sharing progress

Good morning HW friends.

I like to read about others that make progress, it surely has been a help on my personal road to recovery. It's all about replacing the negatives with positives, at least that is what has helped me. So..anyway, for me body sensations a lot of times can tend to cause me anxiety and sometimes panick...although not near as often as it used to be. Here is a couple of things that happen so far this weekend that tell me I am continuing to make progress. I work outside and during the summer when it's so hot, I loose my appetite. It's hard me to put on weight and I don't really have extra pounds to spare, so if I dwell on it...it will cause me anxiety. For most of last week I didn't dwell on it, ate as much as I could, now over the weekend not being in the sun so much my appetite has been good and I have put back on the few pounds I had lost during the week. I know it helped not to stress myself about it like I used to!. Next thing I noticed, I was at a theme park last night and I felt a bit dizzy at one point, being dizzy is rare for me and certainly months ago....that would have gotten to me, but I just rolled with it and kept calm and it went away fairly quick. When I am able to notice that kind of progress I really make a big deal out of it to myself. Being my own best friend through anxiety, it has been important to recognize my progress and positives and in my own head as if I was talking to my best friend....acknowledge the accomplishment and give myself lots of encouraging words exactly the way I would one of you or a best friend!. Lastly, I woke this morning about 4:15...felt warm and nauseous, now for me this could have certainly set me of into anxiety and panick. I simply repositioned myself up on my pillow, lowered the covers a bit and drifted back off to sleep. So these are the kind of baby steps or whatever kind of steps that keep me going as I continue to make progress. For me it has made it a better and a more enjoyable weekend. I hope by sharing it's gives someone else hope that it can get better and be dealt with. Good luck to all of you and I hope you have a great finish to the weekend and a great week ahead...keep fighting the good fight......wingman

Awesome WM! You are making HUGE steps in your progress, and doing all of the right things:)

When you have a symptom that is threatening to be an anxiety trigger, derailing it starts a reconditioning process in the brain...just as the fear is a learned response, it will be reversed through the work that you are doing!

I have had almost exactly the same experiences. I hate being dizzy, so that is one symptom I fight (and win!) occasionally. I also struggle with waking in the night. Like you, if I feel even the slightest bit warm/sick/'off' it can be a trigger for worry. Especially bad when you are groggy and can't properly use your reasoning right?

It is a progress, and I am glad to hear that you are doing well. Good job on acknowledging this about yourself, that also goes along way in your recovery.

Keep posting, it is helpful both for you, and those who read your posts...hope and inspiration are powerful healers:)

Keep up the good work,
Scaredy Cat