Desensitization ?

[LittleMissSleepy]

I have read a few books and lots of websites regarding anxiety, nervous illness symptoms and being sensitized to our internal feelings/body.

But how do we desensitize ourselves to becoming more balanced/neutral again (the books haven't really said, or maybe I missed that chapter) ??? :shrug:

I'm doing the breathing exercises and trying to relax when I feel tense but I have no idea how to stop the anxiety symptoms from forming in the first place. My head is currently fizzing from anxiety. Any feedback gratefully appreciated. :yesyes:

[PanchoGoz]

The symptoms start from anxiety. The anxiety causes more sympoms. Do not aim to stop the symtpoms; your aim is to stop fearing the symptoms instead. You want to be able to let them happen and think to yourself, hello symptoms, you don't scare me. They will subside quickly and eventually the panic attacks stop happening.
So you want to desensitize to the symptoms naturally enough so that that fear is stopped and the cycle of fear interrupted. To so this, you gradually expose yourself to them, a little bit more each time. You need to know how to deal with your fear when it arrises to prove to yourself you will not panic. When you do this in a controlled way and note your reaction to the symptom becoming less severe each time, you are desensitizing.
This is the basis of the behavioural aspect of CBT, and if you want to desensitize by yourself, I highly recommend CBT4PANIC because it outlines how to do this simply and gives you all the skills and worksheets to do this effectively. Otherwise, you will have to work out plans for yourself :)

[robinhall]

Hi PanchoGoz
Thanks for recommending the programme - you ar eright it is very important to get expert guidance when doing gradual exposure.

Hi LittleMissSleepy - if you click on the link below you can read more about CBT4PANIC

Robin

[PanchoGoz]

He is right, I want to stress it's a lot better to get guidance from an expert:)

[LittleMissSleepy]

Thanks for your replies.

I have had low level anxiety from my childhood. I wouldn't say I was anxious because of the symptoms I was feeling in those early decades. I was anxious because of the social situations etc. Since then the anxiety has waxed and waned depending on the comfort of the situations.

Robin, will your 'course' help me now that I am older and am suffering more from anxiety and panic due to poor health ? Eg not irrational fears but very real.
I dunno where I 'belong'. :shrug:

I'm learning to accept and acknowledge the attacks, and not let them become full panics with varying degrees of success.

I understand about exposure (I managed to get on a long haul flight ok (before I got poorly), despite suffering from claustrophobia :yesyes:), but for some phobias isn't that a bit detrimental ? eg tokophobia ??

[robinhall]

Hi LittleMissSleepy

sorry for this late reply - I'm moving house - so you can imagine I hardly know what day it is :wacko:

Can you PM me with more information about your symptoms and I will be able to give you a better idea whether CBT4PANIC can be of help or not.

Cheers
Robin