So, I have been in a relationship with my partner for about 6 years, and recently I opened up and we spoke about what it is like...to my absolute amazement....I am finding this so healing and so helpful. Having a supportive partner, or even friend or close colleague to share with seems to help take that extra fear off. I am now hoping to attend a support group, and maybe find some friends on this site to email and exchange supportive help and messages with. Would anyone like a helpful friend to exchange messages of support with? I am a high school teacher....and will be a great supportive friend back :)

Guest

Post by Guest » Sun Sep 13, 2009 3:50 am

Hey, I just finished the program, and am working with a therapist also on some other skills to help eliminate anxiety. I work as a hairdresser, and i have so many friends and clients who also have had issues with anxiety at different times in their lives. It is said that almost one in five people have a problem with this, so i really feel that it is an integral part of recovery to share your journey on your healing path with others. Being able to openly talk about it will show you just how many people close to you have had similar problems and therefor by being able to share with them, it is a huge self esteem booster to pass on all the information and the program itself to people who otherwise would not know better. Sharing with people has helped me so much in my process, and i also feel like it really allows you to let go of alot of the feelings surrounding this condition. I say talk to everyone until you feel annoying and find out just how common and treatable this problem is. Also, saying it out loud to yourself only confirms how well you are doing and how far you have come in your journey. Another thing is that if people make you feel weird or strange for expressing these things it is usually because they too have their own problems that you being so open about yours makes them feel uncomfortable because they dont want to deal. Dont talk to those people about it ;-). Good luck and congratulations
Dana

Guest

Post by Guest » Wed Sep 16, 2009 6:28 am

Hi Dana, THanks for your encouragement :) This is a whole new stage in the healing process for me, and I have to say again, it amazes me....it has absolutely taken the sting out of the fear, and has helped me to actually slow down and face my anxiety patterns on a much deeper, more healing level. So far, the few people that I have really shared with have been totally supportive :cool: I agree with you too, it is unbelievable just how many people have had, or still have, this condition on some level. Over the years I have also had students who have confided with me about their anxieties. The part of the healing that I am tuning into more then anything now, is just how quickly, almost instantaneously, my body goes through a physical reaction to a negative fearful thought! It is incredible! I am catching my thoughts now, not running from them, and this is making a huge difference. One last thing...something else that is helping tremendously with my ability to slow down and not run...is yoga...I have begun taking a 'gentle - restorative' yoga class....it really helps you not to be afraid to slow down and go within. I definitely recommend it :p
Well, I wish you inner peace and health on your journey, June

Guest

Post by Guest » Wed Sep 16, 2009 7:04 am

I need some help. I started the program back in '06. I did some better then found the need for a coach. It helped for quite a while and now I'm slipping back into anx/dep and I hate it. I haven't taken time to go thru the wkbk. again or listen to the CD's. (Once in a while I do). It's l:15 and I'm still in my p.j's. I know I need to get back to exercise and eating healthy. Seems I've gotten on the wrong path. I think I've missed being on here and hope to get help from the community once again and then be able to give back. Any comments welcome please.

Guest

Post by Guest » Thu Sep 17, 2009 4:29 am

I am new to this blogging thing so bear with me. I had my first panic attack in 1994, I was in my early 20's and had just had my first son who was 5 months old at the time. This led me to doctor after doctor who did test upon test and told me I had anxiety/depression. I became agoraphobic for about 1 year and then it all seemed to subside for about 5 years until 1999 when I was sitting in church and had another full blown panic attack. This put me back to square on and I thought it was hopeless. I had yearly physicals that all came back normal. I was watching tv late one night when I saw the infomercial for program. I purchased the tapes and they really seemed to help me through that period which lasted maybe 2 to 3 months. I did not finish the program because I was feeling better. Well it is 2009 and it has reared it's ugly head yet again this time it seems like I can't shake it for some reason. I am eating right, exercising, have eliminated caffeine, don't smoke, eliminated sugar, included bran, have taken more medical tests (It has been hard for me to accept it is anxiety because it has been so long since I've dealt with it and I am getting older 38 to be exact) all of which have come back normal. I have gone through the program again to the end and am still struggling a bit. I want to recover more than anything. What am I doing wrong?

Guest

Post by Guest » Thu Sep 17, 2009 6:53 am

Dear bgavon, You have come back to the right place ;) No worries....just get engaged with the program again. It worked for you before, and it will work again but this time even better...I read something the other day about 'level 1 learning' where we read the information, can verbalize it, but have not yet assimilated it and put it into full integrated use. I believe that was the case with me for the past 10 years...I learned enough to get by, but was still running from the core negative thinking issues that were largely at the root of my anxiety disorder...that and the fact that my central nervous system is wired like that of a squirrel :p But, I am o.k. with that because it is part of what makes me an effective, energetic teacher with my students. But, back to you...it's never too late...there is soooo much hope when you get back into the program...so, get to it...you will only feel better that much faster. In addition...cut out the sugar and caffiene...that has made a HUGE difference for me...it seriously has. I will check this board as often as I can, and will be here to support you :) God Bless

Guest

Post by Guest » Thu Sep 17, 2009 7:54 am

Dear Ajgoldberg, I hope today finds you feeling a little more peaceful. I can totally empathize with you, as I too went through long stretches of time and had no real issues, and then something or another would trigger another episode that could last either for a short, or longer time. I think what I am learning this time around, is that even though I knew the skills from the tapes and practiced them, I was still doing it with fear...and still fearing that I would get the symptoms back. What is helping me reach what I believe is a much deeper level of healing is that I have fully shared the fact that I have had this problem with some of the people closest to me...they helped me see that I was not all that abnormal :D In addition, I think sharing at that level helped me to get real about what exactly it was I was dealing with. I say this because I was always skirting around my anxiety...acknowledging just enough to get by...but never fully facing it head on. The other things that have helped me tremendously are practicing yoga, especially the meditation and breathing aspects. I believe that has helped me to not be so afraid to calm down and go within...even in the scary times, I seem better able to do this now. I would encourage you to stay the course...face it head on...as Carolyn Dickman once said in on a tape "I found that when I had a 'set back or growth spurt' it was usually because there was still something I had to learn". I have paraphrased I think, but I am believeing this is true....maybe you are still afraid of your panicky feelings? You can do this....reach out for the support you need and go for it....Peace to you :)

Guest

Post by Guest » Thu Sep 17, 2009 2:23 pm

Junebug, Thanks for the encouraging words. I am doing some better today although I took a xanax and don't usually during the day. I think I will tonite too so hopefully I won't need to tomorrow to get back on track. We're going out for my daughter's birthday to Red Lobster. That's probably the underlying issue because her and her husband have been separated 2 wks. now and tomorrow he'll be with pretending in front of the grandparents that everything is OK. My friend who has cancer named all the things I've been praying about and she said it's no wonder I ended up in ER. (yesterday)

On another note, is someone able to change our profile? It's not right. I signed in as barbgavon and it's changed to bgavon and my e-mail address is changed too so if anyone e-mails me, I won't get it. Usually there's a place where you can edit. I don't get it.

Guest

Post by Guest » Thu Sep 17, 2009 2:25 pm

It's me again. How weird is that after I posted it came on as barbgavon so I went to the profile and it's changed back the way I wanted it. Well, I don't get how it happened that fast, but I'm glad.

Guest

Post by Guest » Fri Sep 18, 2009 2:06 am

Morning Barb, Hope today finds you feeling a little more peace. Here's something to remember...when we go through stressful times our body naturally has a stress response that feels like anxiety sometimes, and that's NORMAL! Try to just accept that....it is really helpful for me when I tell myself that I am having a physical response to whatever it is going on for me, and that it is normal....all of my friends and my partner does too...it's just that they accept it and do not build on it like we can. As soon as you feel the physical symptons remind and assure yourself that this is normal, it won't hurt you and it does not have top be scary. When you go to dinner, just breathe....do the deep breaths and focus on that...and do not worry about feeling panicky, you are working your way through this....give yourself credit and a huge pat on the back...you will be ok. Here's a good phrase: God does'nt make junk, and He made you...you are wonderful in God's eyes...so try and be wonderful in your own too :) God Bless Jbug

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