Stress Center Peer Support

I have to Thankyou again for preparing me! It has been like a roller coaster ride for me past few days! I never thought I would take 5 steps foward then 2 steps back! I've been trying to trigger anxiety/panic attacks so I can learn how to work thru it..(session 2)...I'm tired! LOL!
How have you been?

I have been pretty good! It seams like I get a week or better sometimes with out anxiety, and thats very good for me. I had it daily for 6 months or longer. So I'm feeling good about what I'm learning and what I'm doing.
From time to time I get panicy and my husband will reminde me I'm obsessing on something. I can snap my self back to the present and deal with it. It is such a bad habit I still just do it or react with out realizing what I'm doing. If I'm home alone, I will catch my self eventually. It is hard work! Pay off is really great though.

One other thing I did was get stuck on one lesson. You do need to really understand that lesson and how it applies to you but don't feel like you have to master it. I would never get through 15 sessions!LOL... Everyone learns at thier own speed so do what feels right for yourself. They are all so good. When I heard them for the first time I just go wow!

You are doing very good! Keep up the good work you will see a big difference in how you feel. It sometimes is like 5 forward & 1 back, sometimes 5 back. That is normal, I felt like that too. One day it just levels out and when a bad day comes, you just relax with it. Keep those cards handy. I carry mine with me and read it in the am while I'm getting dressed. It is not unusual to grab session 3 card even whan your on 8. Or what ever you have to deal with that day. My cards look like a 3 year old had them!!! LOL...
Carry on...Keep posting too!

HI THH,
I haven't been on line in a while!
I went out of town on a out of state road trip! With my friend for a wedding of people I have never met! This is HUGE for me... again!

Even on a good day this is something I wouldn't do! I DID NOT want to go! But I did..and I drove! I didn't give myself enough credit for doing this..My friend told me how proud of me she was! That's when I realized.. hey this is great! Pat myself on the back! I'm not very good at doing that!

I'm glad to hear your doing so well! This thinking pattern we have is nothing but a BAD HABIT! Isn't it? I have noticed how the stinking thinking just shows up! But now we are learning the tools to swat them out of our heads!

Like I said before you have such great insight! It's funny cause I will be having a problem with something...and your post already has the answer for me!!! YOU ARE AWSOME!
So... I was looking for support for being stuck on a session...And TADA you had the answer already waiting! I am still on session 2 partly because I got off track and because I'm an over-doer!!!! Oh! Boy! I read and read and make sure I'm getting it! Which like you said it's good to really understand the session! But I think I'm over doing!! I think I better go to session 3!!
Yes, those carry along cards are so helpful..Used them a few times in pinch! Mine are starting to look tattered too! ha!
Keep up the good work! Thankyou for your encouragment and sharing your stories with me!

Queen you did GREAT! Give yourself loads of credit. Driving, being with people you don't know, and the pride in doing it all.
We are stronger than we think!
Yes I'm doing well too. I have hit a bump here and there but over all I've made lots of progress. i'm a few weeks ahead of you so I know how I felt or reacted to something so that gives some insite on what someone else might do as well. Its all good! I'm glad it has helped you.

I like that " swat them out of our heads!!!" Thats about right! Shut it down. Don't dwell. It is hard but worth keeping after the changes that we want.

I did that getting stuck on really learning the session too, I'll never get through it doing it that way. I think we want to feel better so much we don't want to miss anything. But what I'm learning is taking all this learning and using it in my life. Slow and steady wins the race!

You have had some great big successes, Take a bow!

Hi THH,
I'm here! I didn't drop out!
I haven't been on the web site. I managed to get to session 3. I'm so funny cause I grab the bull by the horns, work very hard at something then...I get so tired I just don't want to do anything! I'm doing this with the program too!I haven't been working on it daily. Oh boy! I need to find a balance! How are things for you? You must be near done with the program?
I like

slow and steady wins the race

That's what I need to remember when I'm over whelming myself! Thankyou for your encouragement and kind words!

Oh! weird! I tried to use quotation marks on what you said and ended up with some weird lines instead! LOL! I'll try again.."Slow & steady wins the race"

Oh good Queen! I'm glad to hear from you!
I go though periods where I check in then take breaks.
Session 3 & 4 were both good ones for me. I still go back to them from time to time.Self talk is a good one, and for me hard, as well as Expectations in 4. Good stuff!

I think its healthy to take breaks from working at it so hard! We can only absorb so much! LOL...

I started 12. The courage to change. It too is a big WOW I have been paceing my self as sometimes I feel overwhelmed with all the thinking, so I walk away from it for awhile and pick it back up. I now know that its anxiety and its not going to hurt me. I've changed my thoughts to more soothing ones and it helps. I've learned to be assertive, stand up for my self, be careful not to over react, and laugh! I won't get into session 12 with you yet but wait till you here that one!!! LOL...
I'm doing better at not having panick attacks. Its been months now, and I seam to reconize when I'm getting up tight with anxiety, do the reconize it thing and let it go, float with it. It does seam to really work.

Do it at a pace you feel comfortable with. I should have been done by now, but rather than focus on the end, I decided to think about the journey. I feel more comfortable taking breaks and trying out what I learned and wanting to know more, rather than feel I'm behind and confused because I don't get it.

I'm so glad your still working on it, and it sounds like you are doing VERY well!
Here's to our peaceful lives! Have a good weekend, I usually take them off.

And I do believe slow and steady does win the race!!! LOL...

OHHHH GOOD JOB on figuring out the Quotes! LOL... I used it once, had the same trouble! Its good to laugh, modern tech. LOL...

Yes! here's to our peaceful lives!
Thankyou for reminding me to take it at my own pace and being in the moment! That's such a big one for me! I have to admit I have given myself a little beating for not being consistent enough or whatever else I thought I was doing wrong!
You are doing an excellent job at this program! You seem to really "get it". You should also take a bow!
I was a little tempted to skip ahead and look at session 12. To see what you mean about it.
But no peeking for me. LOL! I have enough to do on session 3!
I'm kinda stuck I'm having a hard time recognizing when I'm having a negative thought.
I understand how to deal with it when and if I catch it! The tricky part is catching it! Any suggestions?

Its kinda funny because I do all the things you say you do too! LOL... Staying in the moment, beating myself up, yep...
I am getting better at catching myself although some things do slip by me. It is trickie, I think practice is the only way. I looked at the way I felt. Most of the time if I was feeling bad, I retraced what I was thinking. That usually exposes it. K
keep at it!
Good for you on not peeking too! I know its hard but I think the 1-6 is pretty foundation stuff to learn. I still revisit those.
I think I am starting to get it and I do get excited when I feel good!
How are you feeling? Are you having more good days? Isn't it nice when those up tight days hit that you can calm yourself down knowing its anxiety,reconize, float with it, and it will go away? The sooner you reconize the anexiety the sooner it goes away. I love those cards, still using them too.
If you have suggestions on catching it feel free to share! I need improvement in that lesson too! LOL...