Empowering Group Program Run-through

[Ninjafrodo2]

Welcome to our group journey through the lessons of the program. Make sure you fasten your seat belts as we make our ways towards a brighter future!

So the objective here is that we all go through the program at the same time. We don't have to do all the action assignments and its not about reaching perfection here. Our healing journey is much like a puzzle...each and everything you do to help yourself is like adding another piece to your own puzzle. It might take awhile to finish it but keep in mind that doesn't mean you have to wait until it's finished in order to enjoy yourselves and to have fun and fun is something I'd like to put into our journey as well.


So to start i'm interested to learn what people's goals are, where they'd like to get to and who they'd like to become.

Mike

[forever young 06]

mike I hope the others will get on board. I have always been on to not particapte I can't spell, I need to be active if I want to recover. I would like for us to tell a little about ourselves and what we want to accomplish. I am female I am 59 yrs young ha. my panic started in 1976 in the mts I guess why I don't like isolated areas now. I started avoiding areas and became agrophobic and almost became home bound. I am still area bound but not home bound. I took medicine and felt .better no attacks but couldn't get pass my phobias. this is what I need to learn . I went off my meds in march and started having spells and trying to get back on them. I just want to feel better and be a overcomer . I hope others will join more the better.

[THH]

Hi everyone!
I am female, 55 years old. I started panic attacks about 10 years ago. I have had panic attacks driving as well. Most of them have been extreme conditions, bridges, road construction. I live in a rural area and most of my driving can be done. Most of my problems have occurred 20 or more miles from home. I am good in slow traffic but freeway speed and construction are bad for me.

I have always had anxiety, for much of my life. It just got worse and I became obsessed with my aches & pains & sickness. Dental as well. I have gone through this program several times and I have made good choices, for awhile. Or something big happens to me and I start the process all over.I get stuck in a rut and bring myself down. Then I seam to pull out of it and cruse on for awhile. I feel going though again will help me figure out why I do this so I can be more aware of what skills I need to work on to keep myself free.

I have only taken Xanax as needed.

My goals are to be positive, be excepting, and move forward.

[Ninjafrodo2]

Good call forever young!

I'm 30 year old guy and my anxiety started the first time I experienced guilt so i guess a guilt attack when I was 12. I started this program in 2004 and have gone through it a couple times and have made alot of progress but still not to where I want to be yet. I have also learned many other things along the way that complimented what I learned through the program and I feel that with all of this, i'm going to get to where I want to be.

I want to love myself unconditionally

I want to get myself back into the working world and in a job that I like and that allows me to pay for the things in life that I enjoy.

I want to release past negative behavior and thought patterns and create ones that help me flourish

I want to have an abundant ammount of energy

I want to be able to live in the moment in a peaceful and loving way

I want to be able to experience my emotions as they come up and feel confident that I can handle any of them whenever they come up

I want to create healthy relationships with people I naturally click with

I want to be able to accept myself fully and accept other people for who they are and situations for what they are.

I also want to reach for my dreams and become the person that I've always wanted to be.

I want to get myself into improv classes

I want to get myself into a toastmaster's group

I want to start making youtube videos

I want to feel comfortable at partys

I want to get back into doing karaoke

[forever young 06]

okay how is it going? I am really going to have to work hard at this. I listened to the tape yesterday read the little in the work book. I never got to use the relaxtion tape yet. I am going to have to make myself do this. I have listened to the tapes a lot but never committed my self that much. I really need to give this a big try this time.

[Ninjafrodo2]

forever young;

You've already done more than I have so far. I've listened to the lesson cd last night but that was it. I was planning to do the cd the first day then workbook stuff the next and then alternate the days for the week.

By the way do you mind if I give you feedback on your replies? I mean if there is something in there that seems to be holding you back or keeping you from reaching your goals, or ask questions to help you restructure your focus to one that may be more empowering for you?


Mike

[forever young 06]

I would love feed back, I want us to work together this is what it is all about. I was disappointed when no one had posted but I thought okay this is early. but speaking what we are doing and how we are going would be a good thing. I remembered the tape as I had listened to it a lot but a person soon forgets and goes back to his old way of thinking. I hope I can learn a new way of thinking.

[Ninjafrodo2]

forever young;

It looks like you are already starting to reframe your thoughts...you said you were disappointed but then said it was still early. Also I wanted to make sure that I am being respectful and considerate of you and your needs, which is why I had asked you first.

You definately can learn to have a new way of thinking, it'll just take some time and practice which is the same for all of us as well

Ok so lets look at your post

I am really going to have to work hard at this. I listened to the tape yesterday read the little in the work book. I never got to use the relaxtion tape yet. I am going to have to make myself do this. I have listened to the tapes a lot but never committed my self that much. I really need to give this a big try this time.

ok so i'm going to ask you a couple things to help you;
1)When you tell yourself you're going to have to make yourself do this and you're really going to need to give this a big try this time how does that feel for you? Does it make you feel empowered?

2)when you said "I have listened to the tapes a lot but never committed my self that much"
I do understand that this may have been true for your past and is valid but how does it feel for you to focus on that? And what does that mean for you?


There is no wrong answer and i'm not asking for myself, this is more for you, to experience how your focus affects you instead of just reading how it could from someone else or hearing it on the tapes. I also want you to know that whatever your experience may be, it is not who you are, its just where you are right now thats all.


Mike

[THH]

Hi.
Reporting on my big dental day. Glad I am starting this program again! I had a appointment to check some work I had done in July to see how things were healing. I am not going to get into detail as I know there are other anxiety suffers out here who also fear dentist.
I WAS A MESS. I ended up medicating last night and this morning before I left. I had a driver. My anxiety was 10! Racing heart, trembling, dizziness, scary, uncontrollable thoughts, muscle tension the list goes on. It would be easier to say what I didn't have. Anyway my appointment was 30 mins. late so I was really happy I had meds in me. I thought of 100's of things that they were going to tell me, all bad of coarse.

I had to have a cat scan to check my bone, and a xray. I was terrified but acted as cool as I could. When the dentist looked at everything he was so happy with my healing, everything was great. I am so wore out from the whole ordeal but so relieved that all is well.

All the scary thoughts was such a waste of my energy. I feel foolish in even telling the story. But this is how I have trained my brain to prepare for going to a doctor or dentist. I will be fine now, until next Thurs. when I go in for a cleaning!

I did not listen to tapes today. I did work on breathing, but could not concentrate well enough to work any of my skills. I should of prepared days ahead of time, but was lazy and figured I could do it.

I started reading the book again, In the intro where you check one that applies, It is easier to say, I didn't check guilt ridden! Everything else was checked.
Where it list limitations, mine were all fear based.
Interesting enough, #6 Develop a wish list. I never put anything. If my anxiety weren't holding me back, I would... I do not know how to answer this. Still don't... The search goes on.

Glad you guys are here

[THH]

Mike,
I think it is great you have accomplishments that you know what you want. Your list is impressive. I feel empty in this area because it seams beyond some basic things I don't have a list. We'll see if I improve as we go along.

Forever,
It is a commitment, I too have got to stay in practice. The way I see things at times I know is wrong. It takes work to retrain our thoughts. Maybe we will all gain for going though this again! Also like Mike says it comes in small stages, baby steps. If we get upset that we are not feeling better to soon we start the cycle all over. I must recognize the little things that get easier. Small growth is better than no growth.