Hi, I am new to this forum. I heard about the program and sent for the information package. It sounds like a good self help program but unfortunately the price is too much for me now. I suffer with anxiety, depression and major stress and in the evenings I find myself drinking too much. In the information I was sent, it said that people with this disorder tend to over drink trying to self medicate. Is there anyone else who has this problem??????????????????

Yes, I can relate to the drinking problem. Althought I didn't have a real "problem" with drinking, I did find myself having a glass or two of wine before going into situations that caused me to suffer from anxiety or panic attacks. My defining moment came when I had to go to a function sponsored by our department and I didn't have any alcohol in the apartment. I almost panicked because I was going to have to go to the event and deal with the horrible anxiety "all by myself." (I lived in a town that was dry so I would have had to travel quite a distance in order to get some alcohol and I didn't have time! )

Alcoholism runs rampant through my family and I knew where that road led. After I had that experience of freaking out because I didn't have any wine to take the "edge" off of the anxiety, I knew I had to do something more positive and constructive.

Hi Pammy1,I can also relate to what you said. When I first had panic attacks about 4 years ago I had no idea what they were. I remember trying to drink my way through them which made everything so much worse. I was ok for the time that I had enough alcohol in my system but when it wore off it was terrible. I didn't drink everyday but I drank enough.

When my attacks came back about a month ago I was so tempted to "self medicate" but I knew that would be trouble. I still have an ocassional glass of wine on a night that I am feeling a high amount of anxiety. My husband gets concerned at times because I rarely drink at home. I've assured him that I'm fine with my one glass and it won't be a repeat of last time.

I've found that this time I try to write down what I am worried about no matter how stupid it is. It really helps me organize my thoughts. Something about seeing things in writing really puts things in perspective. I used to do that but I wouldn't be totally honest with myself (Just in case someone found my writings.) That didn't help so now I write exactly what I am thinking.

I hope it helps to know that you are not the only one out there with this problem. Being able to recoginize that drinking may become a problem and that you are trying to self medicate is huge. I wish you the best of luck. Things will get better just take it one step at a time.

Take care
Vic

Hi Pammy1: I can relate to your post regarding self-medicating with alcohol. In my twenties, I self-medicated on a regular basis. I "had" to drink wine or beer to sleep at night and I would wake-up when it wore off. I continued to use alcohol to sleep even after I was "diagnosed" with anxiety/panic disorder...the original treatment (psychotherapy) I received wasn't really very effective for me. Also, I was in denial/ashamed about the problem and did not mention it to the therapist. (Alcoholism is rampant in my family). What really helped me was learning to practice a formal method of relaxation every day...the one recommended in the progrm(if you buy it) should suffice. I can also recommend an excellent relaxation tape that you can order if you do not want to buy the Attacking Anxiety program. (I do recommend the Attacking Anxiety program. I started getting well when I finally bought the program). Within the last year, I have learned to meditate and that has really helped me to feel much more calm and focused. Learning to relax via relaxtion exercised and meditation helped me to be able to sleep without the alcohol. Now I have a drink socially only on rare occasions. I don't feel as well if I drink alcohol. I firmly believe that alcohol exacerbates anxiety.

VIc: I want to write in my journal with complete candor but I don't because of the privacy issue. How do you handle privacy issue?

Hi putas.
That is a good question. I don't really have to worry about it at home. I don't have children and I don't think my husband would read it if I laid it out for him.

I do take it with me when I travel though and I am always worried that someone will find it or that when I'm at my parents they will come across it. I am pretty good at finding hiding spaces. I find to that if people don't know you're doing something they won't go out of their way to look for it.

I guess I just think the risks of someone finding my journal doesn't justify me not writing in it and being totally honest with myself. Writing seems to be the only way I can do that. Although, lately I have been able to tell people honestly but nicely how I feel about certain things. I am trying not to be a doormat anymore. Writing helps me do this. Usually if I write about something (although it was really bothering me at the time) I can read back and I most of the time wind up thinking. Why was I wasting my time on that or boy that was a bad day good thing I don't feel like that today.

I have also started something else in addition to my journal which usually contains things I'm upset about. I keep a gratitude journal. (Like the one on Oprah). I don't know why it works all I know is that on even the worst days you have to find something to be positive about. It really affects the way you look at things. I didn't keep one from October to Jan. Started having attacks in December. Something to it I don't know..I don know that positive is better than negative any day.

Good luck to you. I hope you will be able to keep your journal with as much candor as you desire. If nothing else write what you want and then rip it up. That way you've gotten it all out and there is nothing left for anyone to find.

Hi all-
putas said:
"I firmly believe that alcohol exacerbates anxiety."
That is quite correct. I am a recovering alcoholic, and the worst part of sobering up (every day) was that the withdrawl produces incapacitating anxiety, at least for me. I believe that even "slight" overindulgences come at this price. If there is anxiety, the alcohol soothes for a time, but the rebound results in even worse anxiety.

quote:

Originally posted by pammy1:
It sounds like a good self help program but unfortunately the price is too much for me now.

Hi, Pammy

The Attacking Anxiety Audio Set is available through an installment plan. The shipping charge of 19.95 is only added to the first payment which then totals $79.94 (Orders from Ohio would include sales tax of $21.60 so their first month total will be $101.54), the following 5 monthly payments are only $59.99! Remember that Midwest provides a 30-day money-back guarantee on this program. You may find all this information at The Midwest Center Online Store by clicking the following link:

While online click here: The Midwest Center Store

You may also get more information about The Program by calling them:
1-800-944-9428 Information
1-800-944-9460 Customer Service
1-800-511-8794 Product Orders

The Midwest Center has a Support Line available weekdays, excluding holidays, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. USA Eastern Standard Time at 1-800-515-1133. When calling, you'll hear a brief explanation of the service, an operator will ask for your name, number, and then schedule a call back. A support person will call back as soon as possible. The charge for their time and expertise is $1.50 per minute on credit card, or $1.99 if invoiced. The average call is about 12 minutes when you prepare written notes before the call back about goals for the call, specific questions, feedback expected, and a have clock in position to stay in charge of the time together. The Midwest Center clearly states that their phone support services are not meant to represent FORMAL THERAPY. It's not meant to take the place of your relationship with your doctor or licensed therapist. Qualified, trained mentors are there to help focus on course work, a challenge, or a pep talk and reassurance.

The Midwest Center has an affiliate network and may know of a professional near you. You may want to try calling their Affiliate Coordinator at 419-898-4357.

Lucinda Bassett, Executive Director of The Midwest Center, shares tools and techniques through the self help home study program titled �Attacking Anxiety and Depression� that has resulted in her own dramatic improvement from fifteen years of severe anxiety and depression. She goes on to say The Program offers life skills that anyone may benefit from.

The Program has been very helpful in my own life. In fact, I�ve spent a lot of money buying The Program as a gift for other recovering persons. Especially Gay-Americans whose cultural differences manifest as anxiety and depression.

I expect to always be a person recovering from anxiety and depression, and expect to practice the tools and techniques of The Program everyday for a lifetime. In fact, by definition, that is the only way for it to be a �life-changing program�.

I understand our cultural bias towards expecting a �magic bullet� cure. So far no one has found it, even if it were to exist. In reality, this program and others like it are the only things that seem to be able to offer hope for some improvement and feeling better nowadays, and maybe without a lifetime of dealing with the drug-pushers and psycho-babblers in the medical community.

Unfortunately, there is no �magic bullet� cure. We cannot expect to read, listen or talk about the tools and techniques of The Program, click our fingers, and suddenly be cured overnight of whatever bothers us.

It may be more realistic to expect on becoming more enlightened and feeling better and better while working The Program over time -- Over how much time? Well, that's unique to each individual, but, one may never even hope to feel better if they never venture to take the journey.

I invite you to join in this journey.

Sincerely Russell


------------------
I was born Gay-American and I am a divine gift of God to you today. There are safe ways to educate yourself and others about how such cultural differences manifest as anxiety and depression. The following videos are most highly recommended:
While online click here: Amazon.com video info: Growing Up Gay and Lesbian
While online click here: Amazon.com video info: Homophobia in the Workplace

Vic: Thanks a lot for responsing to my questions about the journal. I really like the idea of a gratitide journal and I am going to try that! I've been wanting to write a kind of autobiographical sketch so I can lay out where I've been in my life...kind of look at the whole thing. There are some pieces I don't want to share with anyone. So, I've been putting this off because of the privacy issue. You've given me food for thought. Thanks!

Howdy Pam I can relate to what you're talkin' about.I had been drinkin' scince I was 18.I had always been a party drinker no matter where ,I'd always ask where's the party .Up til about year ago I had my first panic attack in 7 years but this panic attack was a doozy and didnt go away like the others. I started drinkin' heavily everytime I came home from work then when I quit my job I stayed drunk practically everyday.Especially the holidays,but I've gone cold turkey and have been sober for 6 weeks now.Hope you get to feelin' better.

Thank you all SO MUCH for your reply's. Putas, I am an exact replica of what you described, I also have to drink everynight to sleep. Alcoholism runs rampant in my family as well. But I have always felt like I could beat this problem on my own. Knowing that there is someone out there that has had the same problem and had success at beating it reassures me, therefore I do see some light at the end of the tunnell. THANK YOU!!! Yes, I would like to know where I can get the relaxation tape you mentioned. Good Luck with your journal, I think its a great idea.
Audie_Huff, thanks for your relpy also. I will say a prayer for God to give you strength. You have done a great job so far. Hang in there.
Also, could someone tell me how to reply to each individual's reply. Am I doing this right?

Pammy1: Here is the information for ordering the relaxation tape:
1-800-247-6789 (this company is called Whole Person Associates). The audiotape is called "Calm Down" -- the cost is around $12.00. The tape is produced by Shirley Babior, LCSW and Carol Goldman, LICSW; both of these women are counselors who do a lot of work with stress and anxiety. One side of the tape leads you through a deep muscle relaxation exercise -- it takes about 25 minutes. I strongly recommend that you practice the tape two times every day. You'll also find that it helps you to go to sleep at night -- but that should not be counted as one of the two times for real practice. [The second side of the tape introduces mindfulness meditation and the deep calming breath -- I have also found this side very useful, calming, and lovely, but I do not practice it on any regular basis....just when I want to.] If you have been very stressed and agitated for a long time you will notice that the muscles of your body will relax "in layers" -- I cannot describe this feeling very well but it is like "jerking" -- so if you feel that it is a good sign. This is very important: it takes the body between 2 and 4 weeks to really learn what it feels like to be deeply relaxed so stick with this practice everyday and I promise you will not believe how much better you will feel. Also, on days that you have extra time, practice more than twice if you want to. I think you will get to where you want to practice relaxation. Please let me know if you have questions or problems and I will be happy to help.
Pammy1, last of all I want to tell you that I practiced deep muscle relaxation for a couple of years faithfully and then (very recently) I began to practice mindfulness meditation everyday. Meditation is wonderful and it is really changing my life...you may want to move to meditation eventually. But I really think for anxious people it is best to start with the tape-directed deep muscle relaxation because it will teach you what it feels like to be deeply relaxed and it is easier than meditation. (Although meditation is a cinch once you get the hang of it). I wish you (and all of us on this board) a depp and profund peace. Putas
p.s. I rarely drink anymore. I really don't like alcohol anymore. I did drink all through my twenties and early thirties.