It may be scary to see your progress but it must be nice as well. You are moving forward and like you said gaining valuable skills and knowledge. Remind your self of your progress. Write down what you have learned, irrational thoughts you have become aware of and positive thoughts. Little by little you will lose that scary feeling and become confident that you are managing panic! We are so proud of you. Keep posting and staying strong.
Share your list if you feel comfortable.
Other members add yours! There may be so many things we have accomplished that we are not even aware of.
For many, returning to work is a scary undertaking. We are here to help! Below you’ll find more great tips to help you transition back to work:
ï‚° Keep taking care of yourself by getting adequate rest, pleasure, nutrition and keeping up with your treatment program.
ï‚° Learn your limits. Begin establishing boundaries for yourself. If you feel overwhelmed or have too many projects on your plate, speak up! Remember, it’s not about the quantity of work completed but the quality of work completed.
ï‚° Leave the past in the past and don’t worry about the future. All you can focus on is today! What great work can you complete or contribute to today.
ï‚° Give yourself credit for the work you are doing or the small steps your making towards going back to work!
ï‚° Know your Employee Assistance Program. Some plans offer reimbursement for massages, cover counseling, free/discounted gym membership or other alternative therapies.
Members, we now encourage you to ask questions or share experiences!
Good for you for being so proactive. You are taking steps to improve and you will see results. I do recommend seeing your doctor as he/she would be best at diagnosing the problem. Even if you are uncomfortable with seeing another doctor, it may help to ease your mind
Feeling faint can definitely be due to panic attacks. Your past trouble with fainting definitely must be reinforcing the
fears you have now. I am sure you do know worrying about fainting will
not make the situation better but it is hard to think like that when
you feel you are about to faint at any minute. Keep reminding yourself that you have not fainted in a long time. Also remind yourself of the worst thing that would happen: you would faint, you would wake up and go on. Yes it would be embarrassing and probably scary but you would get through it. Try not to let this debilitate you. The more you avoid situations the harder it is to live a normal life and the more you will be reinforcing your fear.
The relationship you have between you and your therapist is very important. If you do not feel support or you feel you are not getting anything from the relationship then it may be a good idea to look for another. That being said you need to make sure that you are open as you can be with the relationship. As in any relationship you get as much out of it as you put into it.
I am sorry to hear about what you went through. After something that horrible it is hard to have faith in humanity. It is not fair you went through it. But please stay strong. We are here for you and you can have faith in us. It seems impossible but you will get stronger. You will beat this challenging time in your life. Don't let it break you. Try to keep an open mind in counseling and if it is not working look for another.
I can see how you would be hurt by this email. You felt you were trying to help and he took it the wrong way. However, if he does not feel he has a problem then there is really nothing you can do. The first step for him is to realize himself that he may have a problem. If his behaviors are effecting his life for the worse then it may be possible that he has a problem. But if it is not interfering then there may not be a need for treatment. Everyone has rituals and strange behaviors, its taking those behaviors to the extreme that causes concern.
I think you have done all you can to help him. It can be expected that he would react defensively. No one likes to be told they may have something wrong with them especially when they don't believe it themselves. The best thing you can do as a loved one is be there for him. Also, set boundaries. It is ok to accommodate and compromise but if you do not like something he does then you shouldn't be afraid to speak your mind. Tell him how you feel but try to be constructive and not offensive. When it comes to his past relationships, I think it is best to avoid judging his behaviours. Only he and his ex knows what occurred in the relationship and it might be very hurtful for him to think you are taking her side.
Openly talk to him about how you feel. If he does have a mental health issue the best thing you an do is ask him how he feels and be there for him. Diagnosing him could be damaging to the relationship and may make him even more resistant to treatment.
Let us know how it goes.
Any other members experiencing difficulties with loved ones?
Congratulations for joining to site and taking positive steps to a healthier you! Have you begum working your way through the program? You will find it to be very helpful. Also, read through the forums you will find many people just like you.
It is great to have you as a new addition to the family! Here we are all in it together. Post often.
What are your goals for this week? How will you be rewarding yourself?
“Studies show that people who are anxious tend to have an irregular pattern of breathing, alternating from hyperventilation to holding their breath. This pattern of breathing contributes to further symptoms (e.g., lightheadedness, dizziness and possibly fainting) and increases the feelings of anxiety. Breathing retraining techniques can help these people cope or manage anxiety symptoms.”(Center for Addiction and Mental Health, 2009)
Members, try reading through the relaxation section of the program. Also, try to be conscious of your breathing. Breathe with your abdomen and not your chest. Naturally children will be “tummy” breathers but as they age and become more stressed they learn to breathe with their chests. The results are shallow breathing. It is much more relaxing to breathe deeply with your abdomen. To find out if you are a chest or “tummy” breather place one hand over your chest and one over your stomach. Breathe normally. If you see your chest rise and not your stomach you are a chest breather and you should work on breathing with your abdomen.
To breath with you abdomen when you breathe in you should feel your abdomen slowly move outwards. Work on this. You will find that after only a few breaths you will start to feel more relaxed.
Members, did this work for you? Are you a chest or “tummy” breather?
Ashley, Health Educator
Center for Addiction and Mental Health (2005)What Causes Anxiety Disorders? Retrieved on May 28, 2009, from, http://www.camh.net/About_Addiction_Mental_Health/Mental_Health_Information/Anxiety_Disorders/causes_anxiety.html
Have you talked to your doctor about the drugs you are taking and their possible side effects?
If it is not the drugs, dizziness is a common symptom of panic. When you experience these symptoms remind yourself that it is a normal symptom of panic and it will pass. Try to become aware of your breathing. Breath deeply and calmly. You may want to review program information by looking in the relaxation auxiliary section.
Other members, are you or did you experience dizziness? How do/did you cope
glh92, how are you feeling before the faintness? Keeping a thought journal may help you pin point what is triggering the symptom.
In the past week, we’ve been talking about stress management. Learning how to better manage sources of stress can help decrease the intensity of your craves. Here are a few tips to help you make the most of your break time:
Practice your deep breathing. Deep breathing improves circulation and eases muscle tension.
Check your e-mail. Subscribe to a messaging service that will send you daily jokes or inspirational quotes. A few funny or inspiring words can help lift your spirit and gain perspective
Turn on your radio: Classical music has been shown to induce relaxation. Have it on in the background or tune in online. Many radio stations now have live feeds via the internet.
Stretch! Take a few minutes in between long tasks to take a stretch break. It can help increase alertness, improve blood flow and relieve tension.
Congratulations on driving down town! That is a huge accomplishment. You should feel very proud of yourself!
It is clear that you have a lot on your plate right now. This could be a reason why the panic has worsened. Right now you really have to focus on managing your stress. Eat healthy, exercise and try to sleep well. Having a healthy body is essential to having a healthy mind. Also, since you are going through a particularly stressful time try to do relaxation techniques in the mornings, before bed and whenever you feel particularly stressed. Please read through the relaxation page in your auxiliary sessions.
How far are you along in the program? Are you finding it helpful?
Let us know how your doctors appointment goes.
Keep staying strong. We are all here for you whenever you need us.
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