The Challenge...Lesson 3

[Guest]

YEA Hope!
You are faceing those negitive, scary thoughts and seeing how they can't hold you when you challange them. Good Girl!

My old dog and I used to hide together when the storms hit. He hated them. & mee too!
I have two young dogs now, and they are brave, storms don't bother them. I need to take a lesson from the dog! LOL...

[Guest]

I will recover, I am recovering, each and everyday I feel stronger. I have everything I need inside of me in order to recover and face any problem or limitations I will ever encounter. Each day I become stronger with my skills and I can access more and more of my inner resources.

In response to Karen L

Why thank you I appreciate the encouragement

You definately have the motivation to overcome that condition.


in response to mcshope

Great work! Do you feel more confident with facing the anxiety now?

Lol doggy xanax...wonder if catnip works the same for dogs.


In response to THH

Thunderstorms are really awesome! The only thing that scares me during a thunderstrom is when if i'm listening to a cd or whatever and the song starts to skips and it keeps skipping. That really scares me, possibly because of a horror movie I saw while I was a kid.


Mike

[Guest]

I am on the road to recovery and I will recover. I will continue to use the program daily to recover because I refuse to let anxiety, fear, anger, and depression to control my life. I am changing and change is good.

Hope

Great job and great postive self-talk!! Congrats!!


My counselor couldnt make it today, so we talked on phone....she's a lil bit concerned about the dizziness, which made me anxious again...as the anxiety was elevating I was able to tell myself everything is ok and I cant predict the future, I need to stay in the present moment...previously this conversation would have let me to major panic....although it has been on my mind off and on today I was able to go about my day, washed the car, ran to corner store, and did some driving.....I was a anxious while driving (think it was just because of the earlier conversation) and at one point the anxiety shot up and I wanted to turn around....I didnt and continued my breathing...I was able to continue my path and the anxiety decreased...had some very minor dizziness a few times today.....

also have been a bit down today......missing my ex.....well, actrually I dont even know if its him I so much miss, but miss having someone to be close too....got a bit obseesive, wondering what he's doing...heck, I know what he's doing, sitting in a bar hitting on any bar trash that will listen to his bs.....sorry, I still have alot of difficulty with anger.....I know my anger is really all my hurt feelings
need to do more postive self-talk...I am not a victim, I am in control of my life and happiness...I am recovering and he was not a postive person in my life.....he is responsible for his actions, I can not change him....I need to not get so upset with myself, anyone in my situation would have hurt feelings, these feelings are normal....
just needed to vent a bit....

[Guest]

Karen L

You are still going so very strong! You seem to be facing your limitation on a daily basis and that is really amazing. It is very inspiring for myself and I'm sure its very inspiring for others as well! Would you now say you are becoming more comfortable handling anxiety?

No need to appologize for how you feel. You are allowed to feel any way you feel at any moment, that being said it could however be less beneficial to stay stuck in a feeling.

I might get very annoying with this but I think this is really important so I just wanted to go through this last paragraph.

need to do more postive self-talk...I am not a victim, I am in control of my life and happiness...I am recovering and he was not a postive person in my life.....he is responsible for his actions, I can not change him....I need to not get so upset with myself, anyone in my situation would have hurt feelings, these feelings are normal....
just needed to vent a bit....

There is alot of great self-talk in there mixed with some negative stuff as well. What I found to be really good is how you tell yourself that you aren't a victim, how you are in control, how he wasn't a positive influence to your recovery or life, his responsibilities and how you can't change him and how you feel is a normal response to what you went through. This is all really great stuff.

What I found that could have a negative impact is when you tell yourself, that you need to do more self-talk and how you need to not get upset with yourself. Those are both shoulds. Yes it would be more beneficial to do the self-talk and maybe it would be more helpful not to get upset with yourself but by telling yourself you need and need not, you could be setting yourself up for disappointment for those behaviors. Reread that and tell me does it make you feel more motivated or less? does it make you feel better about yourself or less?



Mike

[Guest]

I am on the road to recovery and will recover. I will continue to use the program daily to recover because I refuse to let anxiety, fear, anger, and depression control my life. I am changing and change is good.

Mike

In general, I think that it is getting a little bit easier for me to recognize my anxiety triggers and my negative self-talk now, which does make it easier........maybe because I am almost expecting it, if that makes any sense lol

thanks for not being offended by what I said....my anger was getting the better part of me as I was writing....I knew it might help me to write what I felt, but then I didnt want to upset anyone else....

and Mike, thanks alot for clarifying what you saw as postive and negative self talk....that really helped me out alot...I guess Im still trying to sneak in that beating myself up, and I didnt even realize it....you are absolutely correct that those should not be part of my positive dialogue since they make me feel worse about myself.....thanks again

[Guest]

I am on the road to recover and will cover. I will continue to use the program daily to recover because I refuse to let anxiety, fear, anger, and depression control my life. I am changing and change is good.

Today was a rough day.....woke up with anxiety, couldnt drive my daughter all the way to her friend's house.... felt way out of touch with reality most of the day....also on edge....I was still obsessing over my thoughts from yesterday when I first woke up, especially my counselor's concern over my dizzy spell....and my obsessive thoughts about my ex...

we also got a new puppy about 3 weeks ago..we found out she has mange 2 days ago...she was really sick today and my daughter had to take her to the vet.....the whole time I was obsessing that we would have to have her put to sleep....also, the vet bills were upsetting me....the puppy is now feeling better

Im still edge and not feeling quite right, but I have given myself permission to have a not so good day.....also feels like Im a bit depressed after the day of extended increased anxiety.....
today may have not been good, but I made it through it....tomorrow is a new day with a fresh start
may even try to go for a small drive this evening

[Guest]

I am on the road to recovery and I will recover. I will continue to use the skills I have daily to recover because I refuse to let anxiety, fear, anger, and depression control my life. I am changing and change is good.

Mike

Can you please post the link when you are starting the next week. I cant find the other post. Thanks!!

[Guest]

Here it is

The challenge... Lesson 4

See you there

[Guest]

In response to Karen L;

Great! and yes I think I can relate to. I expect that I will think negative and therefore when it happens its easier to spot. I'm focusing on it when i expect and also accepting it when i expect it. Is that how you feel too?

I'm not even sure how what you said could offend me. How did you think it would be offensive to others? What was it you told yourself to convince you of that?

Your welcome. In the beginning we do need help because it is something we have done for such a long time and we don't even realize its wrong at first and then when we learn it is, we have to figure out what part of it is wrong. It takes time but it helps to have other people to show us the way.

yes it really does sound like it was a down day for you and I was wondering when that might happen. You handled it well which I could tell when you said you are giving yourself permission to have a not so good day. Good idea! You had more anxiety today and if you remember from lesson 2 they say the worst thing that can happen with anxiety is that you become exhausted and depressed after. Well that is what seems to have happened with you. Has the dizziness come up again like it did the other night or was that just a one time thing?

Oh and i'm sorry I didn't specify. We start the new lesson every tuesday. I was actually wondering where you went cuz you have been posting very consistently and I didn't see any of your posts in lesson 4. I think I'll take a mental note and post the link to the new thread at the end of the last day in the old thread.


Mike

[Guest]

I am on the road to recovery and will recover. I will continue to use the skills I have on a daily basis to recover because I refuse to let anxiety, fear, anger, and depression control my life. I am changing and change is good.


Mike

when I was typing I was very angry and I guess I felt like everyone could see/feel that anger, that's why I apologized....it must have just been an unrealistic thought...I think that I am just so used to apologizing for my actions...

the dizziness remains on a daily basis, but just mild, quick waves, nothing like the other night...Ive had them infrequently over the years...

thanks for the link, I will see you in the next lesson