Need Some Advice From Senior Members (And Anyone Else Who'd Like To Give It)

[matthewz]

Hi everyone. My name is Matthew and I'm new to the boards. I've had anxiety for as long as I can remember but realized I had it around the age of 18. It's been 5 years since I realized I had anxiety, and about 3 1/2 since I first used the program. This is my third time using the program and I really want to get it right. The truth is, I've never actually completed the program. I completed all sessions up to 14, then figured I was okay and didn't go back to it; that was during my first run. The second run I got up to session 9, felt better, and quit. Now, my anxiety has come back and I know it keeps coming back more frequently because I have never actually finished the progam. I need help. I need someone to push me to complete it the way it needs to be completed; what am I supposed to do? I faintly remember something about having to redo the program right after you finish the whole thing; is this true? Has this happened to anyone else, needing to redo the program 3 times? My anxiety focuses around scary, uncontrollable, unwanted thoughts and I've never been able to trust myself. I get so down on myself when it comes to certain things. I can't make real decisions, I don't follow through with a lot of things and I don't trust myself. I need some guidance...

[Guest]

welcome back matthew...and first off congratulations on keeping at it. Its common for us to think we are better and stop but I truely believe its not the finishing of the program that will cure you....although finishing is a good idea.

I think that if you live the skills you learn you will feel better and when you stop and get lax thats when you feel worse....because these skills the program teaches us are for the well being of living life.

We should all be kind and positive and we should all eat well balanced meals and cut back on added sugars and caffines and we should all be sleeping adequate hours.....all these things the program teaches us are a permanent life style change. When we stray from those skills we feel the pull of the stresses in our life tugging us back towards the old bad habits.

Good news is the program is always there for you the skills are timeless they never expire so doesnt matter if you go back a hundred times it will always be there for you to refresh and remind yourself to refocus. And thats all you need to do is refocus yourself and put that balance back into your life and youll be feeling better again.

I go back and redo lessons whenever I need a little refresh. I recommend everyone do that whenever they need. Dont look at it as a failure that you didnt finish look at it as a positive thing that you keep going back to learn more. Knowledge is power and you have the power my freind to beat this.

Life will always twist us all around and try to wear on our good times but you know exactly where you need to go to get yourself feeling better and thats a wonderfull thing.

Hang in there Matthew.....your doing a fine job.
Dodger

[Guest]

I went thru the program twice and will probably go thru it a third time. I think it's a good idea to keep it reinforced as much as possible so that it becomes automatic. I understood the whole concept after once and had no more panic and very little anxiety, but to get to the point where the positive self talk and positive action becomes automatic I needed and still do, as much reinforcement as possible. I don't want to be carrying my journal around all day for the rest of my life converting negative thoughts to positive. lol Although, if that's what it takes that's what I'll do.

[Guest]

Thank you both so much for all your kind words; I really appreciate it. And you're both right. It's not the fact that I didn't finish, it's the fact that I feel like I'm okay and feel that I don't need to finish anymore. I'm going to keep trying, and keep listening to the program and keep reinforcing the skills. I appreciate your time and if I need more help, then I'm coming back

Thanks!
-Matthew