Welcome- to those who are participating in the Attacking Anxiety and Depression home study program. I welcome you to the best thing I ever did for myself.

Debilitating stress and anxiety do not get better by themselves-action, change, must take place and you've already started.

This program gave me understanding, education, tools, and life skills which enabled me to make the mental, physical and spiritual adjustments necessary to rid myself of a lifelong struggle with anxiety, panic and depression.

Follow the program process (important word- process). We have been working with these materials for over 20 years. We know what works. You will find clear directions in your guidebook. Following the guidelines will ensure that you get the maximum benefits from the program. Listening is not enough- do the homework, make small changes as you advance through the lessons week by week.

And welcome to your Peer Support Group.

Only you and others who have signed up recently will be posting here. Everyone will be using the same section of the program and working with the same topics, going through the same challenges and recovery steps. We hope you will think of this as your safe place for encouragement and support. No one is judging you, other posters understand what you are thinking and feeling simply because we have had the same thoughts and feelings.

Making a personal commitment to use the program and participate in your peer support group daily is the best way to ensure your success and to achieve the amazing changes in your life that you desire--and they will happen if you make this commitment. Going through the peer support process with a group will yield much better results than going at it alone. There will be countless opportunities to help other people going through similar experiences, and there will be plenty of times that you will draw strength from other participants.

Previous program users will also be sharing advice periodically. These program “Veterans” have been through the same process you are going through now, and experienced the same fears and excitement. You’ll find their wisdom and support a true source of strength. And their progress a true inspiration of what you can expect.

I will be checking in often as well...I love watching your personal growth. I have worked with the Center for over 20 years. In addition to having recovered by using the same program you are using, I've facilitated group sessions, and studied this subject for many years...I've learned the MOST from fellow travelers like you-please teach me more.

So I’ll be here if you need me. But my hope is for you and your group to actively participate amongst yourselves and to support one another. Please be a part of it!

PLEASE POST something here on your first visit. Introduce yourself, tell us a little bit about you and your experience with anxiety disorders. What part of the world do you live in? Why did you decide to try the program? How long has your life been negatively affected by anxiety and depression? What would you like to do with the time you now spend worrying? ...

And PLEASE REPLY TO POSTS AND WELCOME OTHER NEW MEMBERS, AND REPLY BACK TO PEOPLE WHO REPLY TO YOU! Be an active part of the community. Supporting others is a great way to support yourself. And remember to check back and participate daily!

Here are a few tips to help you get the most out of your Peer Support Group:

1. Reply to a Topic

Introduce yourself, give advice, and keep the conversation going. Whether you help yourself or someone else, this is the fastest and easiest way to get started!

2. Post a New Topic

Need support? Need advice or feedback? Start a New Topic!

Just click the “New” button at the top.

3. Visit the Main Forum

Our main program forum is used by thousands of program veterans and has information on just about any topic that you could possibly imagine.

We recommend that most of your time is spent in the Peer Support Group when you’re getting starting but we also encourage you to visit the main forum for additional support and information. Just click on the community tab above and select “Online Forum”

4. Rate the Topics

Click “Rate This Topic” in the upper left-hand corner of every topic to rate it on a scale of 1-5, 5 being best.

5. Learn about others and give others a chance to learn about you by updating your Profile regularly

Check out someone’s Profile by clicking on their name.

6. And don't forget to have a little fun !!!

When I was going through the program I had the opportunity to speak with others who were also going through the program. You have that same chance by participating here in your Peer Support Group. I’ll never forget how wonderful it felt to get the affirmations and advice from my peers and I also remember how good it felt when I helped others in the group. There truly is no greater gift than the one you give to someone else.

If you read the postings in this group- your group, you’ll notice that everyone here has similar challenges, limitations and questions. You can help them and they can help you. Please take a moment to introduce yourself, and then take one more moment to welcome someone else who is new. And please check in at least once a day, and reply to posts when others ask for advice or feedback, and start a post when you’d like advice or feedback. And please be sure to reply back to people who reply to you!

We have found in the past that those who get actively involved in their own recovery and that of others benefit beyond measure. Let’s all make an effort to “speak” to just two other people in this support group- what a difference we’re going to make.

Welcome to a life changing experience, directed and controlled by you! (Please post now!)


You are brave, courageous, and a fabulous student.

Best regards, Carolyn Dickman, Education Director, Midwest Center, Oak Harbor, Ohio

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Carolyn Dickman,

hi, sully7. ive been doing the program since february 07, but just recently joined the community. im most certain i can benefit from others' experience, and am also looking forward to it. no specific purpose why i recently joined, its just more convinient for me now and definetly need input. anyways its been a long day i will post again tomorrow

Welcome Clark 1 have hope and this program will help you as you do it, I have yet to get into the work that I need to do, although the lord my god is working with me as he knows I need. I will do this program because it is part of what I need to get better. Hi Julie K. I have missed you, I am happy to see you posting agian, and hope to see the other support group both old, and new. Bye For Now, Regina

Hi my name is Clark, I just started the program on Monday and I pray that it can help me.I've been diagnosed with severe depression and have been on 3 anti-depresants for ten years. I am 55 years old, married with 5 children ages 9-22. I can't really say when the severe depression began I think I have had a degree of it all my life. My father seemed depressed but he self-medicated with alcohol. I have always been very quiet even though I did not want to be , I'm very poor at smalltalk, have not made any close friends since I was in college. I have social anxiety I don't do well at mixers or parties, although I have no problem with public speaking. I have very low self esteem, hate to get up in the morning, I have been in the same profession for 30 years and hated every minute of it. I get very tearful at times especially at church asking Jesus why he did this to me but at the same time chastizing myself for being ungrateful for the things I have(family etc). I have never had a panic attack and I empathise with what I have been reading. I really have little anxiety that I recognize except for the social; this may be because although I'm not suicidal, if I found out I was going to die tomorrow I just would'nt care. I liked to get off the Meds thats my goal. I mayhave gone on to long, sorry, thanks for listening.

I am here. I just got back from and extended vacation in Colorado. All is well. I did listent to session 10 while in Colorado. I am still with the program. Don't hesitate to post if you need anything.

Julie K

Why? Where is everyone, I have not beem on for some time yet I'm still at the top. I do not want to do this alone, what happened to the support group? Regina

Hi, Less-Stress-Wes. Have you ever been checked for wheat allergies? Our son was allergic to a number of foods which he out grew I do have a friend that has to stay away from glutten it really effects her. Not diagnostic you, just something to talk to your Dr. about if you choose to, it is a easy thing to deal with, there are lots of flours out there that have no glutten in them and special cookbooks, very simple to follow. I hope you find an answer to that bread thing soon. Is this talked about in one of the later sessions that I have not gotten to yet? I'll be checking in more often, hope to be posting with others still hanging in there or going thru this program as a refreshment. Regina Mae C.

Still hoping, but also ready to do the work along with the hope, wanting to help others that are looking for hope, yet also hope. Regina Mae C.

Hi Regina,

I feel I am stronger than when I first started. This was a much better week overall, though I still had about 2 panic attacks one of which I let pass. The other I got up and felt I had to leave the room briefly - it took a lot of energy out of me. I'm seeing an interesting trend in the severe attacks that I feel I cannot control nor let pass... it seems it's right after I eat a lot of bread for lunch - for example a sandwich from Togo's. After eating such, I feel really spacey, anxious, and panicky - like I'm losing control of my mind and cannot concentrate. I wonder what the correlation is. I'm definitely going to go through the program again now that I own the materials and everything is paid for. I didn't dissect all of the materials first time through. I'm finishing up session 11 right now, so getting close to finishing. Thanks for the posts ladies.

Wes

Julie K. Thank-You for the invitation back into this group. Good timeing, the june group is going well. There is alot of good support going on. I unfourtunatley am still not started on the work I keep procrastinating on day 1 now instead of day 3. I know this program is going to work well for me when I commit, I just have a hard time commiting. Today is Sunday June 10 a good day to start, it is 2:06 in the morning a good time to start. Yes I would like to come back, so who is the new contributor? Also to you and Less-Stress-Wes I hope from my honesty the two of you can see how far you have come from where you were when you first ordered this program. Think back on when you first started and see where you are now I think you will both see a huge difference, I hope enough of a difference to encouage you to get back to the hard work at hand to continue moving forward through the testing period you both seem to be in. Good Luck, and Thank-You for having me just the way I am. posting agian Regina

Regina,

We have another contributor to our forumn and she is pretty nice. If you want to join back in again I'd love to hear from you. How is it going with the June group? Julie K

You are so right about how we think about things makes a huge difference. I am a positive person in public but I do over process things and can think in my head very negatively.

To tell you the truth, I know I am an anxious person but it is difficult for me to pinpoint what is caausing my anxiety. I don't have panic attacks and I rarely sit through my anxiety. I eat or drink or run or something... I just cover it up somehow to get away- have been dealing with it all my life this way. I don't know what I am afraid because at the moment of my anxiety I run, subconsciously. I am not even aware that I am running. Afterwards I know, though because I say to myself, "Why did you eat, drink, yell, etc. to excess?" Somehow I have to recognize when the anxiety is coming and stop. How do you do that?

Regarding your panic attacks I can imagine your mother's illness could weigh pretty heavily on you. Can you give yourself permission to be afraid of losing your mom, or sad that your mom has this illness?

I am moving to session 9 today.

Julie, it encourages me that you're taking action rather than letting yourself get into an anxiety slump. I was doing better this morning but then I had another panic attack in the shower and now I'm feeling sick and lousy. Have you thought about why you are feeling anxious? Have you given yourself permission? It seems you are feeling anxious for good reason. You are going through change, transition, and by the way you said "gave up my full time job" it sounds like you didn't feel it was a choice within your control, rather than if you said something like "I made a tough decision to discontinue working full time because..." Isn't it funny how, when we DON'T choose to do something, that is a choice in and of itself? How when we merely ALLOW something to happen instead of choosing it or accepting it, how we seem to benefit nothing from the positives brought on by the decision, but get and feel ALL the negatives. I can't figure out why I'm getting daily panic attacks again. I've been going through lesson 10, which seemed to help but I feel worse and am getting panic attacks aqain. I'm going to complete the lesson 10 workbook today and then take the time to review lesson 2. I've already reviewed lesson 10 CD two or three times. I don't know what is causing this... when I used to get panic attacks when I was younger (I'm 28 now), I used to call my mom. But my mom is really doing poorly right now - she has Parkinson's. I feel like I'm losing her... this has been exceedingly trying on my mind. Maybe that's why?

Praying I get through this day...

I've taken a turn for the worse, too. What's up with that! I am going to re listen to week 8 and begin diligently writing in by workbook and following the program. I recently gave up my full time job. I had applied for another position where I should have been a shoe in but I did not get the job. It looks like I will be home with the kids this summer. I should be grateful, happy, and all that, but I'm not. My apple cart is upset. My husband recently got a big promotion at work which came with a car, etc. I am happy for him and our family but I feel a little left out, inadequate, etc. I am really struggling here emotionally.

Julie K

Congrats Regina!!! Praise God for accepting Jesus as your Savior! Sorry I didn't read this until now. *big hug* Glad you're still in the program too and doing well.

I've taken a slight turn for the worse ( Had a friend mention he was hospitalized for panic attacks and hyperventilation associated with it. Ever since he mentioned that, I've been worried about being hospitalized for hyperventilation - all day I worry about it and I nearly called the paramedics two nights ago! I somehow just "realized" I have the ability to control my breathing and it's driving me CRAZY! Just as I was doing sooo well, dating, and all, now I feel I'm losing my mind again ( Help!! What should I do?