You Can Be Your "Old Self" (If You Want!!!)

[trac67]

Trev,

Thats a brilliant post, and really does give everyone the willpower and fight to carry on, with the knowledge that it can be achieved.

You carry on posting all your success's mate, they are so good to read, although too many holidays and I am going to be ssoo jealous LOL.

And seeing as I met you at the conference in London, shall I tell everyone about your dress sense............nah let them all keep imagining, its much more fun [}]

Well done mate.

Take care
Trac xx



'Live your life with arms wide open, today is where your book begins, the rest is still unwritten'

[RobyBaggio18]

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And seeing as I met you at the conference in London, shall I tell everyone about your dress sense............nah let them all keep imagining, its much more fun [}]

<div align="right">Originally posted by trac67 - 20 January 2006 : 13:07:05</div id="right">
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Come on, were all dying to know.

I'm wearing a spiderman suit.

[trac67]

Hmmm I could make some money here [}], bribery always works wonders LOL.

Love

Trac xx

'Live your life with arms wide open, today is where your book begins, the rest is still unwritten'

[pips]

WELL DONE Trev you did GREEEEAAAATTTT!!!!!!!

Take care,

Love PIP'S X X

[Trev]

Thanks for all the comments and replies. I'm glad it has helped and been taken it the way I meant it. I know I'm in a very fortunate position in that I am able to take holiday pretty much when I want. Anyway…….

Jenny, I've not found any magic cure and there's people a lot more equipped to talk on the issues than me (Meg for starters). I don't believe there is one thing you can do or buy. It's a combination in my opinion. And YOU make it happen in the end. I believe the answer is fairly simple, it's putting it in place that's difficult at times!
I'll tell you what I did in rough chronological order. I won't bore you with the run up details of my story so I'll just tell you what I did from the point when I was first diagnosed as being in an "anxiety state" by the neurologist. I'll keep it all as brief as poss. I was prescribed 25mg atenolol beta blockers which I took for about 3 months and then decided to stop. Apart from that I took nothing apart from vitamin supplements.

1) I was lucky that a friend's girlfriend brought me round a copy of Claire Weekes book "Self Help For Your Nerves". I hadn't a clue why she gave it to me at the time. After starting to read it I saw why and then I couldn't put it down. It didn't leave my side for about the next 6 months!
2) I started having acupuncture. This definitely helped, especially at the start.
3) I started doing yoga.
4) Joined "No Panic", the charity. OK, but I found it a bit too distant at the time. This site has been alot more use to me.
5) My girlfriend organised for us to go away to a very quiet place by the sea for a week. At the time I was on the verge of full agoraphobia, I had health anxiety and hadn't slept for a week. The idea was not too appealing at the time as you can imagine!!!……..especially as it meant getting on a plane as well. However, I reluctantly agreed and I'm glad I did. Spent most of the time wondering where the hospital was on this remote island but at least it started me on the road to relaxation and it gave me loads of time to read Claire Weekes in great detail!!
6) Started going for walks over the park every day. Kept trying to increase speed and distance as when I first started going I was shuffling along like an 80 year old and not even realising I was doing it.
7) Tried to eat as healthily as I could. Ate more bananas, nuts, sunflower seeds etc. As well as this I took a good multivitamin plus a few other supplements.
8) Cut out all caffeine and mainly drank camomile tea or water.
9) Started trying to play the guitar. This helped more than I imagined it would. Well, it helped me, but not those that had to listen to it!!
10) Bought Claire Weekes audio tape for the car and video tape for the home. (By now I'm an official Claire Weekes groupie!! lol)
11) I started seeing a general councillor who I was referred to via the GP. This lasted about 8 weeks and was ok. First thing she suggested was to buy Claire Weekes so she was a bit surprised when I could recite the book to her!
12) I did the Stress and Anxiety management course (again referred by GP). At first I said no to this as it was a group thing (and I had visions of One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest!!) but then I thought "what the hell" and went to see their advisor and was told it was a course, not therapy. Decided to do it and it was great. I'm really glad that I did. I suppose it might depend on the people in your group and the lecturer, but I was lucky with both.
13) Tried to find out as much as I could about panic attacks etc by reading and looking on the internet. This meant that I found this website one day which was a god send.
14) Started exercising more and doing "proper" exercise, by which I mean football, cycling, swimming etc
15) Bought Meg's Anxiety Management course on cd.
16) Did the "Confidence Building" course through the same college as before.
17) Had a few holidays abroad along the way dotted in between all of this.
18) Currently doing the "Self Esteem" course at the same college again. (This is the 3rd of the 3 course so I guess I'm doing it for comp

[seh1980]

[Wow!] Trev - that is FANTASTIC

"If life were simple, word would have got around"

[alexis]

Hi Trev, how wonderful to read this post, I feel when I return to my normal self I will be stronger because I will have learnt from all this anxiety/depression and hopefully it will make me a much stronger person.
I could home in on the money making game too after meeting you in London, but to be wuite honest I dont really see what was wrong with your dress sense, after all Rupert Bear had one the same.xx

Most of lifes battles are won, by looking beyond the clouds to the sun:
and having the patience to wait for the day,when the sun comes out and the clouds go away.


love from Alexisxx

[RobyBaggio18]

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Ibut to be wuite honest I dont really see what was wrong with your dress sense, after all Rupert Bear had one the same.xx

<div align="right">Originally posted by alexis - 20 January 2006 : 18:09:38</div id="right">
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Right, he either owns a red jumper, a yellow and black scarf or he's got a white hairy arse!!!

[alexis]

Well I wouldnt know about the latter!

Most of lifes battles are won, by looking beyond the clouds to the sun:
and having the patience to wait for the day,when the sun comes out and the clouds go away.


love from Alexisxx

[Jenny]

Thanks for your post Trev. From what you have said I think I am doing the right things. I am going to Yoga. Trying to do Water colour painting (not very well) and also gone back to a Salsa Dance Class, which is great fun. The diet part I am improving gradually, but there are times when my sweet tooth tries to take over.
Thanks again Trev.

Best wishes
Jennyxxxxxx