12 Comments

Wow, needed to hear that story. Those of us trying to define what recovered means can take a great lesson. Liked how you handled the situation. Have been there a time or two. Thanks for sharing this and providing another step in the recovery process. It is all so human.

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Thanks for posting this! I wasn't sure if the vertigo attacks I am having are from anxiety. I've read varying explanations, but it's so interesting to hear your account to confirm. Thank goodness for Zofran and meclizine. Vertigo is a HORRIBLE, TERRIBLE feeling. I'm glad that the Foster maneuver works for you!

I really appreciate the comment about how things look so much different when you're recovered (or at the least, at a different place than you were at the beginning). I tend to forget this, and it's a positive thing! I'm so much more confident than I was many months ago, and it's good to hear it aloud! Thanks, as always, for your inspiration today! Wishing you some peace and satisfaction as you journey on through the challenges of grad. school! I'm sure that ALL of us can't wait to see your next move when you're through!

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Phenomenal.

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Cannot thank you enough for this podcast Drew! I have been doing really well until lately and found myself back with anxiety and feeling all the emotions you described right down to wanting to cry. Thank you for helping keep this in perspective. I am determined to NOT let anxiety control me but to allow it to show up here and there and continue on as normal. Love you Big Guy!

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Drew, this was so helpful to hear this morning. I’ve recently had a relapse and have decided to go back on Zoloft while I try and get my life back together. It’s good to know that even someone who is recovered still has moments that are challenging and can work through them with success. My symptoms are so intense right now…constant elevated heart rate, palpitations, shaky muscles, light headed and off balance, exhausted all the time, absolutely no desire to eat…it’s so difficult. Thanks for sharing your story, it really helps!

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Thanks for sharing Drew! That part of working through the panic and still doing the life things is very valuable for me. I got in a relapse this year and I am sure now that I had not fully understood that I wasn’t doing that 100 in my “recovered years”. Running too fast when uncomfortable feelings came led back to the inward chatter too much.

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It’s so nice to know that even people who help others with anxiety still struggle at times. I always beat myself up when I have anxiety attacks because I always thought recovery was never having them. I hope you’re feeling better today.

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I have had some troubles with vertigo too! That first time it happened was really awful. Now I understand more about it, what can trigger it and what to do about it, so I don't panic as much if it recurs. Ah, if only the crystals would just stay in place, huh?

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Been there with panic and Foster! Before I knew what real vertigo was I would hit the floor. Now I do that to do my Foster as it works better for me than sitting on the bed method I’ve tried.

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I thought it was just me that got the crystals in ear vertigo issues. Thanks for sharing.

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Wow! What a story to wake up to this morning Drew! Thank you for sharing this incredible and quite scary experience… it’s hugely helpful to listen to on a number of levels. 1. It reminds me that we’re all human, and not infallible (yes, even Drew!) but that’s it’s ok and entirely normal to occasionally experience situations and personal battles like this (in fact, I challenge any person to claim they don’t experience their own personal version of ‘being jumped in a dark alleyway’ when experiencing layers of concurrent high stress & pressure in life, whatever the cause) and 2. More importantly it illustrates exactly how a FULLY RECOVERED human can/should handle such a hugely impactive experience DESPITE the symptoms… & then proceed back into ‘normality’ without letting the incident completely take over or ruin or destroy your day/next 8 hours/week. For those of us who are yet to be able to say we’re recovered…. THIS is how it’s done, and this is how it’s possible do be done for all of us, in our own unique and challenging circumstances. Thanks for opening up and sharing this distressing but equally inspiring account, in such a frustrating chapter in your busy week, and using what some of us might have automatically labelled a ‘big setback’ to the greater good of demonstrating your practical, lived recovery lessons, to help the rest of us in our own journeys forward. I hope you manage to get ALL your study reading done this week and this gruelling term successfully completed in due course. Thanks again🙏🏼

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I couldn't help but giggle at you by the end, because you said you are stubborn. I remember as a child my PopPop would say "Why are you so stubborn, get those rocks out of your head."

In your case you really do have rocks in your head (sort of, with the crystals), and I had a chuckle at your expense.

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