[spondiferous]

My anxiety is killing me lately. I had a little episode a couple weeks back and it's been rising steadily since then. I was hospitalized overnight on Sunday or Monday and had a very ingratiating experience with the 'professionals' around there and since I've been home I've just been doing everything in my power to distract myself. I've been continuing taking the steps I need to take to move on with my life but mostly I feel like I'm about to hit the wall all the time. I'm starting CBT again in 1 1/2 weeks for depression and then another course after that (December or January) for anxiety. Meh. I broke out the DBT workbook I bought a couple years ago but didn't use because I got into a DBT program at the same time and did that instead. I think it'll be useful. It's just really hard for me to accept that I have to get used to feeling this way again. It's...yuck.

[Perna]

That's hard thinking you are moving on well only to slip back. Have you looked at your diet and lifestyle to see if there's any relief for you there? Going to comfort foods might be a mistake, too much caffeine, etc. and too much time without some work to concentrate on can give too much time to "think". I'm trying to learn that it sometimes takes time to make changes, to feel better, it doesn't happen right after we figure out we were doing something not so well or start doing something better, it can take weeks/months rather than days.

[H3rmit]

Sorry you're going through this. I know how frustrating it is to feel you're going backwards instead of progressing, or solving the same problems anew.

Today I was suddenly reminded that I used oral GABA supplements to help with anxiety. Now, there is little research on oral supplements for that purpose, but that doesn't prove they don't work for some. Of course, you have to consider what medications, etc, you may be taking. Just thought I'd pass it on, though. Here are a couple of perhaps relevant links I was looking at this morning, in case you wanted to follow up without doing all that googling:

THE BRAIN FROM TOP TO BOTTOM

GABA

Another good one in relation to anxiety was Rhodiola, an herbal supplement. Harder to find and more expensive. I get the GABA in loose powder and just take a little under the tongue.

May be totally irrelevant for you, but I thought I'd pass on what was relevant for me.