Let's turn anxiety completely on its head.

[cymraig_chris]

You do not have an anxiety disorder.

I promise you that.

Have you ever looked at people who have a specific phobia such as spiders and snakes and beetroot and thought you luck b******* ... I could easily cope with that. As specific phobias are solved with a few exposures.

Well you are no different.

You have been looking completely in the wrong direction.

You have a small collection of specific phobias.

Fear of relaxation.

Fear of playing

Fear of laughing

Fear of having fun.

Now go and expose yourselves to your specific phobias.

[Rennie1989]

I have none of those fears of the above....

Whilst I understand where you are coming from, and I am a firm believer of exposure therapy (as long as it's done properly) but some of us, like me, I have no idea what made us anxious in the first place. I don't truly know what I'm scared of, I suppose scared of the unknown.

Some events in peoples' lives, which have resulted in them developing the anxiety disorder, may not be able to ever expose themselves to the fear. I was bullied badly at school, whilst I am a lot more open to it now I certainly NEVER want to revisit it again. It was painful in many ways, from the bullying itself to the isolation, loneliness and consequences of it.

[theharvestmouse]

I agree somewhat, but this is a very complex issue, exposure can and does work but it's very difficult to compare people's different anxieties and phobias. Since I am like Rennie in that there are issues I have that I have yet to fully understand. So it's not as simple as pinpointing something to work on.

But I do understand what you mean, sometimes it helps to look at our fears and think of ways we can work on overcoming them.

[Tanner40]

While I understand the theory, it's just not that simple. I have none of the phobias listed. I love to laugh; I love to have fun, etc...

[Sands]

I think it is that simple. When we first suffer it is all so confusing and frightening that it feels like a complicated mess to get out of. I was scared to even take a shower at one point. I am beginning to see now I am coming out of it that it is the repeated facing of fears that take you to recovery. I could spend a lifetime trying to figure it all out. It's not necessarily easy but I believe the answer is simple

[Panic Manic]

I see this thread as very belittling.

Who are you to say one person does or doesn't have an anxiety disorder? Even as a "prep" talk. Each person is so different and suffer on so many different ranges and scales. It's sort of looking on "the outsiders" view of things.. oh you can do it nothing is f***ing wrong with you, just be tough... What happens when you fail at the task? It goes into a cycle with anxiety and depression and brings you down worse.

[TooMuchToLiveFor]

Hmmmm....although I agree often with you, Chris, and have actually made leaps and bounds due to much of what you share.....I think this post doesn't quite hit the mark- at least for me.

I certainly do not have phobias with any of the things you listed.....in fact, the very desire to feel well enough to once again enjoy all of those things is one of the very reasons I am determined to fight for my health to be restored. (Sometimes that fight comes in the form of accepting, facing, floating, and letting time pass (Thank you, Dr. Claire Weeks.), and sometimes it comes in the form of "doing nothing, but living my life as I would if the adrenaline surges are no big deal" (theory based loosely on "Nothing Works"- thank you, Chris. )....., but whether it be those two theories or whatever else is propelling me forward at the moment you can bet your a** it takes a fighting spirit, because this is hard, hard, hard. Harder than anything else I've had to deal with in my life. But, I will deal with it---- because I love to laugh, play, have fun, and relax. I love my life-- AND I WANT IT BACK.

[cymraig_chris]

I see this thread as very belittling.

Who are you to say one person does or doesn't have an anxiety disorder? Even as a "prep" talk. Each person is so different and suffer on so many different ranges and scales. It's sort of looking on "the outsiders" view of things.. oh you can do it nothing is f***ing wrong with you, just be tough... What happens when you fail at the task? It goes into a cycle with anxiety and depression and brings you down worse.

It was not my intension to belittle. But a notion that the brain can be retrained by positive intent, I didn't insinuate it was easy. But a change in focus to seek out the good is bound to have a positive affect.

My apologies.

---------- Post added at 21:22 ---------- Previous post was at 21:21 ----------

I think it is that simple. When we first suffer it is all so confusing and frightening that it feels like a complicated mess to get out of. I was scared to even take a shower at one point. I am beginning to see now I am coming out of it that it is the repeated facing of fears that take you to recovery. I could spend a lifetime trying to figure it all out. It's not necessarily easy but I believe the answer is simple

Your simple and easy statement is exactly what Claire Weekes said.