Recovery begins with one small step.

[Jeff1943]

You have taken the first step towards recovery. You have decided to FACE the reality of your anxiety disorder. No more worrying that it's some life threatening physical affliction. No more telling yourself the doctors "must have got it wrong". It's anxiety disorder for certain.

The next step is to ACCEPT the symptoms for the time being rather than fighting them. Fighting causes more stress, strain and nervous tension: the very things that fuel anxiety disorder. If you accept your symptoms you disarm them. You know they are no threat to your physical well being: they are sham sensations that do not exist outside the confines of your nervous system.

So instead of constant warfare with every false thought and symptom learn to FLOAT past all those negative intrusions, imagine yourself being carried forward by some unseen force, continue with your work and leisure knowing that with the gift of understanding and reassurance there is no need to add second fear to the flash of first fear.

Alas Rome wasn't built in a day, and your recovery will require you to LET TIME PASS. You spent a long time getting yourself into this state, allow a few more weeks, even months, to recover your quiet mind.

Face, Accept, Float , Let time pass: six words that have brought respite and recovery for three generations, not my words but those of "the woman who cracked the anxiety code".

Her name Claire Weekes: deceased many years ago but whose legacy lives on in her writings, recordings and the ever growing numbers of the tens of millions* her teachings have led to recovery.

*estimate of Doctor David Barlow, Professor Emeritus of Psychology and Psychiatry at Boston University.

[Starrlight]

I’ve always been this way, anxiety ridden. I recall anxiety in preschool. So how will I be without it then? I’m afraid it is such a part of me. I don’t know anything else except for the two years of my life when I rebelled against all the pressure put on me and I felt free but I got into trouble in attempting to break free...

[Jeff1943 in reply to Starrlight]

Starlight, it sounds as if like me your anxiety is inherited but we can learn to minimise its effect and the length of flare ups. Reduce the pressure on your life if you can as you did once before, be selfish, be ruthless, others can look after themselves, it's so easy to become a 'Jewish mother'. I hope calmer days lie ahead for you, don't accept the 'now', life is the evolution to a higher form, a journey we're all taking. We should enjoy the ride.

[Starrlight in reply to Jeff1943]

Thank you soooo! I’ll try.

[NikeYrk]

Claire Weekes was definitely ahead of her time! Love this

[Tinkynutbug]

Thanks Jeff always helpful to get this reminder how are you?

[Jeff1943 in reply to Tinkynutbug]

Not too bad thankyou Tinkynutbug. Just had a pacemaker fitted so should be ok for another 25 years😀.

[Hidden]

I’m not sure if what i’m having is a symptom of anxiety or not! I’ve been having trouble breathing the past few weeks and even when i’m not anxious it is still there! I feel like this could be serious but this is causing me lots of panic attacks. I’m hoping this trouble breathing feeling is only anxiety. I’ll be going to the doctor monday but anxiety is seeming to make the trouble breathing worse because i’m scaring myself into thinking it’s serious.

[Jeff1943 in reply to Hidden]

You've done the right thing seeing the doctor who will no doubt give you reassurance that it's anxiety: a common symptom of anxiety as no doubt you know. Just because you don't feel particularly anxious your nerves remain sensitive so can produce symptoms like breathlessness at any time. Just accept the breathlessness as another trick sensitised nerves plays on us. The chances of it being more than that are too small to worry about. So relax, chill out, accept the breathlessness for the time being: you won't suffocate through lack of air because the body automatically keeps you breathing and you couldn't stop it if you tried. Try holding your breath for a few minutes, you'll see how your brain makes you breathe in after a few minutes.

Listen carefully to what your doctor has to say, if he or she refers you to a specialist they are only being super careful but I think we know what the doc is going to say (this IS an anxiety forum). So no need to worry and do let us know what the doc says on Monday.

[Hidden in reply to Jeff1943]

Thanks Jeff! It’s so hard to accept it sometime, you know? It’s gonna take a lot of practice but thanks for the reassurance because I definitely needed it. I never felt this way before but then again anxiety seems to give me all sorts of new feelings and symptoms that seem serious.