progress

[apm]

Hi all,

Just a quick report on how it's all going for me.
Well, on the plus side, generally going pretty well really. On the negative side, had a big blip on friday night, anxiety attack came from nowhere! I'd had a couple of bottles of beer (I've been drunker) and (oh the horror) a kebab. Felt quite sick, to be honest. Then anxiety- could feel the adrenalin! No panic, just anxiety. Lasted maybe 90 minutes, but felt jittery since, although this is fading slowly now. As I've been told before by you great people, it is just a blip, but the biggest so far! Quite annoying, as before that, I'd been pretty much anxiety free for maybe 2 weeks. Just goes to show!

As an aside, any evidence of a link between foodstuffs and anxiety, apart from generally bad foods?

Hope y'all are doing good,

Feel the fear, do it anyway.

Alex.
xx

Outside a dog, a book is a man's best friend.
Inside a dog, it's too dark to read.
-Groucho Marx.

[Jules31]

high sugars can make you jittery, but more than likely it was the alcohol. It can have that affect sometimes. Good for you for getting through it though and realising that it was only a blip

Jules

[sal]

Hi Alex

Pleased to hear you have been doing so well. But like you say we all have our blips but the fact is you got through it and it hasnt reoccured although you still feel slightly jittery. I would say that quite normal after having a good run then hitting a bad one, knocks a bit of the confidence you have built up during the good times. But you will be back on top form soon. Well done for doing so well, proud of you.

Sal xxxx

[Meg]

Alex-

The jittery is normal.

Recovery is mainly based on time without incident for the first few months, so it's ok to have this Blip and it unground you for a bit.

Put it behind you and keep doing what you've been doing for the past weeks as you've been very successful.

When you say anxiety - how did that manifest itself ? body symptoms, thoughts, fears of.. what if's ??

Were you tired, run down, worried about something ?





Meg

'There can only be true courage when first there is genuine fear'

Dr.David Livingstone

[apm]

Thanks Meg- wise words as ever. As for the anxiety, it's what I've felt before- feeling of blood draining, increased heart-rate, feeling of non-specific unease, restless, fear it'll turn into panic (although never has). Have been a bit run down recently, lot on at work, lack of sleep (late nights- not because I'm not sleeping!), glands a bit swollen, generally a bit grotty. I'm guessing it was linked to a) me being a bit run down, b) beer (although I've been drunker without this) c) kebab, d) just my time to have a blip as part of the recovery process. Been quite jittery and emotional since, but that too is getting less pronounced.

It almost feels as if I'm going through the recovery process again (although from a much lower beginning point), but in a few days instead of a few weeks! Have resolved to watch my diet more, and have given up caffeine completely now.

Onward and upward...

Thanks again,

Lots of love,

Alex.
xx

PS did the train this morning without anxiety.



Outside a dog, a book is a man's best friend.
Inside a dog, it's too dark to read.
-Groucho Marx.

[Meg]

Alex,

Glands are a great barometer of your innards.

I really had to cut out caffiene for 3 months and go easy on pure sugars and alcohol too for about that time.

Are you taking vitamins still ?

A quick walk round the block or stair climbing can help on the spot. The sooner you use the adrenaline the sooner you'll feel back to normal.

Mine was always that it would turn into madness. In the end they would last about 10 mins with a severe rational based talking to myself session, rather than acute for a day and drag on jittery for the week..

Well done on trains .

Remember the graph.

If you want to be introspective about it, scribble down what happened and the thoughts and fears around it and what you'd do differently next time..

Just a blip.




Meg

'There can only be true courage when first there is genuine fear'

Dr.David Livingstone

[april tones]

hi, i had that last week. Lack of sleep and swollen glands, i felt real down too, like i was going backwards. Its just a blop like everyone has said, take care, love april x

apriltones

[apm]

Hi Apriltones- I know you're right!

Had another blip yesterday- stuck in the mother of all traffic jams on the M25 (2 1/4 hours for a journey that is normally an hour- all stop-start). Anxiety came and went a few times, but I managed to keep it under control with breathing, bit of rescue remedy, a banana and reminding myself that it's only a traffic jam (quite proud of myself). Been in bad traffic before, without trouble- difference may be that I am ill (again!?) at the moment (mild flu-like thing), which includes (da-daaa!) swollen glands. Actually, could be the same one that I had before, been lurning. My girlfriend tells me that I'm psychologically linking anxiety to illness- I think there's a more tangible link, from what people have said. Upshot is that I feel very jittery today, but I can remind myself that it's a blip on my upward trend. Seems a shame to come so soon after the last blip, hardly had time to recover! guess that's how the cookie crumbles.

Keep the faith!

Alex.
xx

Outside a dog, a book is a man's best friend.
Inside a dog, it's too dark to read.
-Groucho Marx.

[Meg]

When you feel ill , you not only question every symptom and are not on your top form to counter each challenge that comes your way but you are 'under the weather' emotionally as well as physically so a link there is.

You did just fine in the traffic . Well done for having all the right things in the car Alex !

I wonder about the glands thing. I would hope it wasn't the same one - that must have been a couple of months ago now and you've been well in the mean time ? are you taking enough antioxidants ? Sleep ?

Blip, blop, blimp . I love the variations on the word - all read today amusingly - but are all light words that imply a brief dunking and then onwards and upwards.



Meg

'There can only be true courage when first there is genuine fear'

Dr.David Livingstone

[apm]

Sorry- didn't make that clear, same gland thing since last blip (less than 2 weeks!). Probably haven't recovered from that. Have been sleeping ok- but some late nights (lose track of time when I'm with my girlfriend), although when I go to bed, I'm out like a light! Not sure about antioxidants, but have been eating generally well, lots of fruit & veg, and less junk.

I particularly like 'blop'- should be the word for dropping mashed potato onto a plate?! I quite like 'dunking' too, actually. I'm in a dunk. Works nicely!

Thanks again, Meg.

Alex.
xx

Outside a dog, a book is a man's best friend.
Inside a dog, it's too dark to read.
-Groucho Marx.

[Meg]

Alex , if you're not taking supplements you might want to consider 2 weeks of 1 gm Vit C to get yourself an immune boost.
Have you had several bouts of tonsilitis whilst an adult ?

Glad girlfriend is going so well !!

Meg

[apm]

I take vit C, vit b complex and a multi every morning. Wouldn't say several bouts of tonsilitis- the one preceding the panic- not sure if the recent illness is related. Just feels like a mild flu thing.
Girlfriend is wonderful- I am so lucky!

Alex.
x

Outside a dog, a book is a man's best friend.
Inside a dog, it's too dark to read.
-Groucho Marx.

[apm]

Just a quick update, and to let y'all know that I'm still here, and have 2 stars now (woo hoo!!)

Panic: none
Anxiety: infrequent, mild
Girlfriend: wonderful as ever
Stress: quite high, due to:
Job: snowed under, as usual, particularly because of:
Holiday: just back from the Isle of Wight, not a totally rock and roll location, but very pleasant and SO nice to get away!
All of you: are great as ever!

Alex.



Outside a dog, a book is a man's best friend.
Inside a dog, it's too dark to read.
-Groucho Marx.

[nomorepanic]

Hey Alex

So good to see you back - we missed you!!

Wow no panic eh and the anxiety sounds under control too.

You are doing so well !

Glad u had a nice break in the IOW and I know what you mean about work - let's not mention it eh?

Thanks for coming back to post.

xx

Nicola

[Meg]

Alex,

Great to hear you sounding so strong and well.

Thanks for stopping by and updating us on how much better you are.

You take good care of yourself Alex .

Good luck in all that you do .




Meg

Anxiety is a thin stream of fear trickling through the mind.
If encouraged, it cuts a channel into which all other thoughts are drained.
Robert Albert Bloch

[Jules31]

Fantastic news Alex

So glad you are doing well. Keep up the good work. It keeps us all inspired to carry on the fight.

Jules