Hey everybody.

I just listened to the second session last night, and listening to the accounts of the other people in that group, as well as Lucinda discussing the different symptoms and process of panic attacks made me feel really really anxious. I can agree that I have had minor panic attacks before, but I guess I never really understood completely that they can still have a pretty big affect on how I feel. I am a very sensitive person, and I can pick up on others' feelings a little too well. I have the ability to take their emotions in as my own or I emulate the situation they are recounting (I think I initially did this as a way to try to 'understand' people better, being the external-dependent person that I am trying to not be any more). I tried not to do this when hearing about the things the people were talking about (a lot of the things they talked about I have no problem with, except for socializing and sometimes going overboard with illness anxiety, especially vomit-related (phobia there)), but I couldn't help but think about what the situations and riling myself up with that emulation behavior. So aye - I can still get myself pretty anxious if I think too much about things, and have yet to really find a balance. I think I may have, though.

I was planning on posting a question about things relating to my anxiety since last night, but have both procrastinated and have been busy with school work, as well as trying to figure out what Lucinda was meaning about the six steps and how they could work for me. As I got on to the discussion board, I decided to read through a few posts that seemed interesting or seemed like things that I could relate to. I just gotta say that reading through the responses to the posts and their uplifting messages really made me feel a lot better. This could be seen as another example of my impressionability - it all depends on the influence of an outer stimulus on how I feel, sometimes. I guess with this case it was a good thing.

But aye - if any of you are feeling helpless or unsure about things or just plain down, I'd like to suggest reading through the posts - there is a risk that you may feel worse than you did in the beginning, but with this sort of support group, it seems that help comes in unexpected places. Smiler Be confident, be strong! You can do this! We're all rooting for you.

Peace, and best wishes.