This all started about 5 days ago when I went on vacation with my family and friends, I'm 17 years old. I was feeling pretty well, Ive just finished the program and I felt really confident and I had that inner peace/acceptance. Me and my friend decided to have some "fun" and we drank alcohol for 2 days straight at our hotel camp acting like abunch of immature kids. The days after the drinking, I felt extremely anxious. I couldn't walk in public, I would have that feeling of being anxious for no reason. Now I cant seem to get over it I still feel very anxious. Its been 5 days I feel like the alcohol has strengthened the anxiety in my brain. My heart wont stop pounding even if I distract myself. I don't know what to do I feel like I'm going back to day 1, well actually worse, Ive never had this ongoing anxious feeling for no reason. Its really scaring me, I don't know if this is a growth spurt or what. Someone help me I don't want my life to turn back around.

It sure sounds like a growth spurt to me. I think there is a reason that you are feeling this way, so I would encourage you to explore that. Are you feeling guilty for your actions? You might want to review the lesson on guilt.

The reason your heart still pounds is that you are afraid of the body symptom. You need to remember that it's just a body symptom; it won't hurt you.

It sounds like a great time to review the program. You are not back at square one. You know too much for that to ever happen!

Are you using the relaxation tape/CD? Are you observing your negative self-talk and countering it with positive statements? If you are feeling guilty, work on forgiving yourself.

You will be ok. This is actually a wonderful opportunity to put your skills in to practice. Take care.

I was happy to see this topic get started. I probably was an "anxiety type" person my whole life - but it really went crazy when I had a female hormone problem a couple years ago. I got my hormones better balanced and had gone through the anxiety program earlier this year and was feeling pretty great. Then about a week ago I got back from a fun, but hectic vacation and felt kind of tired. I started to worry about being tired and then the whole thing started to snowball. Now the last couple days, even though my energy is back, I developed a little anxiety - especially in the morning - worrying I am going to be tired! Oh good grief - I can't believe I started doing this again after I was feeling so great! This is discouraging!

I feel like I didn't learn the techniques very well, if the anxiety came back so easily. What did I do wrong? What can I do to get back on track? I am feeling a bit discouraged that I let this happen again - but I can't seem to control it!

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Boone

I do get relapse once in a while, I think its normal. maybe you can try this "Is my anxiety testing my tolerance???" Sometimes I feel anxiety is testing us see how we can cope with them after we working on the skills against them..
Same with those people who have addiction problem they quit then relapsed then work again to quit. almost similiar to what we are going through with anxiety.
Maybe time review all the skills and review the program to get youself back on feet.

I know how you feel. I have been through the program, did great, and recently went to Europe on vacation. On a train, the second the door shut, I had an old, spontaneous thought of "what if I have to 'get out' and I can't. It was terrifying. I started to breathe and use positive dialogue, but it did not help. My wife, who knows all about the anxiety condition, recognized that I was feeling nervous, but there was nothing she could do. After the anxiey subsided, I accepted it as a minor relapse and did not beat myself up for it. At least I could identify what caused it (my thoughts). Good luck

I totally CAN relate...around part 8 of the program I thought I was fine and could do anything...I went out one night and got drunk...the next day I felt sick...then I got that spacey feeling...then here it comes...the panic/anxious attacks...I took me a month to get back on track...I now know it was that "what if" feeling that got me back into the adrenalin rush that cuase the panic...thats all it was. It will take sometime before you can go into party mode...I didnt drink for months after that...then when I did, I was a tiny bit anxious that I might panic if I were to drink some alchohol...It was that "what if" thinking again that gets you in trouble... You will be fine...