Really good morning, actually very rational & normal for once & then bang.....the fear of returning anxiety made me more anxious than ever!

[mooner04]

Yesterday following a real nice Sunday I woke with the normal alarm clock of negative thoughts but had a cup of tea, smoked a few fags and turned it around. I was really positive, unusually rational, normal, maybe even slightly happy! I'm driving down the road in this perfectly good mood when a thought occurred to me that made my stomach wrench. 'What if this is a false me & the anxiety comes flooding back'. And immediately I had a panic attack fllowed by ever increasing anxiety about being anxious again. This has been the worst 26 hours ever. Has anyone trying to use the 'scceptance' method experienced this? I feel worse because I felt so normal. It has completely derailed me. Help!

[Agora1]

Believe me mooner04, it's not "acceptance" that has brought this on but the "what if" while you were driving. "what if" can turn our negative thoughts on in a instant. A cup of tea, drugs, therapy may help but it's what you believe in your mind that will make you or break you.

[mooner04 in reply to Agora1]

I know agora, acutely aware of what's happening but having real difficulties with constant, nagging negative thoughts. I'm trying so hard to accept but they're overwhelming me in number & content. I know too not to add fear on top of fear. I say to myself ok I accept that anxious thought/feeling but can't seem to rid myself of the constant feeling of pain in my mind. It's almost like it's physical. I know it's all irrational but can't seem to break the cycle. How did you go about 'acceptance"? Please any advice right now.

Thanks again

[Agora1 in reply to mooner04]

For me mooner04, I got so angry at living like this day after day for years...I got off my benzos which for me were causing the anxiety to stay stuck because the pills were no longer working. Doing that, plus just about daily phone therapy, reading and really listening to what Dr Claire Weeks had to say about acceptance and finally becoming hell bent in beating this monster at his own game.

And it is a game mooner, that anxiety plays with us. Oh you don't respond to this symptom, well here's another one, try that on for size. No way was I going to allow anxiety to continue being in control. Getting out of the house after being agoraphobic for 5 years helped immensely. Having at least one positive thing to look forward to each day that would get me out of bed and moving helped.

When just a hint of negativity hit my mind, I'd yell "NO" and it listened I think it jolted my mind into having some control again. It takes time, patience and perseverance. Never give up, stay strong and kick those boulders out of the road you are traveling.

I know this all might sound hokey but it works. At least for me, Anger worked. I'm now home free, can deal with any symptoms that may stop by for a visit because now they are short lived both physically and most importantly in my mind. Keep using positive reinforcement and the successes from the forum. You will succeed. x

[mooner04 in reply to Agora1]

Thanks so much agora....wow how you suffered. I too am sick to death of it and it irks me terribly that intellect alone has no bearings on it! Your posts are a massive help & comfort. I've spent the last hour simply just accepting....not questioning or arguing or trying to work it out. That's hard I'm sure you know when you know whats going on! I have to accept that no amount of intellectual or emotional reasoning with this helps. I am still waiting for delivery of book but for now I'm ONLY going to ask myself to ACCEPT.

Take good care & bless you for your help & support. It means the world. 'The horse of our habit is carrying us along, and we are its captive. We need to stop our horse and reclaim our liberty'.

Thich Nhat Hanh

[Nicki123 in reply to Agora1]

Well said Agora. It takes patience and I am not there yet but reading Dr. Claire Weekes books daily. Thanks for your encouraging words

[mooner04]

Keep at it Nicki. I'm waiting for delivery of book but have been using just the 'acceptance' for now. It's not easy but well worth it. To begin with I was over thinking acceptance which in turn threw me because all I was doing was getting anxious about not accepting properly. Yesterday I just accepted and rolled with it. Just accept, nothing else, don't let yourself think about whether it will work, whether you can do it right, just simply say, "ok I accept that" and let it float by. And don't get discouraged by how hard it is. Because it is - accept it! Take care