After years of dealing with occasional panic attacks (mostly related to claustrophobia), my anxiety finally morphed into full blown Panic Disorder in 2021 (tight jeans, tunnels, subways, ski lifts, flying, and finally, any physical discomfort which is completely unavoidable like chest colds, itching, digestive, etc). The latter is frightening because I am unable to avoid those situations.
After working with a therapist and listening to the podcasts, I thought I was in recovery but a recent orthopedic surgery through me right back in. Itching under the cast and a full body itching reaction to the Oxycodone made me feel as if I would go crazy. Only Xanax and Benadryl (not great, I know) put me out of my misery for that episode.
A few weeks ago, I started listening to the podcasts again and realized that I was no where near recovery. I've been scrolling, downloading and saving to Notes in the hopes of figuring out how to start the process. I plan to do all the work because I desperately want to and need to recover, but now.....
I have a trip to Europe in three weeks to see my daughter who is studying abroad and all my thoughts are consumed about flying transatlantic for 8 hours. Do I have enough time to start the process now? I really want to start but if it is as hard as it sounds, will it be worse for me if I am in the middle of the process and have to travel? I just don't know what to do.
I have been listening to the same (10) episodes and they are helpful but one of those is about being dependent on podcasts?" So, I know this is not the answer. Where do I start? Do I just medicate for the trip and when I get back start? I'm so scared.
Drew, This is a great summation of what you and your colleagues have been touting and saying in so many different ways. I discovered your site in January of this year, when one of my counselors recommended it. I've been listening every day since then. I also do go back and listen to old podcasts, bought both of your books, and have been reading many, many articles and other books, since last year, on this panic monster. The repetition helped me to get a very solid understanding of what's going on with my brain and body. Every day, I want things to be different immediately. However, the understanding that this is going to take a while, took me a LONG WHILE to accept.
I was fired from my sales management job, due to my not being able to travel any more. I was very upset, but it did give me the freedom to immerse myself in learning and spend my time doing exposures. It has become my full-time job. (with much reluctance) I think at this point, I could teach a course in panic!
On Tuesday of this week, I listened to the podcast with Joanna Hardis twice, and decided to go out and drive for a long while. I had a major breakthrough. I ended up driving -alone!- for 3 hours-something I have not done in 11 months. I went to five stores-ALONE! and shopped. I drove around my neighborhood with little fear and went on all of the roads that I have avoided since November, 2021. I cried for a good hour in the car. I thought that I would NEVER get to this place. It was relief and also sadness for what I have lost due to this illness-my job, my independence, my ability to be carefree. But, on Tuesday, I got a glimpse of what it means when the learning finally takes hold, and I was ELATED! I finally reached the top of the mountain and was able to begin to go down the other side instead of running away! The neural pathways are at last being formed! But, it took many, many MANY months of repetition and hearing the messages again and again about what's needed to get better.
All of this to tell all of your readers to--Stay the course! Even as I was doing everything the right way and completing so many, many exposures, a small part of me did not believe that I would ever get better. What happened this week was an example of learning and then generalization. I was driving and I finally felt safe. I kept going to place after place and driving a little further and further and kept saying to myself, I am okay. If I panic, I'll be okay. I almost felt like my old self! This is what you and others have been promising for months, and it finally happened. I can't say enough about how happy I am in this little space!
Since I had a day like that on Tuesday, I know that more are going to follow! I was out on Wednesday and Thursday and will go out again in a little bit, trying to replicate Tuesday.
Thank you, Drew, for the gift of sharing your knowledge and your wonderful articulation of how to get better---for so many months (and years). I encourage all readers to keep going and keep facing the fear. It DOES work. Acceptance and repetition is the only way out of this "illness". Even if you think you won't get better and you have many moments of sadness and discouragement, if you keep going and repeating exposures, your brain cannot help but follow eventually. Remember that it takes different amounts of time to get better for everyone and NEVER GIVE UP! It's not over until you're underground, and your life is worth it!!!
Apologies for the tome, but I am SOOOO RELIEVED!!!!!!!
There is no fast recovery lane to cruise in. Anxiety takes time to heal. Educating yourself is key. You must first understand what you are going through and feeling. Allow yourself to feel and process. I agree that sometimes you just don’t know why you are having anxiety however recovery IS a process that gets better as you work with yourself letting go of the fears and triggers. I look back on a year ago and I was a mess! Today life is a new normal of growth acceptance of my anxiety and I can say I made a new friend in her (anxiety). She is welcome to visit with me anytime 😊
Interesting as always thank you. I find with reading my mind is so exhausted I just can’t take it in I re read and re read , nothing. I’ve been pushing myself out of my comfort zone setting challenges and not going to doctors all of the time as before but whilst there’s sone improvement I’m still not there, something can still hit me like a dynamo and I’m back to swayed one. I don’t know where I’m going wrong constantly to only get so far.
After years of dealing with occasional panic attacks (mostly related to claustrophobia), my anxiety finally morphed into full blown Panic Disorder in 2021 (tight jeans, tunnels, subways, ski lifts, flying, and finally, any physical discomfort which is completely unavoidable like chest colds, itching, digestive, etc). The latter is frightening because I am unable to avoid those situations.
After working with a therapist and listening to the podcasts, I thought I was in recovery but a recent orthopedic surgery through me right back in. Itching under the cast and a full body itching reaction to the Oxycodone made me feel as if I would go crazy. Only Xanax and Benadryl (not great, I know) put me out of my misery for that episode.
A few weeks ago, I started listening to the podcasts again and realized that I was no where near recovery. I've been scrolling, downloading and saving to Notes in the hopes of figuring out how to start the process. I plan to do all the work because I desperately want to and need to recover, but now.....
I have a trip to Europe in three weeks to see my daughter who is studying abroad and all my thoughts are consumed about flying transatlantic for 8 hours. Do I have enough time to start the process now? I really want to start but if it is as hard as it sounds, will it be worse for me if I am in the middle of the process and have to travel? I just don't know what to do.
I have been listening to the same (10) episodes and they are helpful but one of those is about being dependent on podcasts?" So, I know this is not the answer. Where do I start? Do I just medicate for the trip and when I get back start? I'm so scared.
Drew, This is a great summation of what you and your colleagues have been touting and saying in so many different ways. I discovered your site in January of this year, when one of my counselors recommended it. I've been listening every day since then. I also do go back and listen to old podcasts, bought both of your books, and have been reading many, many articles and other books, since last year, on this panic monster. The repetition helped me to get a very solid understanding of what's going on with my brain and body. Every day, I want things to be different immediately. However, the understanding that this is going to take a while, took me a LONG WHILE to accept.
I was fired from my sales management job, due to my not being able to travel any more. I was very upset, but it did give me the freedom to immerse myself in learning and spend my time doing exposures. It has become my full-time job. (with much reluctance) I think at this point, I could teach a course in panic!
On Tuesday of this week, I listened to the podcast with Joanna Hardis twice, and decided to go out and drive for a long while. I had a major breakthrough. I ended up driving -alone!- for 3 hours-something I have not done in 11 months. I went to five stores-ALONE! and shopped. I drove around my neighborhood with little fear and went on all of the roads that I have avoided since November, 2021. I cried for a good hour in the car. I thought that I would NEVER get to this place. It was relief and also sadness for what I have lost due to this illness-my job, my independence, my ability to be carefree. But, on Tuesday, I got a glimpse of what it means when the learning finally takes hold, and I was ELATED! I finally reached the top of the mountain and was able to begin to go down the other side instead of running away! The neural pathways are at last being formed! But, it took many, many MANY months of repetition and hearing the messages again and again about what's needed to get better.
All of this to tell all of your readers to--Stay the course! Even as I was doing everything the right way and completing so many, many exposures, a small part of me did not believe that I would ever get better. What happened this week was an example of learning and then generalization. I was driving and I finally felt safe. I kept going to place after place and driving a little further and further and kept saying to myself, I am okay. If I panic, I'll be okay. I almost felt like my old self! This is what you and others have been promising for months, and it finally happened. I can't say enough about how happy I am in this little space!
Since I had a day like that on Tuesday, I know that more are going to follow! I was out on Wednesday and Thursday and will go out again in a little bit, trying to replicate Tuesday.
Thank you, Drew, for the gift of sharing your knowledge and your wonderful articulation of how to get better---for so many months (and years). I encourage all readers to keep going and keep facing the fear. It DOES work. Acceptance and repetition is the only way out of this "illness". Even if you think you won't get better and you have many moments of sadness and discouragement, if you keep going and repeating exposures, your brain cannot help but follow eventually. Remember that it takes different amounts of time to get better for everyone and NEVER GIVE UP! It's not over until you're underground, and your life is worth it!!!
Apologies for the tome, but I am SOOOO RELIEVED!!!!!!!
Rock on with your bad self Rachel.
Good on you 👍🏻!
There is no fast recovery lane to cruise in. Anxiety takes time to heal. Educating yourself is key. You must first understand what you are going through and feeling. Allow yourself to feel and process. I agree that sometimes you just don’t know why you are having anxiety however recovery IS a process that gets better as you work with yourself letting go of the fears and triggers. I look back on a year ago and I was a mess! Today life is a new normal of growth acceptance of my anxiety and I can say I made a new friend in her (anxiety). She is welcome to visit with me anytime 😊
Interesting as always thank you. I find with reading my mind is so exhausted I just can’t take it in I re read and re read , nothing. I’ve been pushing myself out of my comfort zone setting challenges and not going to doctors all of the time as before but whilst there’s sone improvement I’m still not there, something can still hit me like a dynamo and I’m back to swayed one. I don’t know where I’m going wrong constantly to only get so far.