Hi!
How long will it be until I don't scan myself every morning when I wake up, looking for any type of pain? How long until I don't think that every time I feel down my condition is back? How long until I'm not scared of the condition coming back?
I've gone through the program, its been about a year since I started. Usually I'm doing great but right now I'm in a down period that I don't understand. I feel kind of depressed, nauseous and have upset stomach. This is usually signs of the condition but after a year I'm not really sure what it is. Am I sick or in a down period. Should I take it easy or should I fight it? This has been going on for over a week and I'm getting tired fighting this and telling myself it will go away. WHEN will it?
Please help me get some perspective on this.
Didde

Didde,
Anxiety is something that can spike in people when they get tired or stressed even if they have never had it before. I would relax and ask myself what is going on in my life that may be spiking it, I would get the program back out and review it to re-focus and move forward. Don't let it scare you or it will last longer. Just try to remember that we will have times when it tries to sneak back in if we aren't paying attention and we have the tools to stop it from taking over again.

Chrystal

quote:

Originally posted by Didde:
How long will it be until I don't scan myself every morning when I wake up, looking for any type of pain? How long until I don't think that every time I feel down my condition is back? How long until I'm not scared of the condition coming back?

Until you decide not to. Until you make a conscious effort to put your focus on something else. Until you get out of your head and into your life.

Even people who don't suffer with an anxiety disorder go through down periods and/or get sick with the flu or whatever. Recovery from this disorder doesn't mean you'll always feel great or that you'll always handle everything absolutely wonderfully all the time either. It's about balance.

So give yourself permission to not feel so well but at the same time take good care of yourself - rest, eat well, treat yourself to something that makes you feel good even if it's watching something on TV that you like, listen to a good relaxation tape, go outside and get some fresh air, etc. And if it does turn out to be a stomach virus then don't add to it by analyzing every symptom and determining that it's something other than the flu (or anxiety for that matter). Do everything to help yourself through it, like staying hydrated or getting medical attention if you need it, and let your body do what it was made to do - heal itself. Help it bring everything back into balance by cooperating with it instead of fighting it by flooding your system with scary catastrophic thoughts that infuse into every cell and make you feel as awful as those thoughts are.

Thanks for your replies.
I know you are right and I usually can take myself out of a down period in a day or two but this time it has been for a longer time so i'm getting tired, both emotionally and physicly.
I'm trying to flow with it and fight it. Telling myself that all people feel down at times. This weather doesn't help, cold, damp and snowing and raining at the same time. All I want is to go home from work and just go to bed and wake up in the morning, happy and rested.
But I know that is not the answer so I will keep fighting this, I have to.
Thanks Didde

So, I have also been dealing with an inredibly frustrating set back. Over the past six months I ended a bad relationship, tried starting a couple new ones only to have the same issues each time, moved, chaged jobs, gone through my mother having cancer, and turning twenty five. then I met someone and may have fallen in love. I think I may have, but I have been having tremendous anxiety over it. Obsessing, worrying, analyzing, wanting to run but believing it would be foolish-does this make sense to anyone? the program helped so much last summer, but now I just don't know. He makes me happy, but I am terrified. Could a good thing on top of many difficult things cause a relapse? Any thoughts are welcome. I'm pretty confused and frustrated at this point. thanks. what a wonderful community. I can't seem to figure out what's really bothering me with my obsessing, et cetera... It's been two months and I just want to get better.

Sarah Anne-I see from your profile you are an actor/sinner. jk. Misspelling, I know, but aren't we all actor/sinners? It just got me thinking. I am still awaiting my dvds, but feel better already just knowing that I am not alone in this fight. I've seen a lot of wisdom and caring advice posted here, and want to let you to know that you have taken a huge and very important step by seeking help. Best of luck!

Hi Didde, Our thoughts are so powerful, let's use them to our own good. How can you put your thoughts in a positive way? I am me and that is great. I accept me even though i may be on a rollercoaster of emotions & feelings. Life is good and i'm glad to be in it. I need to be good to myself and play on the same team. Be positive, maybe take a walk or exercise some small way & get yourself moving. Make a cup of herb tea that you like and sit and enjoy it.
Perhaps journal while taking some time out for you. Review a chapter in the program that seems to speak to you. Write down a plan for feeling better. Check out the workbook and review it for some insight. Do vitamins help at all? Hope this might help with changing your perspective just a bit. Peace to you! -Anne

Thank you Anne.
I do feel better today. I went to sleep 7,30pm last night just to see if that would help, just resting and I think it did.
I live in Sweden so the time is now 11,01am and I'm at work. I've listen to the relaxation CD and also lesson 3, selftalk over and over again. I think that is my problem, i'm such a pessimist. My down periods usually sets in when I'm going to do something that is something I've never done before. I think my body is so use to feeling bad when I'm worried that it kicks in before I can stop it. All people gets nervous and worried but not like us. We can make ourself sick for days or weeks before instead of taking it when it happens. And when I realise that the feeling may have something to do with a special function or appointment I've already gone through a miner hell. That is also one of my problems, to recognise what is bothering me. I have a wonderful boyfriend, we have been together for 11 years and he is very supporting and proud of me. I have a job and a great family. According to myself I shouldn't have any problems. I just want to find the offswitch sometimes when my thoughts gets overwelming.
//Didde

Didde, I believe toxic thoughts make toxins in our bodies. Maybe exercise could purge that for you. Best of luck and we are with you in spirit. src

I agree with the toxic thoughts-toxins in our bodies assessment. When I let myself get overly stressed or anxious I can't eat, my stomach is a mess, and I think the toxins come out of my pores, even. Pew! The exercise idea is excellent, and I intend to try it to try to "clean out". Take care, all.

quote:

Didde, I believe toxic thoughts make toxins in our bodies.

-SRC

I read a book called "Deadly Emotions: Understand the Mind-Body-Spirit Connection That Can Heal or Destroy You" by Don Colbert.

This is a VERY powerful book and is NOT for the faint hearted. I have thus far read half of it and WOW ! It is a wake up call. You can check out readers reviews and comments about the book on amazon.com of you are interested. Maye your library has it? A great read, but it was a frightening and MUCH needed wake up call for me. Just the "shot" the doctor ordered.

HI!
I still struggle with this down period and I don't know what to do. I had a session with my therapist yesterday and after that I felt really good but now I'm back with my negative thoughts. My homework from my therapist was to not fight right now, just be and take care of myself. That sounded so good but the pressure over my chest won't stop. I breath deep and I think possitive thoughts, what more must I do? I can't turn of my head. She told me that I have a control problem, if I can't control a situation I obsess over it. A few months ago my boyfriend and I started an investigation to see why I won't get pregnant and this friday we found out that we probably must have help getting pregnant. That was hard to hear but I didn't think that it was my problem, my therapist think it is. This is nothing I can change so how can I get myself through this?
Please help me with some good ideas.
//Didde

Believe it or not, Didi, you do not have to solve a problem in order to let go of anxiety or obsessive thinking. Have you gone on to the website, yet, www.ocdonline.com It is so beneficial. Also, read Stop Obsessing by Foa and Wilson. Leonard Jacobson - Journey into Now and Eckhart Tolle - The Power of Now. These are books that will help you move through this and learn to live with this condition. It's learning to watch your thoughts come and go. It's so important to soothe yourself. I can't emphasize this enough. Start calming yourself instead of scaring yourself. Practice all the time. What you are going through now are opportunities to heal. It's OK to feel anxious. Practice your skills by floating with it and making it OK to be experienced. Practice present moment exercise. Touch something - ie: a pen - don't describe it. Just notice how it feels in your hand. Do the same thing to a cloud, a book, an animal. Be as present as you can and keep practicing. With practice you will begin to feel some peace of mind. Stop your mind for a minute by genuinely listening to what is in the air. (Breeze, dog barking, cats meowing, birds singing, smells, etc.) Your mind will come in to claim you again but if you want silence again for a moment stop the thoughts by listening to whatever is there to listen to. Practice this. It gets easier and easier. Try it right now. Go to the mirror and look into your eyes. What do you see? Stop the thoughts by paying attention to what you see. Keep practicing these exercises daily. See what happens...

Hi everyone!
I think I'm still in my growth spurt and I'm struggling almost every day. The weird thing is that I don't have panic attacks, I don't faint or anything else that I've been afraid of before. I feel bored and sad and then I feel guilty, mostly for my boyfriend, that I'm so boring right now. I want to do something but I don't know what that something is. How do I find out and how can I get started? I'm listening to my audios and I use possitive self-talk but it does not really turn around. Can it be that I have winter depression? I usually feel worse this time of year.
Hugs Didde