I have started to question my anxiety. Like today I was telling a friend if I could comfortably drive 3 miles alone in Spring 2014 there's no reason I can't comfortably do that now. I am questioning my anxiety more and more.
Because I have no anxiety I can read my journal with only a little effect from it, but it gives me the feeling of what you are going through. I've lost that and only the journal can give it back to me. It is the only way I can feel like I belong. I would like everyone to be this free and think you can be. And if I can read the horror I went through and believe it can be changed then it must be true. It is hard to believe how much life I lost to panic attacks. But it is all there. If it was a movie I'd be too scared to watch it. But it is a part of me, a part in the past, never to happen again.
Thank you for answering my post. As for print outs and such, I have started doing my Anxious thoughts form by hand in a little book I can carry around with me :)
im new here but as you have been kind enough to answer my posts i thought id like to answer yours too
you sound like you have done very well in the past to recover so im sure you will overcome again
i have exactly the same feeling the fear of the fear is more overwealming and switchign it of is definately a challenge so i empathise
i am findign the more addvanced worksheet where you challenge the thoughts a help to me.i am thinking of making my own sort of print out where i can even more information so i can look back on what ive wrte once the panic has died down as im often told by my daughter that ive felt that way before but got through it but once the panic sets in i forget it so maybe reading about it will help me and maybe you too ?
It takes time but if you are mindful of your anxiety and question it the answers become the focus instead of the anxiety. Some of the anxiety obviously will belong but the majority will not and you can remove it by questioning it. It actually becomes a natural reaction once you start to do it.
I have been reading about Mindfulness. I can see how being mindful during a nice relaxed time would make you feel much better. But I find mindfulness while I am anxious or panicking quite hard to do.
I guess I am afraid if I am mindful of my anxious symptoms I would just panic even more.
It sounds like you are doing your best to control the anxiety but is be very challenging for you. Anxiety can be so tough to control - we all feel your frustration in this.
First of all, as you have been through this program before you know how thoughts can have a powerful impact on how you feel. I want to reassure you that you will not get stuck like this and that relapses are common and even considered part of the recovery process. How can you challenge some of the thoughts you are having? Take a look at the section for challenging negativity for some questions that can help. You also may be interested to research how mindfulness may help control anxiety. What do you think would happen if you stopped distracting yourself and you became mindfully aware of your anxious symptoms?
