Empowering Group Program Run-through part3

[Ninjafrodo2]

Wow we're already on the 3rd week already, how did that happen?

We've been doing pretty good! So far we've identified what anxiety and depression are as well as the symptoms, a few goals and have started to learn and practice some skills to deal with anxiety, panic, stress and strong emotions...We're still pretty green but we have started to build our foundation and say everybody has made some really great efforts with using the lesson tapes, using the relaxation cd as well as doing the workbook stuff...We have gathered a few more pieces to the puzzle that is our healing or rather overcoming the anxiety/depression.

This week we step it up just a bit more and thought replacement gets introduced as a means to start to build our ability to change our thinking patterns. This vital skill will help us even further in our growth and to reaching our goals

This week is also a week where we start to learn how to be kinder to ourselves. To comfort and support ourselves and to learn how to give ourselves exactly what we need when we're upset or struggling.

So let Session 3 now commence!


Mike

[forever young 06]

hello all lets get started. I have done the relaxtion tape this morning. I intend to listen to lesson 3 as I want to wrap some Christmas presents and mop floors today. I feel like this lesson will be something to build on. we are moving on pretty fast. lets go forward and keep remember to stay in the moment.

[THH]

Morning!
Tape session 3 to my forehead! LOL...
This lesson is a cornerstone for the rest of the program too. Realizing that we control what we think about. How can I feel well when I am consumed with fearful, worry & negative thoughts. Either past things that I choose, or future things I guess at. I get hung up on why do I do this, rather than changing my thoughts to something positive, hopeful, & encouraging. Practice...Practice...Practice!
I am aware.

Ok, today I am going to read my book. Also do my relaxation tape.

[THH]

I listened to my relax tape, and listened to audio today. I liked Ken again, and felt a lot like him, not knowing negative thinking, thinking I was a positive thinker. So this lesson for me IS getting in touch with what I am thinking about. It does take a conscience effort to be aware of thoughts before I start feeling all the signs of stress and the adrenalin.
Looking at my book, first time -I DID NOT DO THE HOME WORK! second time- Very vague replies. Negative, I wrote but NOTHING under positives. LOL...

I did not read my book today as planned, but did both the other. I will read tomorrow and see if I can do better with my home work!

I think I can....

[Ninjafrodo2]

I'm really happy at how people are putting effort into this and are going along with the relaxation cd! I like the interactions in here as well...We're definately growing alot together and we are only at the beginning of the 3rd week!!!

Like THH I liked what Ken said about his experiences...I like how he said you have to get in between the thoughts and break them up...thats definately how it is! I've also been like him in that if I like what someone says then that was me and if I didn't like the way someone looked, I prejudgement them that I didn't like them.

Oh and as for my first time through the program, my positives were mainly just copies of the responses in the book and they didn't do too much to make me feel better.


By the way something happened that I wanted to share with you guys. I was looking for some new music on youtube and I actually started to feel that lethargy and that is one of my most scariest of anxiety symptoms and I had realized something....before I'd avoid many situations because in my head they were the ones that were causing me to feel lethargic but through my observation with this situation I had realized that I was actually getting stressed out on how I was clicking on the different videos very randomly and was concerned that I'd miss out on alot of good songs and would keep going back through other songs that I've already checked out because there was no organization with checking them out....it really that which bothered me, not finding songs itself, I love getting new songs! This was a great example of there being something bothering me to cause this and not that it was just something random!

I had also met up with someone new from online and I had decided to really focus on being present and in that moment and I felt somewhat of a connection with this person and no I don't mean romantically but just a human connection. I was not able to be completely in the moment or be completely aware of my thoughts and feelings but that was fine because I make some progress.

Also to be completely honest, I am having some scary thoughts of not being able to get the skills down for the 6 steps from lesson 2 and the positive self-talk from lesson 3...I do have some doubt and fear but I'm going to push through this, I'm going to keep going just like this song;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yu7i0fnmW64


THH;
by the way, you don't have to do the book work on day 1 if you don't want to..you could do the cd day 1 and book day 2 and work through it bit by bit through the week if you want to (just a suggestion)



Mike

[forever young 06]

mike great song for determation that's what we need. I am going to do it any way. no ones going to stop me. I too am trying hard to wrap my mine around this. I remember having the thought, my fears are mostly with going places out side of my comfort zone. you mean I have to push through the fear of going some place, that those fears or false I can't trust my feelings. I am feeling danger and it is false. I can't do that I have to trust my feelings. for me that was hard to even think and actually I didn't do it. all of this is against nature. I am going to have to go back and keep reinforcing these sayings. I did the relaxtion tape this morning and the workbook, I had trouble listening to the lesson tape yesterday I had phone calls that distracted me. I am going to try again today. it said listen to the tape 3 times a week. I wanted to listen at least once a day. I don't need to put pressure on my self. I just want to believe I am keeping my self in agrophobia due to my thinking. I hope I can go forward.

[Ninjafrodo2]

I'm glad you liked the song Forever and both of us can make it because we have already overcome some of those thoughts...Its not really about the place or the people just our thinking about it.

For example....I have a hard time being social and being in an environment where I don't really know alot of the people and I have closed up and felt anxious and bad about myself. What I noticed was these people aren't threatening or dangerous and they aren't doing anything to me at all, what happens though is that I'm reminded of my fear when it comes to socializing, I'm thinking of how i've struggled to concentrate and struggled to pay attention and vocalize sentences and that thinking process started making me feel anxious but at the same time I wanted to go and talk to these people and feel a connection with them and I would start judging myself for not doing it and looking down on myself because I "couldnt even" go and talk to people...I felt bad but this was all in my head...it might have been real at one point where I was around alot of nasty people that put me down but now i'm just responding to a memory and instead of the other people beating me up, its me who is doing it.


Also (just a suggestion and anybody can use this if they want) you could start surrounding yourself with things that make you feel better as a way of helping you move past the fear, just like this song!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33o32C0ogVM

I like to collect pictures of things I enjoy and love, I cut them out and I paste them on black paper and I carry them along with me and look at them throughout the day to help me out...some of them have really useful sayings....they really help to stay focused on the positive!


Mike

[THH]

Hello everyone I'm here.

I had a very busy day, way more than planed. Lots of it was anxiety producing, and I worked really hard with multiple situations. I am feeling shaky and overwhelmed. I did not get to do my tape (relax) or read my session 3. (yet) That is okay, I know there is tomorrow.
I had a plan for this day, I woke up with a head ache, I do not usually get them. Took some aspirin and went back to bed for a bit. It felt better by time I was up for good. Then I had several phone calls that caused the day to get rearranged, and produced a fare amount of stress on me. Then I had to wait for one thing and that depended on another. Nothing was running smooth everyone was late and it stressed me out.
Tomorrow will be a better day.

Mike,
Good for you again on finding out what was really bothering you. It is a great example! I know for me lots of the time it is not what I am doing it is what gets in my way that bothers me. I get it. I had to call the dentist today to change the appt. That stresses me out. I wondered why does it stress me out so much. I think it is because the girl at the desk is so clueless and you have to go into such detail about everything, when really it is none of their business, But sometimes talking about things that bother me cause me to stress out. I just want a different day, and time. THANK YOU!

I think we all are at times scared we won't really get these skills and we will fail. Really there is no such thing as if we deal with one thing better than before it was worth it. I don't think there is a magic fix where one day we are different people and do not have anxiety nor depression. That we will over night have the light come on and we face everything we fear not to scare us. That is our goal, but we all know it takes time and practice/ patience.
Thank you for the tip too. I'm going to use it today!

Forever Young,
I remember one of our cards said FEAR- F=False +E=Evidence + A= Appearing +R=Real
Our thoughts are making us feel danger by releasing all that adrenalin. Instead of thinking about the thought, we think about how we feel, and think we know we are in a danger situation. If we recognize we were thinking negative thoughts we can change that and let the fear go. Learning positive things that feel good to us will help us move forward.
For me session one I for sure get. It is anxiety, and a panic attack is not going to hurt you/ me. These other 2 is going to take lots of work. But hey, that is why we are doing this program. And together. We can do this!!! It takes as much effort to put a car in drive as it does reverse. It just feels awkward and clumsy right now. We'll get there!

[THH]

P.S. Mike,
Us learning these positive thoughts will help all of us have better social skills. It is hard when your in a room full of people and you want to get to know them better but your afraid. Confidence comes from doing, being in a room full is hard. You probably have more to offer than most of the others. Be proud of who you are!
PSS. The video was down, I 'll check it out tomorrow.
Good idea...

[Ninjafrodo2]

THH;
Sounds like life tested you out...how did you cope with the stresses that you went through? Were you able to practice using the 6 steps or replace some thoughts?

As for changing your appointment with the dentist...was it stressing yourself that you had to explain yourself when really you didn't want to? Like you were expected to justify what was going on? And you're welcome for the tip!

By the way did you want to post the information from the carry-a-long cards like we did the last run through?


Mike