Safe Person

[evanruden]

Hey everyone,

Does anyone have any tips/readings/exercises for not needing a 'safe' person around?

Sometimes when I am away from the people I consider 'safe' I feel lost or disorientated. In general I hate being alone.


Thanks,

Eric

[diane07]

Are you okay when you are at home alone?

[evanruden]

Kind of. But when I am at work I get panicky and sometimes when I am at home.

[diane07]

I rode through the panic at work and it eventually left me.

I needed my safe person to go the shops with but i eventually learned to not fear the panic and the fear of not being able to cope alone left me too.

Work was always precious to me because of the nature of it so i was adamant that i would never stop.

I felt i needed a 'safe person' so i wouldn't feel stupid going into full panic mode, but once i stopped fearing the panic i no longer needed a safe person or anything else in its place......Does that make sense?

[evanruden]

Absolutely, but what took you to not fearing the panic?

[diane07]

CBT and alot of gutsy trips out on my own, if i was in a queue and i was starting to panic i invited it to come do its worse because i refused to move.......and i won!

Three years ago i couldn't take my little girl to school and today i walk for miles without any 'safety people, ipods etc.

I just kept inviting the panic to come do its worse, and i suppose the worse that did happen was my body shaking........alot........but there was no way i would run....i just kept riding the storm.

Its been two years since my last panic attack.

[evanruden]

Good for you, I hope to say that one day.

If you don't mind me asking, did any medication help for you?

[diane07]

I don't take meds, but thats just me.

I must also say that i exercise daily and eat very healthy, i am stronger inside now than i ever have been.

You need to believe you are stronger than the feelings of panic.... its just takes time and alot of effort.

[Pragonoxify]

Sometimes when I am away from the people I consider 'safe' I feel lost or disorientated. In general I hate being alone.

That describes what i'm like almost 100% of the time. Any tips on overcoming it?

[evanruden]

Well, CBT says to do exposures where you are away from a safe person for a given amount of time and then increase it. I have been trying that for quite a while.

I have been told to accept the anxiety/panic, but then go back to what I was doing or what I would normally do. Try not to distract yourself from the anxiety, but take time to address it and move on.