Ultimate Guide to overcoming anxiety

[Beevee]

The following was written by Paul David who created the anxietynomore website which I have made reference to in previous posts.

His recovery from anxiety was based on the very same 4 principles of facing, accepting, floating past and letting time pass that were first published by the late Dr Claire Weekes.

It is well worth a read and I credit both these people and their books for guiding me to recovery and getting my life back.

Acceptance works.

Link below.

anxietynomore.co.uk/2021/06...

Best wishes ❤️

[Downinil]

I don’t know what to say other than that was priceless information. Thank you.

[gajh]

Thank you Beevee.

[Shnookie]

I appreciate you posting this. However, after reading part of the post, I haves ADHD and PTSD as well, I cannot relate to many of the things the author writes. I’m Jewish and my father was a Holocaust survivor. My poor granny had survivor’s guilt. This is not something after I witnessed it for over 30 years goes away. If anything, with the high rate of antisemitism now in the U.S. it triggers me. I don’t obsess about it but it’s part of my DNA. I accepted this a long time ago. I don’t believe that my anxiety will go away completely. Rather, I want to manage it if it gets to be bad. Also, the author talked about turning to Buddhism for his spiritual beliefs. Many of us on HU have all different kinds of belief systems or no beliefs at all.

[Dolphin14 in reply to Shnookie]

You are correct. PTSD is chronic. All we can do is work on pulling ourselves up quicker when we fall.

There are triggers all over the place in our lives. Once we are triggered we travel right back in time. This goes way beyond GAD.

Some see Buddhism as a philosophy of life. . There are many religious people that migrate to Buddhism in addition to traditional religion.

I lean heavily on Buddhism and have no connection to traditional religion.

I hope you are doing well. Keep up the fight. You are a very strong woman

❤️🐬

[Beevee in reply to Shnookie]

Naturally, problems, sorrow, guilt or disgrace causing overwhelming anxiety needs to be resolved to the satisfaction of the sufferer before recovery can begin in the way he describes. This is likely to require a shift in attitude towards the issue. Seeing it differently.

Many sufferers have forgotten or don't know what triggered their anxiety. They spend all their energy trying to find the triggers but to no avail. Searching for answers.

They never find the answer because there isnt one. This is because their main problem is trying to cope with the symptoms of anxiety. They fear the feelings of fear.

Paul David's post is aimed at those people and that includes caring less about the triggers, whatever they may be.

I had GAD and many fearful thoughts and triggers and have never bothered with any philosophies other than acceptance.

❤️

[Beevee]

You're welcome and all good here, thank you 😊

[moggie8]

Thankyou your very knowledgeable

[Beevee in reply to moggie8]

A big part in defeating anxiety is knowing what you are dealing with. Knowledge removes all the uncertainty, bewilderment and fear of the unknown so the sufferer stops searching for answers to a question that doesn’t exist. They can then concentrate on overcoming their fear or intense dislike of the symptoms and accept them.

Up to this point, they have been fighting with themselves, battling the symptoms and there are no winners, just more suffering.

❤️

[Beevee]

I'm tickled by your name too. ☺️

[designguy]

I totally second Beevee's recommendation and advice, Paul David's book was one that helped me heal and recover from anxiety, after struggling so long with it and getting marginal and wrong advice from therapists about how to deal with it the book made a lot of sense to me. I also found the DARE anxiety book and approach helpful, it's basically the same concepts and teachings from Dr. Claire Weekes that influenced them both but for me it was an even more simple and proactive way of confronting my anxiety and realizing it had no control over me.

The other really helpful thing for me was realizing that my anxiety/social anxiety stemmed from being bullied in school and growing up in a emotionally and physically repressive/abusive household with lots of shaming and punishment for trying to stand up for myself or being proud of myself. I found out about complex trauma (c-ptsd) and found a therapist near me that specialized in treating trauma/c-ptsd. I also realized a big part of my anxiety was from repressing the rage, anger and shame and I needed to acknowledge it and process it in order to heal. I worked with him and as part of the therapy he used emdr therapy which was very helpful for processing and desensitizing me from the trauma and memories around it and allowed me to be safe to process my anger, rage and shame.

My belief now is that anxiety usually is simply a messenger trying to get our attention that something needs to be acknowledged and processed or changed in order to heal and move on.

[primrose81]

Thanks Beevee, will look at this in more detail tomorrow.