Help!

[steffaniiee]

Hi, I'm just now starting this program, and i have to say im scared to death to even begin it. i dont even know what life is like without anxiety & i'm only 19. i have anxiety about not having anxiety! im a mess and i just want to hear from people that they are really succeding and doing well on this program and that their lives are changing beautifully.

[nrsesarah]

Hey Stef,I just started the program myself. I am 26 y.o. and just started having bad anxiety. I'm really scared starting this program too.

[steffaniiee]

Why are we so scared?

[nrsesarah]

I think for me it is because I have to accept that there is something wrong with how I am dealing with things...I am being destructive to myself. And it is very hard to accept that. I am not sure what this program has to offer, but jsut exchanging words with you seems to be easing my anxiety a little. I am just grateful that there is no face to face meetings with this program, I am extremely shy and the embarrasment would be unbearable.

[steffaniiee]

I totally undeestand, I'm so glad too. I think its hard to accept that were the ones causing it and we can't blame ig on something else. We have to fix it ourselves. I feel better talking to you too. Where at in the program are you

[nrsesarah]

I am actually waiting for the cd's and dvd's to arrive. just signed up and thought I would check out the online support system.

[steffaniiee]

I want you to keep me up dated on how you are doing. I know I don't know you but I already feel.. connected to you, your my first friend on here . Can you just picture how amazing our lives are going to be as we conquer this?

[nrsesarah]

I am sooo looking forward to having normal coonversations with people. I think of all the times I haven't started conversation or did something I wanted to do because I was anxious about it. It's stupid and thats what I keep telling myself. For some reason calling myself an idiot stopped working about 6 months ago (lol). Thats when I decided to start finding different ways of coping. What s your biggest source of anxiety do you think? Is yours more general? Mine is mostly socal anxety. Which sucks because I love meeting people and joking around in a sarcastic way. I'm starting to think that my sarcasm and pessimistic ways are a way of diverting the attention away from me. I enjoy talking to you and I definitely want to keep in touch during the program. I hope this goes better than my first attempt at online college (lol). Not the easiest thing for me... I can't wait to beat this thing!

[polkadot]

Hi! I'm 19 as well. I've actually been dealing with anxiety since 8th grade. Some years are better than others, especially when I make up my mind that getting anxious is ridiculous. But recently I fell back in the slump and want to get over it once and for all! I truly love life and and adventure and people. But I think my fear of failure, abandonment, and loneliness can overtake me and the fear of what others think about me. I have had the worst self-esteem ever since I was little. I let others walk over me, even my emotions that I didn't properly address. I honestly even felt like no one even cared about me, admittedly I still feel like that. In fact when I'm getting anxious a horrible fear of loneliness and abandonment comes over me. But I have plans for my life and even though the thought of executing them scares me, I still see other people enjoying life and doing the things I want to do, so I want to get over this. I'm thankful my mom found this program for me, I hope it will help me stay on the track to healing and recovery.


What helps is to think of these emotions that are overtaking you as rude bullies and to tell yourself that there is no way they have any right or control to dominate you! Sounds weird but it helps, because if you think about it some of these emotions are the results of others words or actions which you have let control you and define who you are. So don't take no for an answer, get mad that you have let outside things determine your worth and value when they have no right too. Trust me, it helps, and you don't have to worry because you are only confronting your emotions not a person. Taking this ownership helps you to take more ownership over your life.

Ya'll can do it! You have more strength than you realize, you took a step and admitted the problem, which is brave in and of itself. Keep up the great work guys! I hope I can keep up with ya'll!

[drea296]

Hey guys, I just signed up for the peer support today. I've just been browsing around and reading what you are all writing here just brought tears to my eyes. I'm going to be 30 this month, and hearing how young you all are and you're dealing with this...just makes me think of myself when I was younger trying to deal with it. I had my fist panic attacks when I was around 7. Of course no one knew that's what was going on, so I lived with it. The doctor told my mom to stop giving me soda,lol. Around the age of 20 all of a sudden everything going on in my life became too much. So my body told me it was too much with a pretty rough month. For a month I was having panic attacks all day long, dizzy all the time, couldn't go anywhere, thought I was dying or going crazy. I could barely get up to go make food or shower let alone go out like a 20 year old should. I saw over 4 doctors that month, and the last doctor was the one who could figure out, finally, I had Panic Disorder. (With depression probably a little too, but he just diagnosed the Panic.) That day that i realized I wasn't going crazy or dying, I started feeling a little better. Since then I've overcome being afraid of going out, going over bridges, elevators, heights. I haven't had a panic attack in over 3 years. I'm just now starting the program because I still have some anxiety issues. My fear of having another panic attack keeps me from driving alone, being too far from home alone. And that's what it is...I could do those things, but my "fear" is stopping me...I'm stopping me. I can tell already this program is giving us the tools we need to build ourselves up to the strong independent people we want to be...who we are deep down. That's a little I've learned having just started it. But it's huge That's all really, I just want you guys to know...do not let more and more time get wasted. Don't deal with it when you're 30, or 40...I'm so glad you're doing it now. Give this program everything you have, and you will feel better. Promise.