I control the anxiety, it no longer controls me.. Here's my story.

I had anxiety from early on in age, I know I had it longer then when I was diagnosed with it at the age of 16.. I remember being anxious when I was really young and my parents would go out for dinner, if they were 1 minute late I'd start crying and panicking thinking something happened to them... that happened alot.

Anxiety can be crippling, but if you put your foot forward in little baby steps you can over come it. No one wants anxiety to rule them. It ruled me for so many years, where I'd panic, i'd get so scared to do something that I'd curl up in a ball and cry hysterically. That got so bad, and my depression got so bad at the age of 15 before I met my psychiatrist I went for catscans the whole sha-bang, I was a hermit living in my room for close to a year, not changing from my pajama's. sleep alot, never let my house for anything.

You'd have to drag me, and still I'd find away out of it.

I avoided any and every situation that caused me great anxiety. One day I realized that I was tired of being anxiety ridden to go to a friends house around the corner from my house. I was tired of not being able to go camping, to parties, to peoples houses for supper. So when I was ready to nip this in the butt my psychiatrist helped me, and I had to take alot of backwards steps before I could make alot of forward steps. 8 years it took me to be where I am now... 8 years it took to learn postive self talk to the point where it actually worked.

One book that turned my thinking pattern around, that helped me with my anxiety was the book Don't Panic by R.Reid Wilson, PH.D.. I've never had a book effect me in such a postive way ..... Great read. I should re-read it.

Anxiety use to control my life for so many years, and enough was enough, now I control it... IT doesn't stop me from going outside, camping, sleeping somewhere that isn't home. I can go anywhere I want. I get anxiety every time that I go somewhere, but I can pretty much tell it to go away now and it does. No matter how bad the symptoms are I Remind myself that it's just the anticipatory anxiety.

Another thing that I Mis-understood and I bet you guys all that you've done the exact same this. Is thinking that excitment is anxiety. They feel the exact same way as anxiety does, so every time we feel anxious about doing something ... and you ask yourself why you are feeling this way, why be anxious when you are looking forward to doing something so much? You are excited, excited is what it is and not always anxiety. Alot of people automatically assume that it's anxiousness when in fact it is the exact opposite.

Therapy, meds, exposure to the thread, books like Don't Panic and The anxiety & phobia workbook by Edmund J Bourne, PH.D , friends, family, loved ones. I am no longer plaged with panic attacks and fear so bad whereI thought i'd die.

It took me 8 years to accomplish postive self talk to the point where it actually worked. It takes time, alot of practice and paitents. It's not easy to do but it can be done I never thought i'd ever be able to do the things that I am doing now, but I am and I refuse to let anxiety take over my life ever again.

Anxiety doesn't control me, I control the anxiety.

The motto that I know live by.
_________________

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<font color=blue>"Never react emotionally to criticism. Analyze yourself to determine whether it is justified. If it is, correct yourself. Otherwise, go on about your business."</font color=blue>

<font color=black>Norman Vincent Peale</font color=black>

I am on the look out for these books as we type this now..
I am writing them down.. the self help book I am going to look for when we go out shopping today..

I have been having horrible anxiety attacks latley and I have no idea why.. Maybe this workbook you are talking about will help me..
I did not anxiety attacks till last year ? which is what is causing me so much distress. I do not know what to do, and having to take a pill to stop them makes it even worse for me.. I have to be able to functon cause I have school, and a child at home.. (whcih she is sick today)

But thank you for this post, I will def, look for these books..

it's kinda like my saying.. <font color=blue>
world.. You are no longer going to rule me.. "I" I am going to rule myself"

<font color=purple>
take time to heal thyself before trying to help others, or you will never get better

Pills help with symptoms of anxiety, but it doesn't get rid of anxiety. No matter what people say that a pill fixes all it's just not the case. The only way to be rid of anxiety, or to live with anxiety is to face the situations and or places that makes you anxious.

I know that I will always have anxiety, now i'm ok with that because I'm able to control it. For many many years I couldn't.

I didn't finish the workbook, but the book Don't Panic was a FANTASTIC read!

I'd recomend it to anyone and everyone who suffers from anxiety, agoraphobia, anything like that. That book is great.

Let me know how you find the books...

A way to figure out why you are getting anxiety or panic attacks is to write it down. Write down what you are thinking, what the caues could be , if you are avoiding, what you think will happen to you in a negative way. and write down postive answers.

When I use to get anxiety non stop my psychiatrist told me to write something postive down, as in self talk on paper and everytime I felt anxious i'd take it out of my purse and read the sentences, it helped.

Take care Lady Dragus, and let me know if I can help you out at all..

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<font color=blue>"Never react emotionally to criticism. Analyze yourself to determine whether it is justified. If it is, correct yourself. Otherwise, go on about your business."</font color=blue>

<font color=black>Norman Vincent Peale</font color=black>

How do you deal with the anxeity..
I can barely breath, when I have the attacks.. It feels like somone is crushing my lungs.. I feel like someone is breaking my right or left lung??? IT scares the Hell out of me..

I have never had this feeling before and I do not like it..
I have talked to my doctors about it, and they say I just have to work around them.. How do you do that???

<font color=purple>
take time to heal thyself before trying to help others, or you will never get better

you can always tell someone is dumb when the main word in their response is "JUST" ... you need a doctor who will assist you in minimalizing the anxiety while you work on the factors that are causing it.... What does your T say? Can your T talk to your MD about helping you with some anti anxiety med for a while???

I cannot function with the anxiety full blown on it's (my) own.

<font color=blue> meditation is a true way to connect to the Source </font color=blue>

Alot of postive self talk. I do that more then deep breathing. I use to do abdominal breathing whenever I feel panicky. But I have to talk more then anything else.. because now when I do self talk I can literally talk myself out of anxiety ... It took me many years to master it to the point of it literally making it go away.

But, abdominal breathing is key, talking to yourself and letting yourself know that you're ok, that it will past. yes you will feel uncomfortable, but it will go away.

In a way it's mind over matter, you can back away from the situation, but that's not fixing the problem, ya know what I mean?

Anxiety Sucks! Not going to lie, because I myself have been getting them all the time now. And it feels terrible. But now I can go and do anything I want even if I feel panicky. Never could do that before.

Read the book don't panic, it's great.

Also, write something postive down, postive sentences that will help you when you feel anxious.

Read it where ever you are, keepy it in your purse, that will help. You don't have to talk out loud....

Hmm, well that's all I can think of right now..

Basically, don't avoid places, people, situations that cause you anxiety, go out of your comfort zone, and if you have to take a step or 2 back if you are feeling to over-whelmed that's ok, as long as you keep at it and not stay away too long.

What situations are causing you anxiety?

<font color=red>~</font color=red><font color=blue>S</font color=blue><font color=green>u</font color=green><font color=blue>n</font color=blue><font color=green>d</font color=green><font color=blue>a</font color=blue><font color=green>n</font color=green><font color=blue>c</font color=blue><font color=green>e</font color=green><font color=red>~</font color=red>

<font color=blue>"Never react emotionally to criticism. Analyze yourself to determine whether it is justified. If it is, correct yourself. Otherwise, go on about your business."</font color=blue>

<font color=black>Norman Vincent Peale</font color=black>

Sundance,
I really and truly enjoyed reading your posts. They are giving me great hope for conquering my own anxiety one day. You truly do sound like you have mastered your ability to control your anxiety that is very amazing! You must be so proud of yourself this is not an easy road. Thank you so much for the hope you are giving all of us by sharing your story and thoughts. Thank you very much!

Thank you sunshinegold

There is hope out there for anxiety suffers, If I can conquer it anyone can.

Mind you I still get anxiety more often then not these days, but I refuse to let it damper my day, or cause me to miss out on something fun.

I have anxiety over my trip tomorrow, but I know I will have a good time, I'll be with my guy... So I know that the time will fly by.

Just remember to think postive, talk to yourself if you need to and don't feel dumb about it, it will help... and you don't have to speak it out loud, say it to yourself in your mind, write down postive thoughts on paper so you can later read them whenever you need to, whenever you feel anxious.

Keep you head up, never give up...

Like i've said i've been struggling with anxiety in the last month or so, but I'm not avoiding, just keep doing what i'm doing, and because of that anxiety cannot get me, and keep me from doing things, so far so good. Hope it stays that way.

Remeber also that it's ok to step back from facing your fears, it's ok to do that when you feel too over-whelmed, but make sure you are back at it again the next day or so, go out of your comfort zone, doing your abdominal breathing, always remember to breathe, and talk to yourself, doing that will help you conquer your anxiety.



Luv you all, you guys have been great. Talk to you when I get back on Saturday or Sunday.

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<font color=blue>"Never react emotionally to criticism. Analyze yourself to determine whether it is justified. If it is, correct yourself. Otherwise, go on about your business."</font color=blue>

<font color=black>Norman Vincent Peale</font color=black>

There is not one sitution that I can recall that is causing my anxiety.. I was just watching movies adn I had a anxiety attack.. or I was reading a book and it happend, or fixing dinner..

I was doing normall day to day things..

I am going to post something in here that will blow some of your minds.. Cause it is nothing like the ladyDragus you all know.. but I did it and it still scares the Hell out of me

<font color=purple>
take time to heal thyself before trying to help others, or you will never get better

I know.. I go to my doctor on Aug, 3rd to talk to him about them.. iF the get to teh point that I can not function again, I am supposed to call him again, and he will try to fit me in sooner, but he is always so booked.. that is the thing I hate the most..

<font color=purple>
take time to heal thyself before trying to help others, or you will never get better

Lady_Dragus,

Maybe something in the movie triggered the anxiety and you weren't even aware of it .... That is definatly possible, it's happened to me many times. Books can be the same way.......

Have you been writing things down when you are having one, thoughts, etc? Sometimes writting them down constantly you'll find a so called rythum I guess you could say, then you'll be able to pin point exactly what it is, and then deal with it.

Going to go read your post ....

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<font color=blue>"Never react emotionally to criticism. Analyze yourself to determine whether it is justified. If it is, correct yourself. Otherwise, go on about your business."</font color=blue>

<font color=black>Norman Vincent Peale</font color=black>

yes I just recently started writing things down so I can better sort out what is going on, when they happen.. It is what my T asked me to do, I actually called him cause I had a bad one today, and he asked if I needed to bee seen in the ER, and I said no, I was not going to Cut, or anything like that, I was just scared and needed some re-assurance that it would be ok..

so he asked me to start writing down what is going on when I have them..
He is going to call my Pdoc on Monday and see if he can get me on some new meds, to help contorl the anxeity attacks till we can find out what is causing them?????

I am not sure, but I know this much I do not like them at all..
and my nightmares do not help any.. I can not remember any of them, but my boyfreind says thye only happen when I fall asleep very fast, and he has to wake me up cause I am fighting something or someone ?

<font color=purple>
take time to heal thyself before trying to help others, or you will never get better

Anxiety can feel pretty bad, even though i've had really bad panic attacks I've never gone to the hospital, even before I got diagnosed with GAD ... and depressed, always staying in my room, a hermit for a year... Never did. My parents were at their wits end, they hadn't a clue what was going on with me, and at that time I didn't either.

Whenever I have bad anxiety I sometimes call my Psychiatrist, leave her a message sometimes it takes awhile for her to get back to me though, and sometimes by the time she does then the anxiety has past.

That's one thing to remember it always passes, even when it's at it's worse. It's good that you are writting things down, that will likely help you out, and if you cannot see a pattern then your doctor likely will.

Meds will help for most people some of the symptoms of anxiety, but it won't get rid of them, only we can.. find the cause, face it, and deal with it, only then will the anxiety start to disappear.

One thing not to do when you are anxious is to keep avoiding the situation, I did that and it got to the point back in the day that I couldn't leave my house, go out and get a job, Actually still struggling with that...

I use to have nightmares, aparently twice in a row I was screaming in my sleep, but I didn't wake myself up but my parents both heard me a couple months ago, and I don't recall the dream. That happened 2 nights in a row.

Sometimes it will take a while to figure out what the cause of the anxiety is, but once you do then you can tackle it. For me it started with school anxiety and then it just snowballed from there.

It takes time, but you'll figure it out, just don't feel discouraged when you have a bad day, we all get them , me included. Keep fighting...


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<font color=blue>"Never react emotionally to criticism. Analyze yourself to determine whether it is justified. If it is, correct yourself. Otherwise, go on about your business."</font color=blue>

<font color=black>Norman Vincent Peale</font color=black>

see I am having nigtmares, but I can never remeber them.. I have them when I fall asleep fast.. Then I have two or threee..

they bother me, but I can not recall them at all..
Soemtimes when I fall asleep deeply, I can wake up with a cold sweet and then I have an anxitey attack, becaue of the darkness of my dream.. Then I can reall the vividness of the nightmare..
now those are so dark, I will not even post them on here..

<font color=purple>
take time to heal thyself before trying to help others, or you will never get better

For me i've always had dreams of being chased by a male or female. In my dream i'm running and then I just give up and let them get me.

My psychiatrist says maybe the dreams have to do with my sub-consious and my fears. And giving up I don't know what that is exactly about.
There have been a few times I know I dreamt something but cannot remember it. I've woken up from dreams before scared, tense. Not often. I almost always remember my dreams. 2 nights in a row a while back I was screaming in my sleep, I woke up my parents but I didn't wake up. I don't know what that was about because both nights I didn't remember the dream, it freaked me out though.

I don't know if I am repeating myself here. If I am I'm sorry.

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<font color=blue>"Never react emotionally to criticism. Analyze yourself to determine whether it is justified. If it is, correct yourself. Otherwise, go on about your business."</font color=blue>

<font color=black>Norman Vincent Peale</font color=black>

most of mine have to do with SI on me..
that is all I will say, cause I do not want to trigger anyone..

They are very dark..
if you want to talk about them you can PM me, and I will talk in more detal about them, but I do not want to trigger you at all ok..
They are very dark ok..

<font color=purple>
Roam if you want to
Roam around the world
Roam if you want to
Without wings, without wheels
Roam if you want to
Roam around the world
Roam if you want to
Without anything but the love we feel
Written by B-52's
</font color=purple>

My dreams aren't dark, but I can visually see things happeneing to me, hense the "daydreams" I guess they could be called Fantasy's but I don't use that word because they are scary, and I do get tense, it's like watching a movie play, and it doesn't even have to relate to the abuse etc, not always. I usually don't see faces... not even my own.

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<font color=blue>"Never react emotionally to criticism. Analyze yourself to determine whether it is justified. If it is, correct yourself. Otherwise, go on about your business."</font color=blue>

<font color=black>Norman Vincent Peale</font color=black>