Hi, everyone, I completed the workbook survey and evaluation for Session 1 and it sure gives me "pause for thought". I am agoraphobic, besides being depressed and having anxiety. I can and do go out, but there is always anxiety there. I can drive my car (with anxiety) but can't seem to go further than a half hour or so from my house. I have a friend I haven't seen in two years because I can't drive the hour and a half to her house. I shop on the Internet whenever possible. I can go the mall, if it's not too crowded; but I really don't like to shop at the mall. I can socialize and go to restaurants, but only with my "safe" people. Can anybody relate to all of this?

hi ms ellie
i`m also on the first lesson and i can relate to everything you say.i cant go out the house alone and can only drive a few miles with my wife.i can go into shops but i find it very hard unless i`m with my safe person and i have anxiety every minute of every day.my world has got smaller and smaller year by year but i`m AM going to beat this condition and get my life back.what about you??? lets do it and show the real world what they`ve been missing out on

Hi, Ms Ellie, I can totally relate. I was functioning thru life, but with constant anxiety of my next panic attack. My circle of comfort shrank so small that I would have panic attacks eatiing at the table with the family. No place was "SAFE". That being said, I completed the program in Oct and am doing great.

As I recall my first lesson, I remember feeling even more anxious and wrote so in my journal. I would say those feelings didn't begin to go away until around lesson 3. Then they got better and better and better. I also had several panic attacks just logging onto the support site the first few times.

I don't think of my panic anymore 24/7 as I did and that's such a relief. I'm truly living and grasping the wonderful world and all it's opportunities rather than simply surviving. Life is good just like Lucinda says on the tape. Really do everything they say to do. Stick with the program. Do the relaxation tape (I was in the dental chair and just pictured myself walking along a wooded path with a good friend). Journal. Journal. Journal. Always ask yourself. What's bothering me? Be honest with yourself.

You will be able to free yourself as long as you are open to change, willing to put the work into the program and are kind to yourself. Come to the forum often for encouragement.

Peace to you on this day.

That is so me. I am just starting. I have two young children and I don't want them to know about this but they are getting older! I HAVE to get over this before I pass some of this on. My Mom was very anxious and never traveled. I HAVE to travel 10 hours away in just 5 and a half weeks. I don't see how I am going to do it without meds which I am too terrified to take. I have suffered from anxiety for over 25 years. I am 35 years old. It started when I was very young. I am so fed up of the pain of anxiety. I have every thing that could be wrong with you every day. I have had over 200 heart attacks and 300 strokes. MANY MANY other scarey things too! My mind is sick. I just feel I can't change it.

I do see many here have. I just don't feel I don't have it in me.

I'm sorry that was not very helpful! I have no clue how to delete it.

BUT you do have it in you or else you wouldn't be here on this support site. Everyone here has thought this. Myself included. Crying and thinking this would never go away. But it will. Keep focussing on one day at a time.

I convinced myself I had everyone illness under the blazing sun and would be afraid to even work out in the blazing sun for fear of heat stroke (we live on a farm so it's kinda hard to avoid the sun--LOL). But I didn't have any illness--just the anxiety. It's a gradual thing. Work on it little by little and it will get better. Use the postive statement notebook and journal. Ask yourself, What is bothering me? Then go from there and make your postive statement.

You CAN do this! Peace to you on THIS precious present day!

You guys,I've got GOOD NEWS!!! I can't believe I'm saying this but I'm so excited after this weekend to a friends 4 hrs. away. I got Carolyn Dickman's driving CD and what a blessing! I drove with very little anxiety. Whenever it started to come, or I wasn't even aware I was gripping the steering wheel, she'd say "remember, you're not in the Indy 500, you don't need to grip the steering wheel." lol, how did she know?? Cuz she'd been there done that. We will all get help and go change our world.

I have to tell you what happened on this trip. I met this new neighbor of my friends who was welcoming them to the neighborhood. She invited us for supper but when she found out I write poetry, she talked a lot to me and about publishing. I've also said some books in my head or started on paper but never knew how to go about it or feelings of rejection and not wanting or knowing how to go about publishing. I woke up early this morning thinking how would I have the time with my bakery job. I love my bakery job but really struggle and the anxiety and stress has made me feel at times its too much. I've been there over a year so when it's super busy or too much to do you'd think by now I wouldn't get so stessed being myself. The other girls don't get that stressed or make mistakes on orders. Well, again this morning I was having book ideas going thru my head and also thinking I never thanked the owner of the bakery for my bonus or gift cert. from Christmas. Because I was doing all this thinking, I slept in a little. The phone rang. It was the owner of the business. I thanked her for the Christmas gift. She was pleasant in telling me my mistakes but then said her and her husband had decided to terminate me!!! Wow, this normally would have devasted me!! I'm so amazed that I feel such peace. She even said she wanted me to send her my poems. I said, I will and maybe write one about the bakery. I haven't told my husband yet but think he will be fine with it. The sugar is way too much temptation for me. I've struggled for over a year. I probably would not have quit because I'd feel like a failure. Instead I get fired but don't feel like a failure. I feel God has been calling me to write for a long time. I've so wanted to be a Grandma for 4 yrs. It's not happening. Because of the program, I'm starting to see my dreams. I'm seeing God has put people in my path many times to write. Why haven't I? For fear of failure. God has a purpose for my life as he does for all of us. I want to press on to my purpose and encourage each of you to do the same. When we get down, and we will, let's make it a point to be cheerleaders for each other. God bless you all!

Yayyyyyy, Barb! Go thru that open door!