How about a forum for folks who have finished the program... and want to chat about how the skills learned are continuing to evolve, devolve, re-evolve, and mature over time?

SOUND LIKE A GREAT IDEA TO ME AND I'M ONLY FINISHING WEEK 3!

Hey, I think that's a good idea also

Pennie -

Congrats on reaching week 3! It's hard for me to believe it's been... good lord... almost 5 years since I finished the program. Where does the time go?

Oohhh....I like that idea. I am going through the program for the third time, almost finished again, and have loved it! It would be nice to have a place where we can help each other through life's "growth spurts" and give a quick reminder of how to stay on track, etc. I enjoy chatting with the newbies and encouraging them. I also like seeing others that started the same time as me and noting their continued progress and ability to reach out and help OTHERS now. They are the encouragers on the board each day....Very nice.....
Blessings,
Psalm91
Tricia

YES!

We totally need to hear from people that have completed the program. I'm on week one, and I think I can see already that this is possible to overcome! I'm interested to hear others progress since complteting the course.

Way Stone how did you do with the program? thanks for the encouragement it is really needed. one thing helps is not to read everyone's problems and things they cannot shake. i'm trying to coanquer this not ad to it. also all the things on the internet some people really have some issues sometimes i can read them and think oh---my ---anyway just a thought.

Pennie...

Where to begin? My life has changed so much since I got that there tape set, that it's hard to figure out how to describe it.

Before:

1) Up to 10 panic attacks daily (one daily trigger.. nightfall. How does one avoid that? lol...)
2) High, high, generalized anxiety. Which brought with it chronic headaches, IBS, and high blood pressure.
3) Never bothered to even /try/ to drive... at 25+ I didn't have a license.
4) Chronic nausea... and I mean, /all/ waking moments except for two blissful blinks when just waking up... for seven months straight. I dropped 60lb.
5) Bunches of other habits/preferences I hadn't even realized I'd picked up along the way, restrictions I thought cut down on panic attacks - not wearing certain things, eating certain things, talking about certain things, avoiding anything unpredictable or different, never /ever/ sleep away from home... you get the idea.

The first day I tried to jot down all my negative thoughts like the lesson said, I gave up in disgust after 5 minutes - I was already up to 87, and hadn't managed to get out of bed with all the writing!

Oh, I always 'functioned' fine - I lived on my own, and worked, and clawed my way through each day as it came, and didn't talk about the rather vivid hell I was trying to figure out how to live through (in fact, the only thing anyone else ever noticed was the weight loss, and they complimented me on it!) - but it was going downhill fast.

After:

1) For one thing, the panic attacks really do go away - and don't come back. The mechanism that creates them is gone, and so, they just can't happen. Even when life is tense, which is is now and then, I get... well, tense. Not panicked, and not anxious. It's a big difference.
2) I drive, enjoy it, and own a very cool little car.
3) I sleep away from home, and travel, whenever I darn well feel like it. This summer I'm driving cross-country for a couple of days, then heading off to camp for a whole month with some friends. I still like the comfort of my own home.. but I'm not pinned to it.
4) I got another dog! After my pet companion of 17 years died, I couldn't even imagine putting myself in the way of that sort of hurt again, before the program. And the puppy stage /was/ a growth spurt for me, letting myself get attached to the fuzzy thing. She's 2 years old now, and utterly wonderful.
5) I've finished my Masters, moved across a couple of states by myself to settle where the job I wanted was, and been working with emotionally disturbed youngsters for several years, now. It's draining, and exhilirating, and frustrating, and fun... and while before I wouldn't have been able to afford to even think about their own problems on top of mine, these days it's not a problem. I love what I do.

There's more, but if I keep writing I'll be late for that job!

Hey Waystone I'm proud of you. By hearing your story you have motivated me futher to overcome this "temorary condition" You truly are an inspiration to me at this point as I look forward to being where you are now.

Jay

I love the idea of being able to talk to people who have gone through the program! I'm in AA (been sober 10 years) and sponsor many women who are "newbies." It would be great to have "anxiety sponsors" who have gone through this program to help us newbies along! I'm only on Lesson #4. If there's any women out there who are interested in being an "anxiety sponsor" for someone who is really trying to work this program, please let me know!

This forum really needs to be started!!!

Help me understand how the fold "Alum.." would be different than asking for help in any of the other categories??? NOT putting this idea down, just want to understand how you see it working?

Carolyn

Personally I feel it is reassuring interacting with people that have recovered. By posting in an Alumni forum it would just be easier for us newbies to post and get reassurance from Alumni's. Sometimes just knowing that this will be overcome and interacting those individuals makes you feel better.

I AGREE! I GET UP EVERY MORNING TAKE MY KIDS TO SCHOOL, COME HOME AND CHECK THIS SITE. SOME DAYS I LIKE TO READ EVERYTHING AND SOME DAYS READING EVERYONES PROBLEMS REALLY GETS TO ME. ON THOS DAYS WHEN I AM FEELING A LITTLE MORE ANXIOUS I ONLY READ THE TRIUMPHS OR ANYTHING THAT LOOKS POSITIVE. IT WOULD BE SO ENCOURAGING TO READ A STORY OF SUCCESS ON A REGULAR BASIS. I HAVE OVERCOME THIS PROBLEM BEFORE AND ITS BACK AGAIN "GROWTH SPURT" I GUESS AND ITS NICE TO BE REMINDED ABOUT HOW GOOD IT FEELS TO GET BETTER. ANYWAY, THATS MY INPUT ON THIS! THANKS LC

So-is it my understanding that an Alum folder would be written only by those that had successfully completed the program...sort of a testimonial folder?? Carolyn