Hi.. I'm new to the program

[hopeful4ever]

Hi everyone! Just reaching out and utilizing the peer support. I started to get anxiety about 3 years ago, while on vacation I got really sick and I had a panic attack. Once I came home I felt better but then slowly realized I didn't feel the same anymore. I would get anxious about normal things I used to do like driving, if it was too far I would feel anxious. I also had some major stomach issues because I think I caught a bug in the Bahamas, antibiotics helped with that. But I lost weight and developed food allergies to gluten and diary. In 2016 I drove down to South Carolina with my husband for a family vacation which was a HUGE accomplishment. I dealt with all the symptoms, sweating, fast heart beat, nausea as I drove further from home. I told myself I don't care if I have a heart attack, I'm doing this!! I also prayed a lot! So I got through that and figured my extreme anxiety was behind me for the most part. I dealt with low levels of anxiety and pushed myself to do certain things I didn't want to do but had to. Like travel 1 hr. to my sister's house for my niece's birthday party. Then this past August I started having stomach issues again and then came the anxiety. The idea that this was happening again was overwhelming and unbearable. I was really bad for about 3 weeks, my Mom had to fly up to visit me and she became my safe person for way longer that I should've let her be. I eventually went on Prozac 10mg just to help take the edge off as the Dr. said. I started seeing a Christian counselor and a friend of my Mom's gave her the DVD/CD disc program to give to me because she had gone through her own anxiety issues. I am currently on week 2 and I'm doing my best to stay hopeful that I will recover and I will get over these fears that I have. All I want to do is go back to how I used to be but I know I need to be patient. The idea of flying somewhere on vacation is unbearable, but even just traveling 1-2hrs. from home is scary and I never used to be that way. I'm glad to have this opportunity to chat with all of you and I find comfort in knowing that I'm not the only one dealing with anxiety.

[coachchris]

Greetings Hopeful, (love this login

Welcome to the forums and the program. I am excited to hear you have the program and have made it through lesson two. What did you think of the lesson and the relaxation?
I loved learning that there is a right way and a wrong way to relate to the anxiety/adrenaline. Once I finally understood I wanted to control it and I could control it by accepting, floating, calming, etc I started to make good progress.

I look forward to your reply.
Coach Chris