Posted by trouble on March 2, 2002, at 19:42:26
In reply to Re: Is this anxiety?, posted by J1960 on March 2, 2002, at 15:48:56
Hey friend,
OK. Those two syllables are a good place to start. It's coming, ok, here it is, demanding all your attention, you can't fight it so you might as well accept it, OK.
You're right, you're not alone. Keep that in mind. Lots of people experience extreme affective states, and they've learned to cope. So can you.
So, what's the worst thing that can happen to you when the panic comes? Cry while serving customers, you mentioned that. Yeah well public displays of decompensation are a drag but you get used to them. You can't take care of others right now, you're the one in distress, if it disturbs people to see you like that they can look away. And whatever shame and sense of exposure you may feel about breaking down in public can be dealt w/later. 'Cause right now you're dealing w/this panic. It's a feeling for goodness sakes. What kind of a world do we live in where we're taught to trem... ok forgive me, I've had a hard day today and I'm mad at the world.
The idea here is to normalize the experience, and that's hard, it's a bad thing, no one wants to acknowledge its existence much less explalin and educate those to whom it happens. That's where the therapist comes in, I don't recall, did you say you had one, or are you in between counselors right now, or are there financial issues involved? B/c there are resources in most cities to help people in need, regardless of income.
Meanwhile I know a 10 dollar book you can read in one sitting that could help you out. It's called
Living With IT, A Survivor's Guide To Panic Attacks, by Bev Aisbett. It's illustrated, and the cartoon characters look very real in their distress. They also look loveable. I predict you will laugh ruefully when you read this book and recognize yourself in the pages. It truly is a warm, simple, and practical, little book, at least that's how it was for me, let me know if it works for you.trouble
poster:trouble
thread:95975
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020301/msgs/96107.html