I feel that in listening to the tapes about everyone else's anxiety problems that I get more anxious. Really only the relaxation tape has calmed me down. When I hear about all of the problems and fears I feel more upset.

that happens to me too, but I had to shift my thinking.. Instead of listening and taking on these problems and feeling the burdun of them ..realize that you are not alone. find comfort in listening to others and know that they are just sharing a feeling that you may or may not identify with. They are sharing because they have been anxiety ridden and depressed..ect. BUT, they have won their personal battle with depression and anxiety. they are excited about this and have faith in the program! Dont give up.
Juls

Tori..I think I understand some of what you're feeling. And I think maybe you're getting upset because of some (possibly almost sub conscious) distortion. These are things that cause us anxiety. It's some underlying, irrational concept that is telling you that there's something wrong with you listening to those people talk.
I went once to an outpatient program in a hospital. I went for I think 4 days and I think at the time it just made things worse. I was around all these unfamiliar people and I didn't really want to participate in anything. I had this fear, caused by a distortion that told me that somehow being in contact with these people, I was somehow going to absorb some negativity from them,. I was performing all these mental compulsions because I felt like I couldn't admit/acknowledge that I had anything in common with them or that I could relate to them at all. Which realy everyone has their own circumstances and depression and anxiety and ocd might be different for the next person, and I don't think I really did have much in common with them, but the point was that an irrational distortion was causing me great anxiety because I believed that something bad was gonna happen and I had to shield/protect myself in some way. I didn't even want to make eye contact with anyone.
Its like a kid whos watching Michael Jordan play with a basketball and Jordan gives him the ball and he also gives him an identical ball. Its like the kid wanting to play with the ball that Jordan played with because he believes somehow that there's some magic in the ball from Michael Jordan. It's magical thinking..It's irrational and it's counter productive. The only thing is it's the opposite. It's like the fear of association.

Maybe some of the things being said by people in the group, you can relate to, Maybe some of them make you anxious because its something that gives you some reminiscent anxiety about something that you don't even really have a problem with anymore.

But if there is a distortion in your mind telling you some irrational reason why you should be afraid to listen to the audio session..something telling you that maybe if you can relate to them in any way then maybe you're gonna be as bad..or maybe it means you're this or that..just Tell yourself that that's an irrational thought and that you're not gonna get tricked by a thought. If your mind is telling you that you can't freely listen because you don't want to be like them and you're gonna somehow contract something negative from hearing them..then I would suggest you just try to be rational.. think about how obsurd that concept is, recognize this distortion and dismiss it. And it will be easier and easier to recognize and deal with. Don't get tricked by a thought.

Maybe this isn't exactly what's bothering you, but I would try to really examine the anxiety like it says in the program and try to expose a distorion. Let the air out of the amxiety balloon. Good Luck to You