Hi guys. I'm new on this forum and I just wanna share my growth spurt with somebody. I have been doing so well about but about 3 yrs ago I started having my symptoms again and I took them waaaaay to serious next thing I new was i was having anxiety attacks again, and they scared me. But today I am really doing well no more attacks but I still have trouble falling asleep but once i fall asleep i still till morning, but it's just wanting to fall asleep. But I NEVER took medication on anxiety, depression, or sleeping pills. It's like a train of thoughts start going as soon as I hit the pillow but not scary thoughts just thoughts. Can anyone relate to this. But it's not anxiety producing but sometime a little sort of like I dread it or something.
Hope to hear from somebody...Bye now God Bless. Sandygal

Hi Sandygal, welcome to the forum! Glad to hear that you are doing well and have no more attacks! I think what you are experiencing is fairly common to most people. I think I have had something similar happen before. For me, I would be tired but as soon as I went to bed I would start to think about things that needed to be done or weren't done etc. Sometimes I would wake in the middle of the night with the same thoughts but those were more anxiety producing (having to do with work projects and work stress).

I am not sure what the best thing for you to do is. You may want to try to do a relaxation or meditation tape before you go to bed. Or, depending on what you are thinking about you could try writing out a list (if your thoughts are about things you need to do) then you know that they are written down and there for you in the morning to do so you no longer have to think about them.

Also, try to do things that are peaceful and soothing before going to sleep (don't watch the news might be one suggestion). Start a routine that is soothing and do it every night before bed.

I hope some of these suggestions help. Take care, Zoe

I have just finished the program and it has changed my life and I am doing so much better then I ever thougth possible. But latly I have been having some growth spurts and they have been scaring me. I know that I am not going crazy and I no longer really have scary thoughts because I know to much about anxiety. But I still fear the panic attack a little and I think this is why I have been having them lately. Now they are no where near as bad as they used to be but they still are scary. But the skills I have learned from the program have let me get through them without thinking that I am going crazy. Is this common to anyone else out there. I think that it is could any one out there give me some feedback about how you get through these. The one true thought that really comforts me is that I know in my heart that I am so much better and that I will never go back to where I was before I got the program.

I have been having a "growth spurt" myself recently. I completed the program about 1 1/2 years ago now. I was doing so well that I decided I was finally ready to get pregnant and have my first child (I never thought I could do this before because of my anxiety - I didn't know how to get off of medication long enough to have the baby and didn't want to pass my anxiety on to my child). Anyway, I had a baby boy in April - the apple of my eye. He is wonderful - and I have been staying at home with him, but I have been having a horrible time with my anxiety again since he was born (My pregnancy was very uneventful and peaceful - my anxiety stayed away and I even was able to handle being in the hospital - which was a HUGE thing for me).

It has been five months since the baby was born, and I am still struggling many days, but I have found that the key is to go back to the program and start all over again with what you know how to do. Get out your spiral notebook again and start challenging your negative thoughts nad replacing them with positive. (I found this was where I started to go downhill after my son's birth - allowing my mind to be bombarded again with negative thoughts). If you have trouble recognizing your negative thoughts - just spend your day saying as many positive thoughts to yourself as possible. Sometimes I find this to be easier than trying to recognize the negative ones and replacing them. Say the positive thoughts out loud if possible - it really helps. I go for a 2 1/2 mile walk with my son most days and I just talk out loud to myself the whole time.

Remember that God loves you unconditionally - and if the creator of the universe can love you like that - then you need to love yourself just as much.

Hi Sandygal,

I need someone to test a sleep aid. It's a cream, aromatherapy, any interest??

Send me an e-mail including your post address: carolyn@stresscenter.com

Thanks, Carolyn