The Invisible Catalyst

[Carl87]

Hello one and all,

I hope you aren’t all suffering too badly today, just keep in the forefront of your mind that you will recover one day, fact. I thought i’d create a post about something which I strongly believe exacerbates the continuation of your Anxiety, and I too am very guilty of this.

What do I mean by the invisible catalyst? Reassurance. What does it mean? Well it simply means seeking advice on your situation (not illness), in order to ease how you are feeling or to put your mind at rest temporarily. I say temporarily because it doesn’t last. That reassurance you read last week has all but disappeared as now you need more. More reassurance that will just keep you going throughout your day and lessen the struggle with yourself and it’s debilitating symptoms.

As much as I am a supporter of any forums and websites that offer guidance and help into your condition, it isn’t them that can actually cure you, nor is it a doctor or psychiatrist. It’s you. You can seek all the reassurance and understanding out there about Anxiety, but it will be of no help if you do not use the tools acquired and implement it into your life.

This is easier said than done, I know. It’s so easy to want to reach for that forum, reach for that internet search again when you’re feeling down that will reassure you that you are ok, and that you are not actually going crazy after all. If only we actually believed it.

SO, unless you’re recovered fully and seek great pleasure in helping those in need, I would strongly, strongly, strongly suggest you stop googling, stop the reassurance and use what you’ve learned to put into practice. Every single time you visit a forum or google your symptoms, you are teaching you’re brain that it’s important. It isn’t important, at all. You are re-enforcing that Anxiety is dangerous and in actual fact, the irony is that it’s quite the opposite. It’s our survival mechanism protecting us. It just doesn’t know it’s sending us false signals.

Through using acceptance (until it becomes habitual), you will recover. If you don’t know about the accepted method, look up as much information as you can on Dr Claire Weekes. Once you know what to do (which is basically nothing other than accept every single aspect of your condition, no matter how bad your day is) you are on the right path to recovery. No, it isn’t going to manifest into Schizophrenia, no it isn’t a Brain Tumour, no you are not losing your mind and no it isn’t a Heart Attack. You are absolutely fine and always have been.

The next time you want to google your symptoms or seek more advice, just remember something. You already know you’re fine. You already know it’s just your frustration getting the better of you. When we stop googling, we will initially find it hard as learning, complaining and seeking reassurance about Anxiety actually becomes a bit of a hobby. (Only an unhealthy hobby of course, unless you’re recovered). You get this uncontrollable urge that compels you to keep going back and back , wanting more, there must be something else I haven’t learned about yet, I need more. And the more you do it, the deeper entangled you become into the cobweb. Break out of the web strand by strand, slowly, over time.

If you were not consumed with Anxiety and this post was about something you actually enjoyed doing, you would have finished reading it completely satisfied and content with what you need to do and would never come back here to read it again, and again. As we have Anxiety though, this is harder to do. But it is very possible. So I am going to tell you, not advise you, tell you. Read this post over and over if you have to and let it sink in deep, remember it habitually so that the next time you want to google, think to yourself : ‘No, i’m ok, just keep accepting’. Whether it be days, weeks or months, keep accepting. I guarantee the rewards will be worth it and you will be able to live a life more satisfying than anything before.

So please... have patience, take heart and display courage.

End the resistance to any part of the condition, including reassurance and it will end with you.