One More Step
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mbdawgsfan
- Posts: 3
- Joined: Thu Nov 26, 2009 1:03 pm
Hello,
I to am struggling with driving. I got a job about 2 months ago and it requires me to get a liquor license. I have not been able to work for 3 weeks now because i am having a hard time driving to get it. I would love to learn more about how to receive the driving cd. If anyone can help that would be wonderful. God Bless
I to am struggling with driving. I got a job about 2 months ago and it requires me to get a liquor license. I have not been able to work for 3 weeks now because i am having a hard time driving to get it. I would love to learn more about how to receive the driving cd. If anyone can help that would be wonderful. God Bless
Hey, Everybody! I'm back and I feel like I've missed so much. I was sick for several days (again) then the site was down...dern it.
Welcome, new folks, Claudette and Dimitra and anyone else that is planning on becoming a regular visitor to this post.
Driving is one of my main avoidances and I find it to be one of the most humiliating and crippling. I despise being dependent on others to get me where I need to go and I am so tired of making excuses and having to hide it. I avoid meeting new people because of it. What if they ask me for a ride? What if they want to go somewhere outside my safety zone? You all get the drift, I'm sure.
With anxiety it is so easy to get caught up in all the symptoms and lose sight of life itself. Days become just another 24 hour period of struggle and fear. It isn't living anymore it's just surviving. And what really chaps my butt is that anxiety is a LIE. We feel like we are dying... but we aren't. We feel like we are about to pass out/freak out/fall down/go insane.... but we aren't. It just a lie.
One thing that I find really helps me stick to the program and start breaking some of the chains this thing has on me is to 1)Be accountable. Left to my own devices I will blow a practice off or get complacent. If I've got someone to report to or to share with, it makes it much more difficult to not do. Also, a burden shared is that much lighter. I am very grateful to Sea Runner for starting this post for just that reason. 2) Setting goals and breaking it down into achievable steps. This thread has really helped me with that, too.
ManofMusic, you diet-stickin'-to, salt elminating, caffeine not-having, exercising rock star, you! Lordy, you legs will soon rival Sea Runners! lol
Sea Runner,
You are so brave and your tenacity is such an example for me, thank you.
My Goal for this week will remain relaxing every day and restarting my exercise program.
Do any of you struggle with making enough time in your day to get all our "stuff" done? I work full time and sometimes struggle to exercise, relax, do homework, listen to tapes, and go get my driving practice in.
Welcome, new folks, Claudette and Dimitra and anyone else that is planning on becoming a regular visitor to this post.
Driving is one of my main avoidances and I find it to be one of the most humiliating and crippling. I despise being dependent on others to get me where I need to go and I am so tired of making excuses and having to hide it. I avoid meeting new people because of it. What if they ask me for a ride? What if they want to go somewhere outside my safety zone? You all get the drift, I'm sure.
With anxiety it is so easy to get caught up in all the symptoms and lose sight of life itself. Days become just another 24 hour period of struggle and fear. It isn't living anymore it's just surviving. And what really chaps my butt is that anxiety is a LIE. We feel like we are dying... but we aren't. We feel like we are about to pass out/freak out/fall down/go insane.... but we aren't. It just a lie.
One thing that I find really helps me stick to the program and start breaking some of the chains this thing has on me is to 1)Be accountable. Left to my own devices I will blow a practice off or get complacent. If I've got someone to report to or to share with, it makes it much more difficult to not do. Also, a burden shared is that much lighter. I am very grateful to Sea Runner for starting this post for just that reason. 2) Setting goals and breaking it down into achievable steps. This thread has really helped me with that, too.
ManofMusic, you diet-stickin'-to, salt elminating, caffeine not-having, exercising rock star, you! Lordy, you legs will soon rival Sea Runners! lol
Sea Runner,
You are so brave and your tenacity is such an example for me, thank you.
My Goal for this week will remain relaxing every day and restarting my exercise program.
Do any of you struggle with making enough time in your day to get all our "stuff" done? I work full time and sometimes struggle to exercise, relax, do homework, listen to tapes, and go get my driving practice in.
Focus on what you want, not what you fear...
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martha sadler
- Posts: 17
- Joined: Sun Apr 11, 2010 1:47 pm
Claudette -
It's so odd to hear my own suggestions quoted back to me. I tell these things to myself when I'm practicing positive self-talk but for some reason they sound more believable coming from someone else. I guess I should take my own advice, LOL!
Yes, exercise is a great tool. It really helps to clear the mind and let out all that negative energy we let build up inside. Plus there's all the other positive physiological and emotional effects it has on the body.
Keep up your positive attitude and I'm sure you'll meet your goals.
Regarding the driving CD, I have heard of it mentioned before on the site. Does it really have anything new to add? I'm not sure I want to invest more money if it's much of the same information we've already learned but repackaged specifically for driving. What's your opinion?
Jamie
It's so odd to hear my own suggestions quoted back to me. I tell these things to myself when I'm practicing positive self-talk but for some reason they sound more believable coming from someone else. I guess I should take my own advice, LOL!
Yes, exercise is a great tool. It really helps to clear the mind and let out all that negative energy we let build up inside. Plus there's all the other positive physiological and emotional effects it has on the body.
Keep up your positive attitude and I'm sure you'll meet your goals.
Regarding the driving CD, I have heard of it mentioned before on the site. Does it really have anything new to add? I'm not sure I want to invest more money if it's much of the same information we've already learned but repackaged specifically for driving. What's your opinion?
Jamie
"Common things occur commonly. Uncommon things don't. Therefore, when you hear hoofbeats, think horses, not zebras." -- C.J. Peters
HotRod -
Sorry to hear you were ill again. That's no fun to add on top of all the other stress we have to deal with.
I'm so glad that this thread is helping you. You're absolutely right about both your points about accountability and setting reasonable goals. Both have helped tremendously in my recovery and I wanted to share that with others.
Also, thank you so much for your kind words about my recovery. I'm still a work in progress but I'm hopeful and willing to work for it. I just want it to go faster...ugh!
Regarding fitting everything we have to do in one day, yes, it's often difficult. It's so easy to blow off exercising or doing relaxation thinking we can just catch up tomorrow or the next day. Sometimes if I am running out of time I just shorten up some of my tasks so that I still accomplish something but have time for other things as well. And there are times when you just have to let some things go if it's just not possible or reasonable to do everything in a single day. Just do the best you can with what you have available.
Jamie
Sorry to hear you were ill again. That's no fun to add on top of all the other stress we have to deal with.
I'm so glad that this thread is helping you. You're absolutely right about both your points about accountability and setting reasonable goals. Both have helped tremendously in my recovery and I wanted to share that with others.
Also, thank you so much for your kind words about my recovery. I'm still a work in progress but I'm hopeful and willing to work for it. I just want it to go faster...ugh!
Regarding fitting everything we have to do in one day, yes, it's often difficult. It's so easy to blow off exercising or doing relaxation thinking we can just catch up tomorrow or the next day. Sometimes if I am running out of time I just shorten up some of my tasks so that I still accomplish something but have time for other things as well. And there are times when you just have to let some things go if it's just not possible or reasonable to do everything in a single day. Just do the best you can with what you have available.
Jamie
"Common things occur commonly. Uncommon things don't. Therefore, when you hear hoofbeats, think horses, not zebras." -- C.J. Peters
MbDawgsFan -
I'm not really familiar with the driving CD in particular. However, I've been able to dramatically increase the distance I can drive alone by using desensitization. Specifically, I practice driving as often as I can, usually multiple times per day. I started out with relatively short distances and have slowly increased distance from my safe places over time. As I get accustom to a particular distance or location, I move my goal out a little farther. It's all about practicing continuously and taking risks.
I still have trouble, but as I said, I've made big strides from where I was a year ago. Be sure to give yourself time to rest and recuperate between driving runs. You don't have to get all the way relaxed but you don't want to start off already in a panic. You'll have to gauge for yourself what works best for you. The trick is to keep trying.
Don't get discouraged if you don't make your goal distance right away or even on any particular run. The important thing is that you're facing your fears.
Jamie
I'm not really familiar with the driving CD in particular. However, I've been able to dramatically increase the distance I can drive alone by using desensitization. Specifically, I practice driving as often as I can, usually multiple times per day. I started out with relatively short distances and have slowly increased distance from my safe places over time. As I get accustom to a particular distance or location, I move my goal out a little farther. It's all about practicing continuously and taking risks.
I still have trouble, but as I said, I've made big strides from where I was a year ago. Be sure to give yourself time to rest and recuperate between driving runs. You don't have to get all the way relaxed but you don't want to start off already in a panic. You'll have to gauge for yourself what works best for you. The trick is to keep trying.
Don't get discouraged if you don't make your goal distance right away or even on any particular run. The important thing is that you're facing your fears.
Jamie
"Common things occur commonly. Uncommon things don't. Therefore, when you hear hoofbeats, think horses, not zebras." -- C.J. Peters
Martha -
I'm glad my advice was helpful. If you get stuck trying to break down your goals, feel free to post your plan and I'm sure everyone here would be willing to help out. We all need all the encouragement and support we can get and this site is a great source.
Jamie
I'm glad my advice was helpful. If you get stuck trying to break down your goals, feel free to post your plan and I'm sure everyone here would be willing to help out. We all need all the encouragement and support we can get and this site is a great source.
Jamie
"Common things occur commonly. Uncommon things don't. Therefore, when you hear hoofbeats, think horses, not zebras." -- C.J. Peters
Today I missed work again. I don't know how much longer my employer will put up with this but right now I really need to focus on my recovery and leave other worries aside. However, I did make an accidental realization today as to why I may be feeling so anxious.
So the temporary medication I was taking was really just a bridge to get me through while I increase another medication I've been taking for some time for depression. What I forgot is that I tend to get more anxiety when that medication is increased. I'm not sure why I didn't think of it before. The good news is that my body will acclimate to the new dosage and I'll start to calm down.
I was able to continue doing relaxation exercises today and I also got in a bike ride since I ran yesterday. I was nervous on the ride but I pushed myself a mile or two further than I wanted to because I knew that I could do it, I was just having anticipatory anxiety. And of course, I made it without dying, without passing out, and without any other disasters my little mind could come up with.
Tomorrow is a new day and gives more opportunities to reach my goals.
So the temporary medication I was taking was really just a bridge to get me through while I increase another medication I've been taking for some time for depression. What I forgot is that I tend to get more anxiety when that medication is increased. I'm not sure why I didn't think of it before. The good news is that my body will acclimate to the new dosage and I'll start to calm down.
I was able to continue doing relaxation exercises today and I also got in a bike ride since I ran yesterday. I was nervous on the ride but I pushed myself a mile or two further than I wanted to because I knew that I could do it, I was just having anticipatory anxiety. And of course, I made it without dying, without passing out, and without any other disasters my little mind could come up with.
Tomorrow is a new day and gives more opportunities to reach my goals.
"Common things occur commonly. Uncommon things don't. Therefore, when you hear hoofbeats, think horses, not zebras." -- C.J. Peters
Hello Jamie
Good realization on the med adjustments. That will help I am sure , knowing that has got to ease your mind. It would for me
Way to go on the bike ride. Bravo on practicing
every day to get out and drive. I do not do that. I need to. I have got to make some kind of adjustments to the budget to make sure we always have gas in the car. I hate having to bite the financial bullet as payday nears. Things are tight.
Anyway I realized about two weeks ago that on the days I don't have to go to church or the pantry that I will stay home in my jammies and that has not been helpful at all. It feeds my depression. That has to stop. So one of my new goals in which I need accountability is to get up and take a shower every morning.... Period. Rain or shine, going out or not.1 Dress and Shower!
It seems obvious I know but i have spent many years depressed and that is one of the bad habits that stayed
So tonight I took a shower to cool off in this heat and I feel better already. I am going to see if hubby wants to go for a practice drive in a little bit .
Wish me Luck
Jill~
Good realization on the med adjustments. That will help I am sure , knowing that has got to ease your mind. It would for me
Way to go on the bike ride. Bravo on practicing
every day to get out and drive. I do not do that. I need to. I have got to make some kind of adjustments to the budget to make sure we always have gas in the car. I hate having to bite the financial bullet as payday nears. Things are tight.
Anyway I realized about two weeks ago that on the days I don't have to go to church or the pantry that I will stay home in my jammies and that has not been helpful at all. It feeds my depression. That has to stop. So one of my new goals in which I need accountability is to get up and take a shower every morning.... Period. Rain or shine, going out or not.1 Dress and Shower!
It seems obvious I know but i have spent many years depressed and that is one of the bad habits that stayed
So tonight I took a shower to cool off in this heat and I feel better already. I am going to see if hubby wants to go for a practice drive in a little bit .
Wish me Luck
Jill~