Hello
Posted: Tue Jan 25, 2022 9:57 pm
Hi, my name is Chris. I am a returning student so to speak. I have the CDs and anytime I have high anxiety, I break them out. What a blessing to have them. What is different for me this time around is I am actually doing the work book. I have had anxiety since I was 13 at least, although I did not have a name for it or any form of understanding of anxiety, panic, or OCD til I was 28 and had a panic attack that changed my life. I am now 51 and have found over the years I can go years feeling good where I almost forget I ever had anxiety. However, whenever I get a serious flu or illness I tend to immediately go to "what if", obsessive thinking. Sometimes I can get a hold on it right away and life is back to normal in a couple days. Other times I will spiral quickly and can go through a couple of months where it feels like nothing has ever been good and anxiety has been my whole life. It is like every anxiety episode comes back to mind and I feel it like it was yesterday. What has been different this time is I noticed the past three years, I have experienced three 2 plus months episodes. With age I feel like the pain is even deeper along with the disappointment in myself. The reason I am doing the work book this time is I realize that each time I feel good again, I stop journaling, I stop taking time for self care, etc. I realize now the importance of completing the work book, of journaling, of self care, and that when I am feeling great is a perfect time to keep using the tools that help me feel balanced. I also realized The O in OCD is a much larger problem for me than I previously realized. It is time for me to do some work in that area. I have worked to manage and improve my anxiety and panic disorder but have always just sort of ran or distracted from the big O. I was listening to a CD the other night and was listening to an old group session a gentlemen on the CD by the name of Ken, had the best advise I put to work right away. He said even when he did not believe it at first when he started having obsessive thoughts he would say to himself, "thoughts just thoughts" It was exactly what I needed to hear and now I am using it. So happy to be able to share with others who truly understand. Have a nice evening everyone. Chris