View Full Version : Nothing works from Cymraig_Chris
Hey guys...just wondering what you think of Nothing Works, A Letter to Myself...
http://web.archive.org/web/20130928045837/http://nothingworks.weebly.com/
It's been a favourite of ours for a while and I think it's excellent. Here's a thread with some more comments from members:
http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=112624
Pip
MyNameIsTerry
11-04-15, 07:11
If you look at the last page on the link Pipkin has attached, it will take you to the correct webpage for his letter. Its massive!
I do have my thoughts on what I have just read. I will post them another day because I'm conscious that you are looking for something that will help you and I'm going to be coming across a bit negative, but I'm doing that because it sounds like something NMP approves of and I disagree with a lot it because its very panic based so disorders such as OCD wouldn't work as well in this.
On the positive side though, it does have a lot of good stuff in it as well. Its pure acceptance-based and references Dr Claire Weekes and another person. It has been researched from a fair amount of different programmes/books, etc to extract the bits he thought most helped. I have one quibble with that, it has used a method that NMP do not agree with and some of that does show up but I will say that from what I have read, that appears to be more about incorrect descriptions of the science behind anxiety and makes assumptions based on panic as opposed to the recovery stuff so it might not be an issue for you.
Good luck if you try it. Its free. But if it doesn't work, please remember that there are evidence-based treatments out there that have also worked for many people.
Thank you Ryukil for posting this. I read it a couple of years ago and found it really helpful, but whenever I have tried to find it since then it says the website is under construction. Now I have copied it to read again. Thank you
MyNameIsTerry
11-04-15, 10:39
Thank you Ryukil for posting this. I read it a couple of years ago and found it really helpful, but whenever I have tried to find it since then it says the website is under construction. Now I have copied it to read again. Thank you
Yeah, the same link is on his member account on here so I guess the host must have archived as the address includes the archive reference. Probably an age thing or moving to a new system and leaving legacy stuff behind as companies do sometimes.
because it sounds like something NMP approves of and I disagree with a lot it
Terry,
Feel free to give your views - what works for one person won't necessarily work for another and you might be able to point someone in a direction that will be more effective for them.
What I like most about it is Chris's writing style, positivity and sense of humour. However, I'm not sure that I'd be able to carry out some of the techniques if my anxiety were at its worst. Then, I usually turn to Claire Weekes which, despite being somewhat dated, is still one of the best anxiety texts I've read.
Pip
You know, I didn't think of using the wayback machine to access it. Clever thinking. Where are you Chris?!?!?!
MyNameIsTerry
11-04-15, 12:23
Terry,
Feel free to give your views - what works for one person won't necessarily work for another and you might be able to point someone in a direction that will be more effective for them.
What I like most about it is Chris's writing style, positivity and sense of humour. However, I'm not sure that I'd be able to carry out some of the techniques if my anxiety were at its worst. Then, I usually turn to Claire Weekes which, despite being somewhat dated, is still one of the best anxiety texts I've read.
Pip
Thanks Pipkin,
I will add in it, I'll just let the OP get some feedback off others as I'm mindful that negativity can make people feel worse.
I do like the writing style too. I've read a few products by recovered sufferers and this is easily the best in terms of balancing the science with a language that people will understand.
It's a distraction technique all of it's own... your anxiety would be gone on a temporary basis from just reading it all!
I agree about his writing style and found the letter very readable and down to earth. Ever since I first read Claire Weeks almost 30 years ago I find the written word the most powerful tool in my recovery from setbacks but everyone is different .
Sunflower2
11-04-15, 16:53
Terry, I'll be interested to hear your views on it as I think I might have a similar view about it as a fellow OCD sufferer!
I honestly believe the acceptance approach will work for everyone. I think everyone needs to try it...
Anyway, something I am confused about is he says we should do whatever we would do if we did not have anxiety, but then he says Remember, if you really want to talk about it go ahead, because it is all harmless. Or he says it is okay to go to forums, etc.
If it is all harmless..if there are no limits, like stop researching it, etc., then what are we doing differently? lol
My opinion is if I stayed away from researching it, or obsessively trying to get out of my anxiety, for long enough, it would eventually go away on its own.
I really believe what he says...we dont have anxiety...all we have is a compulsion to get out of it...the compulsion to get out of it...IS our anxiety. lol
I think what he means is that if you are stressing over "is this good or bad for anxiety, should I be doing this, should I go on forums or not" then you are just adding to the anxiety. Indecisiveness is a huge part of anxiety! If you do what you want to do with no thoughts of whether it's affecting your anxiety, then you are fine in whatever you do.
Right...kind of makes sense...
So it is okay to keep searching for answers? Seems like if I want to recover I should just stop myself searching for answers.
Anyway, I am sort of hoping that this thread will succeed in summoning him. lol
You don't need to find any answers; if you look it won't do you any harm but it will be sating your anxiety urges and won't help you get better. It's a waste of time, so I would stop searching :)
I'm a bit worried as a man of his namesake was killed in London recently...but I expect it's just a man who happens to have the same name.
I looked for him on Facebook...lol...apparently his name is a very, very common one especially in the UK.
That's reassuring! Maybe he's just forgotten about it and is very busy. I'm dissappointed in you Chris, if you're reading this.
So Pancho, are you īrecoveredī?
MyNameIsTerry
15-04-15, 04:42
I honestly believe the acceptance approach will work for everyone. I think everyone needs to try it...
Anyway, something I am confused about is he says we should do whatever we would do if we did not have anxiety, but then he says Remember, if you really want to talk about it go ahead, because it is all harmless. Or he says it is okay to go to forums, etc.
If it is all harmless..if there are no limits, like stop researching it, etc., then what are we doing differently? lol
My opinion is if I stayed away from researching it, or obsessively trying to get out of my anxiety, for long enough, it would eventually go away on its own.
I really believe what he says...we dont have anxiety...all we have is a compulsion to get out of it...the compulsion to get out of it...IS our anxiety. lol
I think what he means is that if you are stressing over "is this good or bad for anxiety, should I be doing this, should I go on forums or not" then you are just adding to the anxiety. Indecisiveness is a huge part of anxiety! If you do what you want to do with no thoughts of whether it's affecting your anxiety, then you are fine in whatever you do.
I think only the author himself can explain this one but what I can say is that this confusion is also seen in one of his sources, because I have read that.
One of his sources tells you to disingage with everybody about your anxiety, including medication and any medical professional. However, this source also then states it is ok to talk to people to get support over your anxiety later. This source is full of contradictions so it could be that he has thought they were correct and it influenced his product. I can see the same in a lot of his science which which is also incorrect and also is in this source.
Claire Weekes was also a proponent of caring on with normal life although I haven't read her books so can't say whether she agreed with discussing anxiety for support or not.
You have to remember that you were anxious before you started looking for answers, but obsessively searching doesn't help you escape it because you only read about things and think about trying them. This is common in the beginning because you want it to go away and its a reason why the anxiety gurus products sell when they are often woeful and full of holes but you can't see this until you have a greater understand of these conditions and forms of treatment.
---------- Post added at 04:42 ---------- Previous post was at 04:39 ----------
You don't need to find any answers; if you look it won't do you any harm but it will be sating your anxiety urges and won't help you get better. It's a waste of time, so I would stop searching :)
The trouble is, thats not correct and has been proven otherwise by people who have researched and found legitimate medical reasons for their anxiety disorders that their doctors never considered.
Until underlying conditions and the medication that are also connected to causing anxiety have been ruled out, no one can say for sure and anybody advocating pure acceptance either hasn't considered the wider issue or is unfamiliar or not researched anxiety in a more general way.
It becomes true only when there is no other underlying medical or dietary cause.
Again, the dubious source on his research list also makes this part of their "cure" but later contradicts itself by discussing several possible medical causes :doh:
Thats true actually Terry.
Perhaps I should say that looking for answers is sensible, but searching the same things more than once for reassurance would be a comfort measure and unhelpful.
Well the whole reason that we have anxiety, or the reason anxiety perpetuates itself, is because we constantly try to figure it out. So I guess coming to forums and stuff is trying to figure it out..
There is no answer to find.
MyNameIsTerry
15-04-15, 21:55
Thats true actually Terry.
Perhaps I should say that looking for answers is sensible, but searching the same things more than once for reassurance would be a comfort measure and unhelpful.
Yes, it's when you still search despite there being nothing new to find. It's just like how the HA guys won't believe their doctors despite all evidence backing them up.
It's part of acceptance certainly.
---------- Post added at 21:55 ---------- Previous post was at 21:47 ----------
Well the whole reason that we have anxiety, or the reason anxiety perpetuates itself, is because we constantly try to figure it out. So I guess coming to forums and stuff is trying to figure it out..
There is no answer to find.
I wasn't searching for anything before mine started. In fact, I only spoke to my doctor for the first 4-5 years. Overwork and not keeping healthy behaviours in my life caused mine.
If you feel you are constantly searching but not working on your issues, that's when you need to take a look at what you are doing. There can still be another cause until a process of elimination has taken place.
Sometimes the cause can be more environmental and a change there can allow a recovery to be more effective.
There is lot of good in his method but he has a source in his research that irrationally shuns medical evidence so be wary of that.
There is plenty of evidence out there that anxiety can be a byproduct of illness or medication.
Maybe, but I would bet that even in those cases the only thing that perpetuates it is the emphasis we put on it as it being a massive problem. Just my thoughts.
MyNameIsTerry
16-04-15, 10:02
Its true that we make it worse but the baseline is still root cause.
Things like CBT and now Mindfulness are used in pain management e.g. Cancer but it's too prevent secondary pain which is the anxiety along with learning to cope better with the emotional side.
There is a guy on the GAD forum who has gone gluten free and his anxiety has gone. Thyroid disorders, possibly candida overgrowth, certain medications have it listed, even diabetes has links, etc.
I respect your opinions and I wish you all the best with it and hope it works for you.
He's still alive by the way, I've had a bit of contact with him recently. :P
carterjonas
03-05-15, 18:34
I think it is important to remember that the disorder is made up of two parts, lets call it the 'instigator' and 'continuator'.
The instigator is what initially made you very anxious/panicky. Could be anything from a shock, bad news, health worry, long term stress, virus...... this usually goes away by itself if you consciously leave it to.... (See Claire Weeks first fear)
But anxiety sufferers become scared of the symptoms of that first fear and now live in fear of fear. (See Claire weekes second fear). This constant worrying, avoiding, researching, googling makes tou feel even worse. This is the 'continuator'.
Is it possibly for you not to add second fear for a few months and see how you feel? Mayby your anxiety will come down and the symptoms you fear will diminish and go away.
MyNameIsTerry
04-05-15, 05:05
I think it is important to remember that the disorder is made up of two parts, lets call it the 'instigator' and 'continuator'.
The instigator is what initially made you very anxious/panicky. Could be anything from a shock, bad news, health worry, long term stress, virus...... this usually goes away by itself if you consciously leave it to.... (See Claire Weeks first fear)
But anxiety sufferers become scared of the symptoms of that first fear and now live in fear of fear. (See Claire weekes second fear). This constant worrying, avoiding, researching, googling makes tou feel even worse. This is the 'continuator'.
Is it possibly for you not to add second fear for a few months and see how you feel? Mayby your anxiety will come down and the symptoms you fear will diminish and go away.
I agree on the principle you mention.
Science has moved on since Dr Weekes days though so we now also need to consider the issue of stored memory & neuroplasticity.
We store information by associations of neurons in certain areas of the brain. The memories could be positive or negative ones. We create new neural pathways by learnt behaviour.
So, they are still there even if the second fear isn't present or hasn't been for a while. Unless you cause those pathways to no longer "fire" in favour of new positive ones, the anxiety is still going to be there.
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