Stress Center Peer Support

Hi all,

I'm planning on starting the program on March 1st. This will be my third attempt. I think that the furthest I have made it was to week 6 or 7, but I can honestly say that I felt much better after doing the lessons that I did.

I just became stuck on one specific part, and was thinking that maybe others have had that problem. If I was going through it with several other people at the same time I think that we could all help each other, make things more clear so that there is less of a possibility of getting stuck!

All that I know is that I am ready to get over this depression and anxiety. It's taken away enough of my life and I want to start living again. I want my sense of humor back. I want to start doing the things that I love again!

Jeff "tinwhistle"

Hi Jeff! This is my third or fourth attempt as well, and I'm going to fight this depression/anxiety with everything inside of me. Remember, to just take baby steps, and we can all do this! Good Luck, and I'll be praying for you and all others here, especially for us whom are starting over, that we will keep our motivation soaring. Remember, "when at first we do not succeed, try, try, and try again. " "We can't change the past, only the future". Take care, and have a good journey!

Thank you. I really appreciate what you wrote, and wish you the best of luck to you as well!

Deep down I know that this time I am going to stick with the program and that it's going to help me. It's very exciting knowing that I'm finally going to pull myself out of this depression. I don't think that I was ready to make the changes the last time I tried. This time it feels so different.

Who woulda thought...a short time ago I couldn't even go out to my mailbox, now I'm planning a 165 mile backpacking trip for this fall. And I'm looking forward to it!

This time around I don't think you should take baby steps. Just jump into it. Dare yourself. Force yourself to do things while you are afraid so that you will know that you will come out alright. It's only anxiety don't let the fear scare you. You know that it's only anxiety and it won't hurt you. You ARE safe.

DeeDee.

Thanks, DeeDee!

You're absolutely right. Baby steps were a very important part of my recovery but I think I'm finally to the point where I'm ready to take larger ones.

It's funny (and a little ironic) but steps have been a main theme through all of this. There was the HUGE step of admitting to myself that I had a problem, and another to admit it to friends and family. Then came the baby steps...getting back into things a little at a time. Letting go of a bunch of anger that I had inside was a big step. Around last Christmas, a friend told me about something called the "1,000 minute challenge" where you try to exercise for 1,000 minutes a month. I was out of shape, so I started walking in place, then on a treadmill. I joined a site online where people use pedometers to count and track their steps...and it really helped to get me exercising again. Now I have another big step in completing this program. Quitting caffeine will be another big one. And how am I going to celebrate when I finally feel better? By walking around Lake Tahoe...nothing but a bunch of steps. But scenic ones!

Thanks again