Had a real break through today

[Veronica H]

:) Hi Everyone

I have been practicing Dr Weekes techniques for a few months now. It has been a challenging week and I could feel the tension building. I get burning in my arms shoulders, chest and neck from the adrenaline but one of the most frightening things is a sort of electric shock that goes up into my head when things get bad, resulting in me feeling really dizzy and having to hold on to something to steady myself. I usually panic at this point, but today thought face/float/accept/ let time pass, did not add any second fear at all and carried on about my tasks. All over in an instant. Feel less tense now too.


Veronica

[lilly-lou]

Well done you, I too have been reading Dr Claire Weeks books and they have helped me loads

[Cathy V]

Thats brilliant. She was a sufferer too so she knows what she's on about. Well done. Its great when we realise that when we dont add to the fear, the attacks can become much easier to bear. Good for you coz its not easy to float through it.

Cathy xxx :)

[pooh]

Go you!

Well done keep floating!

Pooh x

[Dooges]

Well done Veronica. I to have just read her book for the first of many times.
For me it was the understanding of why I get the symptoms. Once I had that knowlesdge it really made my fear fade . Not totally , but now down to a level that I can work with and get rid of it altogether by following her techniques..
Keep at it, and don't beat yourself up if you have a few set backs. It's not going to happen over night but it WILL happen
Cheers
Dooges

[Anxious_gal]

yay its so good you found something that works for you! x x

[Veronica H]

Hi Everyone
Thanks for the kind replies. No it is not easy floating Cathy, and still have setbacks (got caught out as woke with panic in the night a few weeks ago, was in the middle of one before I could put everything into practice. I understand that Dr Weekes still got caught out by night time panics herself from time to time) but determined not to add that second fear. Just knowing that we can get some control over this illness is a great feeling though, so I will keep practicing.

Best wishes

Veronica

[BasilCat]

Hi, I too have read Claire Weekes books and think she is great - even picked up a DVD with her on it at Ebay!! But I am just asking, how do you describe "floating". To me it means, not getting het up with how I am feeling, relaxing and quietly getting on with what I am doing. Is this what Claire means by floating?

Shirley

[Veronica H]

Hi Shirley,

You asked about the Claire Weekes 'Floating' thing, this was the hardest bit to master, and I am probably about to give you a good laugh explaining how I did it!

When I start to experience one of the many symptoms that signal an attack, I start to face it, accept it (by analysing what it is doing to me) and then for the floating, I imagine one of those small really white clouds that you get in a clear blue sky floating up from my stomach and taking the panic away. I keep visualising it until the symptoms subside. It works for me, but It takes practice though! That 'moment of recoil' as Dr Weekes calls it, is when you have to start floating, that is when your thoughts start saying 'I don't like this feeling, I want to run'. I have used her simple advice about the cloud to float negative thoughts away too. Apparently she picked this up from a patient who said that whenever an intrusive thought came into her head she accepted it but immediately floated it off over her ear on a small cloud. Negative thoughts are the hardest to crack as it has been a lifetime habit for me, but this simple trick is beginning to have an effect. I hope this helps.

Best wishes
Veronica

[BasilCat]

Hi Veronica, Thanks for your explanation of floating. It is really good and not having read the Claire Weekes books recently I had forgotten the bit about the cloud. There is something about a lady going into a shop and being too nervous to do it, isnt there. But Claire suggests floating on a cloud to her and that made all the difference. I like your idea of imaginning a cloud floating up from your stomach and taking all the panic away. good to hear it works for you. I think that we must all "float" in a different way. You are so right about negative thoughts too. So maybe I should use the "a cloud" to float them away too.
I have not been troubled with panic during the last 2.5 years, not much anyway. I had panic dreadful when I was a teenenager though. I know how awful it is. During these last 2.5 years I have just been troubled with GAD and its hovvering around no matter where I go or what I do. Having said that, it has been a bit better lately so I am grateful for that much. And the other night in town, I actually felt normal!!!
But my main symptom has been DP or unreality. But I am slowly getting less scared of it.
Thanks Vernonica.
PS Glad also to read your first post on here about facing, floating, accepting and letting more time pass. Thats great and I know just what you mean about not adding a second fear too.

[ronski]

Hi Veronica

Well done, you deserve success for all the hard work you have put in on beating this monster. keep at it and remember Face, Accept, Float and let time pass.
All the best
Ron