When can I say "I've overcome anxiety"?

[AliasEQ]

Hey guys! :) Posting lots of threads right now, just tell me if I'm disturbing you in any way.

When can I say that I've overcome my anxiety? Is it when I face my fears? Is it when I can avoid reacting to my irrational thoughts? Or is it when I can generally manage it?

Also, what's the difference between managing my anxiety and curing it. As I've understand it's like this:

Managing is when you still have anxiety, but you can control it. Curing anxiety is when you don't suffer from any anxiety disorders at all. But is it even possible to get rid of it completly? As I've understand it's impossible for the anxiety to fade away completly. It'll still be there, but managing it really good means that you've cured it, overcome it? Idk.

So, when can I say that I've overcome my anxiety?

[Kabukicho]

This is a very good question and one that I've pondered for many years. My answer is just my opinion, but it's an answer that I've taken time to really think about. It's the best answer as far as my situation goes.

You're right when you say there is no cure for anxiety. You will have it until the day you die. There is no miracle pill, no miracle therapy, no miracle combination of words or phrases that will cure your anxiety. At a basic level, anxiety is a fundamental part of the human experience. It's like asking "When will I overcome sadness?" or, even more perversely, if you will, "When will I overcome feeling thirsty?" It's just not going to happen, because you're a human and anxiety is part of what humans do.

Managing anxiety, in my opinion, is a complicated metric and one that is best left to the individual to judge. When anxiety keeps me from sleeping, keeps me from going to work, or keeps me from enjoying my life in situations that should otherwise be enjoyable (going to the movies or taking an airplane trip or going on a date), then I consider it not to be properly managed. I've had some really bad days and, trust me, on those days there's nothing I can do but stay in bed.

However, on most days I'm able to get out of bed, exercise, eat properly, function at work, socialize, and enjoy most (if not all) of my day. The anxiety is still there on those days, but I can choke it down and practice things like CBT and mindfulness and meditation. I can work through the anxiety without medication and without feeling truly awful. A lot of times, I feel pretty good!

I've had anxiety for more than a decade now, although it's gotten progressively worse recently, as I've left my youth behind and entered the "real world." I've thrown all sorts of drugs and therapy strategies at it. So, for me, the situation looks kind of bleak and fatalistic. Anxiety is what I have. It won't go away. It's a matter of managing it. Not curing it. And, actually, when I accept that it won't ever go away, I feel a bit more peaceful!

[GeneAllen]

A complex answer to a simple question. When you surrender to it. When you quit trying to control, your thoughts, others, anxiety symptoms, and when you flood your brain with affirmations, commit to not see this as black or white, well or better etc. This is a process, and one day you awaken and notice you are not where you were last week.

I use what I call my "Flooding Process". 1. Awaken, eat 2 bananas, 3 take magnesium 400 mg, vitamin D3, Cranberry with Vitamin C, and omega 3 fish oil. Drink lots of waters.

Listen for atleast 2 hours of affirmations (David McGraw), 4. brain wave technology Brainsync.com (sacred garden) ( relieving anxiety), listen over and over. Leave the television alone.

Snack on almonds, and more water. Talk to yourself, repeat the affirmations out loud, when you look into the mirror say this and smile. I love you! This is hard to do at first, but

I can't tell you the profound effect it has on your subconscious mind (probably why we resist doing it). Bringing the conscious mind as well as sub conscious mind together is key and all

these things will help you immensely.

Peace

[NixonRulz]

Hey guys! :) Posting lots of threads right now, just tell me if I'm disturbing you in any way.

When can I say that I've overcome my anxiety? Is it when I face my fears? Is it when I can avoid reacting to my irrational thoughts? Or is it when I can generally manage it?

Also, what's the difference between managing my anxiety and curing it. As I've understand it's like this:

Managing is when you still have anxiety, but you can control it. Curing anxiety is when you don't suffer from any anxiety disorders at all. But is it even possible to get rid of it completly? As I've understand it's impossible for the anxiety to fade away completly. It'll still be there, but managing it really good means that you've cured it, overcome it? Idk.

So, when can I say that I've overcome my anxiety?


I am not even sure anxiety can be "cured"

Anxiety is good in a real life threatening event or it is even better when you are really looking forward to that Justin Bieber concert

So you have had and always will have anxiety. It is just in us

The thoughts that send you into worry or panic will greatly decrease as you get better

But those thoughts still creep in my mind and I recognize them as they do

The difference in where you are now and where you want to be is that you will not negatively react to those thoughts and triggers anymore

When I get tightness in my chest these days, I understand that it is anxiety and I am not breathing correctly. So I dismiss it and it doesn't affect me

In the height of my issues, any negative thoughts I had would cause me to jump to the worst case scenario. This is probably where you are now

You may never rid yourself of the thoughts that cause problems but you will not react to them so you hardly notice that they occurred

I, on occasion still need a few moments to rid those negative conclusions to my thoughts but it is rare

It took ne years to figure that out and I did not ever seek any advice on a forum such as this

If I had, my problems would have ended in no time, much like your will becasue people that know what you are dealing with can reassure you about how this plays out

Now the good part.

Because I was anxious for so long and avoided, or at least felt like hell when doing things that should be fun, I have such more appreciation for the things that I do

Going to dinner with my family is kick ass. I feel great when I do so I truly enjoy the experience

Get on a plane for vacation a few years back? Hell no. I am afraid to fly and afraid I will feel miserable or panic when I am away

Now I want to go away as often as I can.

It is amazing how much the simple things I used to do prior to my anxiety mean the world to me now

I am in better spirits than I ever have and my outlook is mainly positive with everything becasue I remember how miserable life once was

Anxiety is miserable and you really feel you may never get better and I was there and completely understand

You will wake up one day and just realize that the nightmare is over and you too will get back to enjoying everything you used to do and more like you never thought possible

That is a promise to you. THIS DOES STOP

What a great question to ask on a thread

[AliasEQ]

You've all explained it so good!! You deserve a hug -> ༼ つ ◕_◕ ༽つ

Thank you. It's a question that I've often thought about, but I've never really brought it up. This has brought me one step closer to where I want to be. Appreciate and value your answers! :)

[Enduronman]

hmmm
1. I have lived with some form of anxiety since birth.
2. Although I was smart, intuitive, and a class leader I was always embarassed and had performance anxiety although I knew the answers to whatever.
3. I hated to be the center of attention, yet, I would cause troubles and problems that which drew attention to myself. It made no sense..
4. I was highly curious, about everything especially mechanical. Engines, machines, my bikes, the dryer, the washer, cars,..I loved to take shit apart and it pissed my mother off quite frequently. I was by all means, an awnry, but bright kid.
5. Into adulthood..I feared nothing and no one. Yet, still hated to be around new people, and hated to be the center of attention but I somehow always was anyway.
6. My old friends would always say to keep an eye of Chip, because you never know what he's going to do..and neither did I. I would just react.
7. I was arrested at least 30 times prior to the age of 18, although my records are losts in files and pieces of scattered papers. I tried to get them, and could not.
8. I had to "maintain" this inner energy from that age forward. To now. Never broke another law again. I was an adrenalin junkie.
9. Which partially explains my IED. If things get chaotic, I know how and what to do very quickly and need not think about it for but mere tenths of a second.
10. WTF is the point of all this? I learned to "manage it". Even though my life is in shambles, and is screwed up in every regard by diseases. I manage it. Keep control. Maintain. I have high anxiety, social anxiety, performance anxiety, ADD, ADHD, PTSD, IED, but it is all managed..it's always going to be there. At least in my case. I walk a fine line each day. There is no cure, for me being me.

Have a great day friends!

Enduronman.. :)

[needtogetwell]

Ok, my ten cents worth..... I see myself as being in recovery each day. I believe over time I have learned strategies which help me be calm and happy most of the time. Am I cured? Probably not, but as Nixon said, I am really good at recognizing the causes and dealing with them.

As said before, there are so many different strategies and they are as individual as each of us are. Finding the mixture which works for you is part of the journey!

[jessed03]

Strong posts in this thread. Very strong posts.

Not really much for me to say, so I just wanted to appreciate really.

Personally I suppose I'll never be cured. Some will, but not me. My issues were there since birth, but, like Pam says, with time you learn how to manage your problem. My OCD is like a spoilt brat. But when I love it, and love all things, it doesn't fight with me, it just lies contently by my side as my friend, not wanting attention. When I'm angry, when I'm bitter, when I don't love things, I begin to see it questioning me again. It becomes insecure, and acts up, like a child wanting it's parents attention back.

For you I guess, overcoming it will be as simple as when you don't think about it. Like a common cold. When do you know you've overcome a common cold? When you're back at work, being productive, and have forgotten most of what happened as it feels in the past.

[Applecherry]

I know you can't get rid of anxiety, but nervous breakdowns and anxiety overtaking all, is something I would like to not happen to me anymore.. You go through so, so much with just one bout of this shit that lasts for months, and months, then you feel better..you feel like you've got some kind of solid ground you can walk on FINALLY, then BOOM, it all happens again, and it's like everything you learned as you went through it the times before, fucking means nothing all over again, and you just have to go through the painful cycle again.. It makes me so mad how much of my life I feel this takes from me some days.. :'(

[Applecherry]

Edit....must not engage ;)


..I don't really see how anything I said would prompt you to "engage" anyway, just stop being a creep.

[needtogetwell]

I know you can't get rid of anxiety, but nervous breakdowns and anxiety overtaking all, is something I would like to not happen to me anymore.. You go through so, so much with just one bout of this shit that lasts for months, and months, then you feel better..you feel like you've got some kind of solid ground you can walk on FINALLY, then BOOM, it all happens again, and it's like everything you learned as you went through it the times before, fucking means nothing all over again, and you just have to go through the painful cycle again.. It makes me so mad how much of my life I feel this takes from me some days.. :'(

Apple, you're not wrong is does make us angry about the time it robs from us. But...it also has (at least in my case) contributed to who I am today, and I like who I am. I am kinder, more forgiving of other peoples short comings. I am in no way perfect but I recognize that.

Your journey is under way... You will figure out whhat it all means to you.

[AliasEQ]

Apple, you're not wrong is does make us angry about the time it robs from us. But...it also has (at least in my case) contributed to who I am today, and I like who I am. I am kinder, more forgiving of other peoples short comings. I am in no way perfect but I recognize that.

Your journey is under way... You will figure out whhat it all means to you.

Agree. Even though anxiety is a pain in the ass, I've learned alooot from it.

[Applecherry]

Thanks for the kind words.

[jessed03]

Agree. Even though anxiety is a pain in the ass, I've learned alooot from it.

Is that your girlfriend in your picture?

[AliasEQ]

Is that your girlfriend in your picture?

To the right, not the one under me, yes.

[jessed03]

Glad you pointed that out. You'd be surprised how many times a girl who isn't his girlfriend ends up under a man Alias :)

You look a little bit like Harry Styles from one direction in your pic.

[AliasEQ]

Hahahah!! Lmao, that came out wrong! :D

Harry styles?? :O Is that a compliment? :O lol

[AliasEQ]

Honestly NEVER

Anxiety is not some disorder but a personality trait in many ways .

In order to get anxiety you have to have done something or had something done to you.

It may be something that you will always have to take notice of knowing that you are substitutable to it .

The same way that a person might know that they cant eat all this because they will get fat .

The same way that a person might have to take time out from the world because they feel more than other about there surroundings .

But this is not a bad thing , in fact i think that when you have it under control it is a good thing . You start to live doing what is right for you .

Alot of anxiety is caused because we are trying to live for others instead of what we need.

Anxiety is not a bad thing when it is in control and not controlling you .

But short answer when do you know you control it . When it doesnt worry you and your body is not over reacting to everything . When the only thing in
your life it controls is the good stuff .

Do not be scared of anxiety as its the best thing that could happen to you when you start controlling it .

When Seymour Hoffman died some one said This "For the most sensitive among us the noise can be too much." it really hit home for me . I just wished he had found a better way to handle it .

Being sensitive is a good thing but sometimes it can control us and we need to learn when to cut out for a while .

Hmm. This is the trigger to my depression. Knowing that I'm substitutable to it. Everytime I'm going to do something, whatever it is, I know it's there. Kind of seeing something you wish you never saw.

I think, like you said, what I need to do is to control it. I'm going to carry it with me through my whole life - I'd better know how to cope with it. I just don't understand how it is beneficial? I feel like it's just something that adds even more stress to life?

[AliasEQ]

Sorry for trigger .

But look at it this way EVERYBODY can get it .

But you had it and learned to control it so you dont need to worry about it.

You dont even need to learn to control it , just to learn to watch for it .

You learn to take notice of yourself , when you need to rest , when you need to take time out , when you feel like dealing with things and when you need to just
say stuff it and go fishing . Your problems will always be there in life , take the day off to think of a better way to handle them is a good thing.

Its beneficial because you learn what you need to feed your sole and not what someone else think you should be doing .

Most people in life go around stressing , trying to change things they cant and people they cant , belting their head against the wall . When you learn to just live then you have made it.

Most people these days live for other people , bust their ass at work to pay for that car or big house so that they can live their lives saying that they are as good as the Jones . This is huge with kids now , my two daughters it is all about this new thing or that , when i was a kid it was all about who could build the best fort .

If there is one thing i have learned in life it is the lion does not care what the sheep think .

It sucks to go thought but you learn so much so look at all that .

Depression is normal because its bad to go though but like anything in life it is the bad times that teach us what to do in the good times .

Wow. If only I knew all this when I first got my anxiety. When you're living your life normal and something like anxiety hits you, you often tend to look at it from a negative perspective. But now, with time, I've understand that I need to look at it from a positive perspective. Because you can actually benefit from it. I've noticed I have, in many ways.

This is great information man! Thank you! :)

[needtogetwell]

Alias, the lightbulb has just come on for you..congratulations! You get it! Now do something with it and you are well on your way!

Cheers!
Pam

[needtogetwell]

I'm grateful in fact that anxiety has been a part of my life. Sounds weird I think. Of course I would love to get a better handle on coping with it to enjoy my life in more ways. The benefits though exist for me too. I agree with Forwells that you come to appreciate the parts of your life you get contentment from. You can recognise what your needs are. You become a better communicator. You become far more empathic. That's a gift not everyone can have but one that's so valuable. I think you gain more patience for others and for yourself. I like to be self aware. I don't want to go through the motions, plodding along in the rat race of life. I like as a mum that although I'm aware my anxiety has negatively impacted on my kids they are very thoughtful and understanding people. They've learned a lot of their kindness, patience and consideration for other peoples feelings because they've been exposed to my anxiety. They don't flinch at or fear mental health difficulties. They don't stigmatise people that are struggling. They would help if they could. Without my anxiety who knows what their perceptions of such things would be if our house was ignorant of these things. A final thing that I often think about here. If it is true that generally men do not talk about their feelings much ( which is the case with all the men I have known personally) then I wonder if anxiety has maybe made it more likely that the men folk here share what they feel in a way I've never known in men without a history of anxiety. It is like it makes it ok to talk somehow.

So well said frankiecfc, wonderful insights! You really know and appreciate who you are!

[Cimi]

look man these days i havent runned, been avoiding people and situations, slept a lot and i feel worse than the days where i used to do all those things. just keep the spirit up man. how can u overcome dp dr anxiety ? just by giving extreme efforts to whatever human is, i mean active human not passive human. just eat, drink, run, exercise, do your homework, studies, get out a lot and u will feel very very different. i know that coz i am trying both approaches. and tomorrow i start my hyper active life again. anxiety will go when u will be ready for it, when u gain self belief :) stay positive

[tarheel1]

I have found no cure for panic attacks.Once I get the feeling of one coming on there is no stopping it but to control how bad it will be.I will go to the same routine with trying to relax and get into my safe zone if that makes sense and just ho;d on for the ride.

[jessed03]

look man these days i havent runned, been avoiding people and situations, slept a lot and i feel worse than the days where i used to do all those things. just keep the spirit up man. how can u overcome dp dr anxiety ? just by giving extreme efforts to whatever human is, i mean active human not passive human. just eat, drink, run, exercise, do your homework, studies, get out a lot and u will feel very very different. i know that coz i am trying both approaches. and tomorrow i start my hyper active life again. anxiety will go when u will be ready for it, when u gain self belief :) stay positive

Future anxiety hunter right here.

Some really legit posting from Cimi. Good luck man.