Stop fighting your anxiety, it only makes things worse. Instead, surrender to it, accept it for the time being: do the exact opposite of what you've been doing until now.
Ask yourself, did fighting make you feel better? Did it cure you of panicky feelings, palpitations, upset stomach, feelings of doom and all the other symptoms in the Google guide to anxiety disorder? On the contrary, all that extra adrenaline your body released as a result of the extra stress and strain of fighting only made your nervous system more sensitised still.
If you're digging yourself into a hole, the best thing to do is stop digging. Stop fighting - stop checking your pulse every 5 minutes, stop testing to see if you can walk round the store without feeling dizzy, stop checking that ache or pain to see if it's gone away yet. Instead learn to co-exist with all the symptoms, accept them without reservation and acknowledge they're going to be around for some time yet - but you've made important changes in how you deal with them that eventually and inevitably you will be free at last, free at last, free at last.
The woman who cracked the anxiety code once wrote: "I find that some patients complain , 'I have accepted the churning in my stomach but it is still there. So what am I to do now?' How could they have accepted it if they still complain about it?
"I try to make them understand that they must be prepared to let their stomachs churn...only by so doing would they be truly accepting. In this way, and only in this way, would they reach the stage when it would matter no longer whether their stomachs churned or not. Then freed from the stimulous of tension and anxiety, their adrenalin-releasing nerves would gradually calm down and the churning would automatically lessen and finally cease."
Doctor Claire Weekes, 'Self help for your nerves", 26th edition, 1996.
Written by
Jeff1943
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Marshall64, what I have described here is the teaching of Doctor Claire Weekes, author of the book I mention (also titled 'Hope and help for your nerves' in the U.S.). You will find it easier to practice Acceptance (for the time being) if you read that short book which is available new or used on Amazon or Ebay.
Jeff1943, Thank you once again for your insightful words. We need to hear it and then start practicing what the good Dr. Claire Weekes worked so hard on and that is Acceptance.
You are right in that, has fighting the fear and panic gotten us anywhere but more panic??
We all hold the "key" in our hands but unless we use it, we can't open that door to our goal.
Bobbi, have you read Jeff1943 post regarding Dr. Claire Weekes' theory in how to
let go of anxiety through acceptance? Dr. Weekes' video on "Hope & Help for Your Nerves" is free on YouTube. Take a look at it when you get a chance.
Unless you change your thoughts, everyday will stay the same. Monday will be no different than Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday & Sunday...
I agree that you are in a difficult position but until you get rid of those panic attacks and fears, you stay frozen in a continuing cycle of fear. Work on your panic situation and the
rest will become more clear in how you will address your living situation. xx
Maybe time to go to the ER and see if they will give you 5mg Diazepam (Valium) enough for a week at 3 tablets daily. Then see your doctor and discuss a short course of Diazepam with him or her. Diazepam is for emergencies such as you are going through now and is the only thing I can think of that will do it for you.
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