Stress Center Peer Support

afoster

I'm on lesson 3 for the 490489343time and you know what, I am still having panicky feelings msyelf. Its not full out panic but its like a level 8 on a 1-10 scale. Its a new skill that you are learning and it takes awhile to get really really good at it. You're doing a good job and keep up the good work. Its amazing progress to recognize that you are having anxiety and to use the 6 steps in that moment so good job!


Mike

He Everyone,
I'm going through the program for the 3rd time. It has helped me quite a bit over the last 10 years. I'm going a little slower than the group as I'm still on Lesson Two. I wanted to mention how important distraction is in helping with anxiety. Recently I went to a gathering which lasted several hours. I was very involved with the group. When I was leaving, I felt I had completely gotten away from anxious feelings for a few hours. It was a good feeling. What it taught me was that we have to get involved with things, be with people. It really gives you some distance from anxiety and obsessive thinking. The ironic thing is that when you're anxious or depressed, we tend to want to avoid going places and being with people. It's easier to stay home. So we really have to push ourselves to get out.
The posts have been really great with this challenge. It's great support!

Joe

I will recover, I am recovering, each and everything I do makes me more recovered. I will do everything I possibly can to recover in the most healthiest way because I refuse to live a life based on fear, anxiety, and depression. How I did things in the past doesnt work for me anymore. I am changing and change is good@

Hi again everyone.
Im Karen, 42 yo divorced mom of 4 (23, 22, 15, 12) and 1 totally awesome 3yo grandson. I have suffered with anxiety/ depression since 1992 and agoraphobia for the last 4 yrs...on good days I can travel about 1 mile and shop at a few small stores....bad days are sheer panic....started the program several times over the last 10 yrs but never completed it, as I started to feel better and could function..now, I realize that I was just running and hiding from it...so here I am now, Im going to do this and recover!! Im the first to admit I have made many mistakes in my life and I am at a point where I am ready to admit that, let go, and move on....the thing I believe that is hardest for me was up til 4 yrs ago I was a full-time ER/ICU nurse...I loved my job...actually it was the only part of me life I ever felt good about .....but that is going to change now
I do have a counselor I work with also...so Im ready to recover
have any questions for me, feel free to ask...Im very open minded and honest...btw, I love laughter so dont mind my joking around

negative thought today:
1. I actually got into my counselors car to drive to a diner around the block, which meant I didnt have control (not good for me lol)...I began to have increased anxiety
positive thought:
assured myself I was safe and if I did get panicky I would be able to calm myself down.
negative thought:
During breakfast at the diner I had a twitch of anxiety and let it escalate to the point that I felt like I couldnt breath, was getting dizzy, felt like the walls were closing in, and I wanted to run.....I didnt tell my counselor until I wanted to leave
positive thought:
instead of running I sat there, breathed, and talked through it with her.....it was only anxiety, I was safe...we were talking about a difficult subject and anyone would be uncomfortable....I have to feel the anxiety, see that it wont hurt me, this is part of my recovery.
negative thought:
I cant go in the bank I will get dizzy and panic. Everyone will think I am crazy
postive thought:
I can go in the bank, if I get dizzy I will slow down my breathing and there are chairs if I need to sit down. I need to stop what-ifing, I can go in the bank, nothing will hurt me.
negative thought:
I wanted the teller to hurry up so I could run out of the bank as my anxiety was starting to rise.
positive thought:
there is nothing wrong with me, it is only anxiety...I paid attention to the small details in the bank, this kept my in the present moment...I praised my self for just going into the bank so I told myself I could stay til the teller was finished and I would be ok...
negative thought:
went to drugstore and felt overwhelmed before even getting out of my car.......turned around and left parking lot...I was going to run home
postive thought:
I drove around for a few minutes reminding myself of all the postive things I acomplished today...told myself it was ok to be anxious...encouraged myself to try it again...I ended up going back and getting the things I needed from the store
I also started to get loud with my 12yo today when she made a remark to me...it was nothing nasty, it just hit a nerve and she didnt realize that it would bother me...I stopped and took a few minute break and told myself she didnt mean it, that I was over-reacting...she was quiet and I looked at her and saw how much I upset her.....it wasnt worth it....I apologized for getting upset, explained why I was upset, and that it was me over-reacting and that it had nothing to do with her....I took responsibilty and diffused a possibly terrible evening

so all in all I had a great day today!! I am so proud of myself

I am now on page 3 of this forum and am going to go back to reading

I will recover, I am recovering, each and every thing I do makes me more recovered. I will do everything I possibly can to recover in the most healthiest way because I refuse to live a life based on fear, anxiety, and depression anymore. How I did things in the past does not work for me anymore. I am changing. Change is good.

I just want to add the way I explain panic attacks to some who doesnt understand is its like going shopping holding your young child's hand....then for an instant they let go of your hand...you look down and they are not there...you begin to panic and start what-if-ing...you dont know what to do.....you dont know what happened....
seems to help people understand from my past experiences...
didnt realize it was already going on midnite....have to be up early with my kids for school....have a good nite everyone

I will recover, I am recovering, each and every thing I do makes me more recovered. I will do everything I possibly can to recover in the most healthiest way because I refuse to live a life based on fear, , anxiety, and depression anymore. How I did things in the past doesnt work anymore. I am changing and change is good!
Lindalee, I just wanted to say this is evcellent imagery....I will have to remember this one.....

I replaced it with a prayer and the thought of myself being a child in the arms of Jesus. Have you ever watched a child in a car seat? They aren't worried at all about the drive.

I try to think of my grandson's laugh and smile alot when I start to feel anxious, it helps because it is such a wonderfull place to be

I will recover. I am recovering, each and every day I am more recovered. I have everything I need inside me in order to recover and face any problems 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. Life is good!
Just wanted to try that one out

I will recover, I am recovering, each and every day I am more recovered. I have evrything I need inside me in order to recover and face my problems or limitations I will encounter. Each day I become stronger with my ski;;s and I can access more and more of my inner resources. Life is good!
Thanks for the welcome Lindalee
Im glad I put a smile on your face Mike
will see everyone on the next week 's link

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

Hello Karen, afoster, JJ,
Welcome to the challenge. Yes, we are on lesson 3, however you can keep your own pace. It has really helped me to be part of this challenge. Everybody involved is awesome, I really appreciate their help and support.
We will get better, I can feel it.
So, keep the good work.
Hope

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

Wow we are starting a program wave! Its like the wave but MCW style! Thats just awesome!
Also wanted to say its amazing how just after 1 and a half weeks there are 1200 people who have read this thread, thats pretty cool.

KarenL

Joking is always appreciated unless it is really offensive of course. That humor will definately come in handy when we get to the lesson on obsessive thoughts. This is a great step you are taking and yes sometimes we need to work in groups in order to do certain things such as the program.

You are definately putting alot of effort into this negative to positive thought which is great. You also have worded many of them very well. ie I can't go in the bank I will get dizzy and panic. Everybody will think I am crazy. You made a good attempt on your replacements as well however if i could make a couple small suggestions. Also me making these suggestions are to help you grow with the skill. It is a new thing and with any new thing it takes awhile just like it did when as infants we first learned to walk. I don't expect perfection, I'm just hoping this information will help you to replace the thoughts more efficiently and to be more useful for you

It would be more beneficial to write out your negative thoughts the way you did with the bank one as it is very direct. It states exactly how you feel and why you feel that way. When put into this context it is easier to come up with a positive replacement.

With the positive replacement, i'm again going to use the bank one because I liked that one and it was very good. You had stated that yes in fact you can go in the bank and if you get dizzy you will slow down your breathing and if there are chairs you can sit down if you need to. That is an excellent replacement! I'm a little concerned however when you say you need to stop what-ifing that it may add more pressure and make you feel bad. I'm also a little concerned when you said nothing will hurt you. I'm mildly concerned just that you may not really believe that. Other then that its great!

You should be proud of yourself, you're doing a great job!

that is a very good way to explain panic attacks as it can be really hard for people to really understand what one is and how it feels. Good job for putting that out there.

mcshope

I concer! It is a great challenge and we will become better, we are on a daily basis!


Mike

Hi Karen

We have some things in common. I'm 51, in a shakey marriage, mother of 4 (29, twins 26, and 23) and a nurse. I worked in NICU and labor and delivery. I also loved my job. I often wondered why I was more successful at work than I was at home. I think it was because at work people respected my knowledge and skills, but at home with teenagers and my marriage I had no respect, all critisizm. I also have not worked for 4 years. My husband was laid off 6 months ago. I applied for jobs but have not been hired because my American Heart Assoc. credentials are outdated. I feel disappointed and yet relieved, I'm not sure I can work now with the anxiety. I think working the 12 to 16 hour shifts rotating between days and nights helped deplete me physically which added to my problems with anxiety and depression.

Rather than go back to that same environment, I have decided to go back to school to be a surgical tech, most surgeries are done during normal waking hours so I can have a normal sleep cycle, and updating my skills as a student will be less stressful than on the job.

also, with the help of this program, I have learned that I need to find my acceptance and respect in myself, and not base my self worth on what others think of me or say to me. this is one of those things that states easy but is hard for me to really do.

The encouragement from others who understand how I feel is such a help.

Great job on going back to the store even after you had left once, that takes courage and determination to recover, again GREAT JOB!