Is it possible and how to begin...

[LeighT]

Do you guys think it's possible to revert to the people we once were before anxiety hit or will it leave us permanently scarred?

I know that some of us will never be able to overcome it and that most of us just learn to live with it. But is it possible to completely rid of it? I've lived with it for 4 years and I've finally had enough. I'm not living. I feel like I'm existing and that I seem to float through each day without any awareness or enjoyment and I've had enough!

So have any of you guys managed to do it? I'm trying to put some sort of plan in place to start on my own road to recovery but it's all kind of overwhelming and I'm not sure where to really begin.

[Merle]

Hi,

In a way you can, but the memories of it are like a scar, they will be there of course, like an imprint or tattoo for example. I had dreadful anxiety in 2015 it was my worst ever and made my health situation much worse than it actually was. I tried to figure out a lot of it on my own.

I have been slowly learning to replace my worries with something positive. Like the way some people do on a diet, instead of eating chocolate, eat an apple. You need to replace your thoughts with positive ones. I found on my journey so far mindfullness has helped me. I found an onliine website which led me to find a mindfullness summit, which was really helpful. It is meditation but its a better one and it suits me. It may suit you or not. Look for Melli O'Brien, she is also called Mrs Mindfullness. She teaches yoga and mindfullness. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNjcDiEcF4o

Also look for Louise Hay, she is amazing too. Her audios on YouTube are really good and I have gotten a good nights sleep because of listening to the audios online.

It is a new journey and your road to recovery has started once you acknowledge something needs to change. You can try counseling and alternative therapy such as meditation. aromatherapy etc It does require some changes in your lifestyle, but baby steps. Do not get yourself overwhelmed at the first step. Take it slow and at your own pace. You are in charge and you can decide what is best for you.

I wish you all the best on your new journey. Keep on keeping on. You can do this.

[swajj]

You definitely don't need to learn to live with it. What a depressing thought. I have overcome my HA. I am not on medication and I no longer have to see a psychiatrist. I have my psychiatrist to thank for showing me the way. I have myself to thank for using the tools he gave me to recover. It was hard work and it took me 3 years but it can be done.

[LF87]

I beat it for 2 years. And it was great, I really just forgot about it all. I obviously had the little niggle here and there, but genuinely was pretty much HA free. No doctors visits, no Googling, nothing. Not even when quirky symptoms popped up. In that time I finally resat my maths GCSE and passed, got a diploma and got accepted into uni. All going great. Felt like my head was clear for the first time. Then I had a dodgy smear test in November and all hell broke loose. I'm right back where I started. And it's made me realise, I have to build up my tolerance to things not being perfect in regards to my health, otherwise I'm gonna fall into this crap every time.
But what I'm saying is we definitely can beat it! I unfortunately have relapsed. But if it wasn't for that smear test I think I'd still be HA free right now. It's just set me back. But I'm confident I'll beat it once again. Just waiting for my CBT to start which was highly effective for me in my recovery. X

[LeighT]

Thanks for the replies guys. It's reassuring to see some people overcome it. Did you guys do it with or without meds?

Thanks for the video and the info on mindfulness, I'm going to try this for sure.

[Merle]

I do not take any meds. I just take vitamin B complex and made some lifestyle changes including exercise, getting enough sleep, fresh organic fruit and vegetables etc and found that I needed a creative outlet so took up painting and sketching which has really helped me.

I am glad you're looking into mindullness.

Wishing you all the best on your new journey. Be kind to yourself





Thanks for the replies guys. It's reassuring to see some people overcome it. Did you guys do it with or without meds?

Thanks for the video and the info on mindfulness, I'm going to try this for sure.

[ServerError]

I'm in a really good place at the moment. I've made strong progress and feel I'm actually better than I was before anxiety. It absolutely can be overcome, and you can grow from the experience. I've benefitted from therapy and medication, and I've worked on the things that brought me down.

[Sphincterclench]

I dont know for sure, but I imagine it being like PTSD, you can overcome it and move on but there will forever be that little something there that with therapy and meds you can learn to redirect.

thats how I see it but I dont start therapy for a few weeks yet.

[Fishmanpa]

In a way you can, but the memories of it are like a scar, they will be there of course, like an imprint or tattoo for example.

That's a great analogy. I spoke of this in another thread. I believe with severe illnesses, whether they be physical or mental, we come to find the "new normal". It's healing vs. curing. "Cure" means there are no signs or side effects and "heal" means there is a remaining scar or side effects.

I also think it's a positive that you remember to a degree as it becomes a part of your life and growing process. The challenges of my physical illnesses as well as the mental challenges in dealing with them have made me stronger. I believe the same goes for beating a mental illness.

Positive thoughts

[LeighT]

Thanks for all the replies guys. I think that maybe it's impacted my life too much just to get rid of it and maybe I have to use each bout of anxiety as a lesson and try to understand it rather than shove it aside.

I'm slowly building a plan for myself so hopefully I'll have a clear strategy to deal with this. Sooner the better too!

Thanks again for all the help!

[swajj]

I seem to be disagreeing with everyone today.

I had severe anxiety for 3 years. I could have started half of the threads on this board. I don't focus on normal bodily sensations anymore. I accept that my body is not perfect. If I get a pain in the stomach I don't immediately start thinking about what it might mean. I just don't think about it at all. I have no explanation for what causes health anxiety. I just know that when you stop focusing on normal bodily sensations you become normal again. For want of a better word 'normal' people do not focus on every bodily sensation. Fishman used a word not so long ago which I think comes pretty close to explaining the cause of health anxiety "hyperfocusing". Stop doing that and you will overcome your HA. It is how you stop doing it that is the hard part.

[LeighT]

I see what you mean Swajj, stopping is the hardest...