I feel it coming - what do I do? Options

[Ania]

Hi everyone,
I need some advice. I have had a couple of great days, almost feeling normal again and nearly thought I am out of this ordeal. For the last 3 days however I returned feeling anxious and nervous. I felt a panic attack coming a couple of times but managed to overpower it somehow (destracting myself, doing physical exercice, breathing exercise). Result? I feel more anxious. Now I started wondering whether that was the wrong approach or maybe not ?

There are two options here as I see it:

1. I am more in control of my sensations and it is a sign of power (confidence) being able to overpower it (and not to develop a full blown panic attact) or
2. It would be better no to try to overpower it and let it develop instead, demand it, go through it and feel the confidence coming back afterwards.

What do you people think ?

A bit confused over here in Germany,

Ania

[sussa]

Hi Ania, and welcome (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)
Have you read the book?
I'v tried alot of coping teqnics in the past,,,only to hold on to my anxiety im afraid.
Now i try not to react at all to the sensations , and let them come and later pass.
Belive me, it works.
Just trust your body and mind to do the job for you, instead of fighting it.
Sure it's alot of work, but i strongley belive that this is working,( im in the beginning of my work, and have already won over my panic attack ones (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) )

Read the book, do all the exercises and use the tools.
hang in there (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)
empowering hugs /sussa

[maryo]

Hi everyone,
I need some advice. I have had a couple of great days, almost feeling normal again and nearly thought I am out of this ordeal. For the last 3 days however I returned feeling anxious and nervous. I felt a panic attack coming a couple of times but managed to overpower it somehow (destracting myself, doing physical exercice, breathing exercise). Result? I feel more anxious. Now I started wondering whether that was the wrong approach or maybe not ?

There are two options here as I see it:

1. I am more in control of my sensations and it is a sign of power (confidence) being able to overpower it (and not to develop a full blown panic attact) or
2. It would be better no to try to overpower it and let it develop instead, demand it, go through it and feel the confidence coming back afterwards.

What do you people think ?

A bit confused over here in Germany,

Ania

Hi Ania. What do you do? Nothing. That's the best advice. Learn to do nothing. Don't react. That way you are giving your nervous system a rest. Your nervous system wants to deal with this for you but as soon as you start reacting and adding more fear to the fear it can't do its job. You are standing in its way by piling more fear onto it. Your body can handle the symptoms. We give it such a hard time. We don't have to do anything only let our body do its job of healing by stepping out of its way and not adding more fear. Good luck. Take care. X

[Mr M]

Hi Ania. What do you do? Nothing. That's the best advice. Learn to do nothing. Don't react. That way you are giving your nervous system a rest. Your nervous system wants to deal with this for you but as soon as you start reacting and adding more fear to the fear it can't do its job. You are standing in its way by piling more fear onto it. Your body can handle the symptoms. We give it such a hard time. We don't have to do anything only let our body do its job of healing by stepping out of its way and not adding more fear. Good luck. Take care. X

Ania I think it depends on your circumstances as to what you do.

I had learened coping techniques, and they enabled me to avoid panic attacks, but never took away the fear. I thought this programme wouldhelp rid me of the fear, but implementing the programme scared me too!

So, I took a phased approach, in terms of daring panic to arrive, in initially comfortable situations, and then more difficult ones. At the same time, I sometimes used coping techniques, if I was in an important work situation where I felt I was going to make a prat out of myself.

I worked on this and gradually reduced coping, and increased daring panic and one move.

This is working for me, I am improving, and becoming more confident as a result.

I think everyone has to find out what is best for them, but there is loads of help on here.

[Ania]

Hi - thanks for your advice. I have read the book several times - and it seems I still have to learn how to get my brain out of the way... Thinking about the last couple of days, maybe that is just what I did. I wasn't exactly coping, I did not go "Oh my god, here it comes again" and added fear to fear but rather: "Oh dear, do what you want" but still tried to get distracted to forget about the feelings. And that's what I mean. It worked! I did not developed a panic attack but did several check-ins to see how I was doing and that made me anxious. I understand what you are saying - I read a wonderful post here yesterday, something like : "become your own eye of the hurricane and let the crazy sensations twist around you" - great visualisation by the way.

My point is: I felt good because I did not develop a panic attack but I am not sure if the approach was right. Before reading the book I would have had one 100% after feeling it coming. Now I didn't. So isn't that a success? In other words: I did not observe, feel, demand more and trust. I observed, acknowledged and accepted it and went on with my life but did do some exercises to reduce the stress and anxiety. That is what didn't work.

Am I making sense ? To me it felt like progress because I could finish the day, sleep and even get up next day without any anxious feelings. Like this morning for example. What I am not sure is if I am fooling myself. Yes, what I still have to learn is to become the eye of the hurricane and do nothing. I am working on it.

Maybe I think to much ??? Still confused over here.

Ania

[maryo]

Hi - thanks for your advice. I have read the book several times - and it seems I still have to learn how to get my brain out of the way... Thinking about the last couple of days, maybe that is just what I did. I wasn't exactly coping, I did not go "Oh my god, here it comes again" and added fear to fear but rather: "Oh dear, do what you want" but still tried to get distracted to forget about the feelings. And that's what I mean. It worked! I did not developed a panic attack but did several check-ins to see how I was doing and that made me anxious. I understand what you are saying - I read a wonderful post here yesterday, something like : "become your own eye of the hurricane and let the crazy sensations twist around you" - great visualisation by the way.

My point is: I felt good because I did not develop a panic attack but I am not sure if the approach was right. Before reading the book I would have had one 100% after feeling it coming. Now I didn't. So isn't that a success? In other words: I did not observe, feel, demand more and trust. I observed, acknowledged and accepted it and went on with my life but did do some exercises to reduce the stress and anxiety. That is what didn't work.

Am I making sense ? To me it felt like progress because I could finish the day, sleep and even get up next day without any anxious feelings. Like this morning for example. What I am not sure is if I am fooling myself. Yes, what I still have to learn is to become the eye of the hurricane and do nothing. I am working on it.

Maybe I think to much ??? Still confused over here.

Ania

Hi Ania. I think you are getting the acceptance but you are still at the back of your mind fearing a panic attack so you are not accepting 100%. I do the same myself. have you read my blog 'Panic Scary? I love my panic'. You see reacting like we do in a fearful way becomes a habit over the years and habits are difficult to break. Habit will protest violently if you try to break it so we must perservere. Habit can be broken, give it time. Keep with the no reaction and in time that will take over as your new habit, and you've reached the summit of everest then. What an achievement and the world becomes your oyster. I wish you well. X

[Mr M]

Hi Ania. I think you are getting the acceptance but you are still at the back of your mind fearing a panic attack so you are not accepting 100%. I do the same myself. have you read my blog 'Panic Scary? I love my panic'. You see reacting like we do in a fearful way becomes a habit over the years and habits are difficult to break. Habit will protest violently if you try to break it so we must perservere. Habit can be broken, give it time. Keep with the no reaction and in time that will take over as your new habit, and you've reached the summit of everest then. What an achievement and the world becomes your oyster. I wish you well. X

Ania I think we all think too much and thats part of the problem! Even when we make progress, we question whether we are making progress, or is it an illusion or are we making progress in the right way or the wrong way or...... etc etc

As maryo says we have developed habits over years, which need to be broken. so keep following the programme, persevere, and things will improve in time.

[kaseypas]

Ania, I just went through the same exact thing yesterday. It's a wicked success. The way I see it is if I can avoid a panic attack, man I am doing great. Sometimes when I sense panic wants in and I ignore/distract I can go on with my day as if it didn't happen. Mostly this is when it's early enough in the day for my mind to keep busy with daytime stuff. It's evenings that give me the most problems, I check in more when it's wind down time and there isn't as much to distract me. Yesterday it was an upset stomach that got me going (stupid Halloween candy!!), my worst trigger by far. Had a horrible taste in my mouth so avoiding checking in was like impossible, that taste was there reminding me constantly. But I got through the night a bit anxious, like you said got to sleep and woke up fine. I always feel better after a good nights sleep. What could I have done differently to avoid the post-almost panic anxiety? A lot, probably. Exercised, wrote, cleaned, washed the dog, gone to the store, gone for a walk, raked some leaves. I don't know, I just wanted to relax on the couch with my family and was pissed that I couldn't do that in peace so I sulked and suffered till bedtime. That was my choice. There were times last year when being able to "grin and bear it" (or sulk and suffer silently anyway) was not a real option. It would have been a family trip to the E.R. or me hiding in the bathroom crying and making myself vomit in hopes of feeling better. We've come a long way and there's even more improvement to come. you're doing great. Do you write? It helped me a ton in the beginning.
And YES we all think WAY too much!! Congrats on your success!

[gettingthere]

Ania, I thought the same way as you word for word. If you feel a panic attack coming on dare it to do its worst. It will not get worst. I found this took some time and practice. I know it is really hard but the more you have setbacks the more you learn. I don't think I would over power it just ask it to come on and do it's worst. I think trying to destract it does not get rid of it just keeps it looming around.

[Ania]

Hi everyone - Thanks - now I got it !!!! So I was sort of fooling myself - that's what I wanted to know and reading through your answers it makes sense to me now. I am making some progress - I can go through my days almost "normal" but while trying to distract myself I locked fear in a "mental closet" where it is knocking on the door all day. Ok - Just decided to let it out of there again and ask it if it wants to become my friend. Goodness. That is the crux of the matter, isn't it?

A special thanks to Maryo - I just realised that the Eye of the Hurricane is you while reading your blogs! You do not only know what you are talking about - you are a philosopher:

"Whose going to be the first to call a truce with fear because when we learn to really really walk happily with fear we eventually will walk happily without fear."

Wow - that's it (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Thanks again to all of you.

Ania

[maryo]

Hi everyone - Thanks - now I got it !!!! So I was sort of fooling myself - that's what I wanted to know and reading through your answers it makes sense to me now. I am making some progress - I can go through my days almost "normal" but while trying to distract myself I locked fear in a "mental closet" where it is knocking on the door all day. Ok - Just decided to let it out of there again and ask it if it wants to become my friend. Goodness. That is the crux of the matter, isn't it?

A special thanks to Maryo - I just realised that the Eye of the Hurricane is you while reading your blogs! You do not only know what you are talking about - you are a philosopher:

"Whose going to be the first to call a truce with fear because when we learn to really really walk happily with fear we eventually will walk happily without fear."

Wow - that's it (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Thanks again to all of you.

Ania

I am only too happy to help. Take care and good luck. You're on your way well and truly. Great!! X