Victory of the day!

[manduwok]

So I've mentioned that most of my panic tends to occur while driving... but it can happen anywhere, really. I just feel the least 'safe' in the car... especially when I get obsessed that I'm going to black out. I've been driving anyway but every time I do it's just torture. I'm getting attacks from the fear of the attack every time.

Yesterday was the first day that I canceled activities and hid in the house. I work out with a trainer 3x/week and fitness is definitely a "thing" for me. I got my stepmother to take me to my hair appointment and even panicked in the car. Sigh.

So this morning, I wake up immediately panicked about driving to the gym... but I knew I wanted to because I do NOT want to develop a bona fide fear of driving... yet alone let this take away such a big part of who I am. Alas, the panic came anyway, and I laid on the floor in front of my husband while it happened...

...but then I mentally resolved that the gym was more important and my husband gave me funny visuals of him flexing to think about while driving. I combined that with thinking about how AWESOME it would feel to say "I drove and it was okay and I did it!" and I let those thoughts take over the best I could. It wasn't easy... and I had to work at it... but I actually got to the gym and back without any bona fide anxiety.

That's today's small victory and I'm letting it be enough. :-D

[Bridget Goddard]

Congratulations! It feels so good to defeat anxiety every once and a while, doesn't it??

[manduwok]

Congratulations! It feels so good to defeat anxiety every once and a while, doesn't it??

Yep! I'm hoping I can use each victory to help disassociate my mind from the fear. I know I won't be perfect but it's a start. :)

[NixonRulz]

So I've mentioned that most of my panic tends to occur while driving... but it can happen anywhere, really. I just feel the least 'safe' in the car... especially when I get obsessed that I'm going to black out. I've been driving anyway but every time I do it's just torture. I'm getting attacks from the fear of the attack every time.

Yesterday was the first day that I canceled activities and hid in the house. I work out with a trainer 3x/week and fitness is definitely a "thing" for me. I got my stepmother to take me to my hair appointment and even panicked in the car. Sigh.

So this morning, I wake up immediately panicked about driving to the gym... but I knew I wanted to because I do NOT want to develop a bona fide fear of driving... yet alone let this take away such a big part of who I am. Alas, the panic came anyway, and I laid on the floor in front of my husband while it happened...

...but then I mentally resolved that the gym was more important and my husband gave me funny visuals of him flexing to think about while driving. I combined that with thinking about how AWESOME it would feel to say "I drove and it was okay and I did it!" and I let those thoughts take over the best I could. It wasn't easy... and I had to work at it... but I actually got to the gym and back without any bona fide anxiety.

That's today's small victory and I'm letting it be enough. :-D

Now that is a bit of sunshine now isn't it.

That habit of just blowing off the panic as annoying versus dangerous us the very reason it is going to stop

When you take the fear away from panic, it just becomes, well...annoying

Drive your car like a crazy intoxicated teenager and flex like a bad ass bitch at the gym

F Panic!

[manduwok]

Drive your car like a crazy intoxicated teenager and flex like a bad ass bitch at the gym

F Panic!

This! I'm adding it to the arsenal :)

[gypsylee]

I like the idea of the funny visuals to think about while driving. Humour has often saved me from this beast.

I have a friend who I can tell anything to, so when I'm out somewhere and I'm super anxious I think about my story to her. It helps to frame the experience like that - imagining being home afterwards and telling someone how horrible it was. That way you can almost laugh about it as if it's already over. So it's always a huge help if you have someone like your husband who you can confide in.

:)

[mrslizzyg]

Woohoo! That's so awesome. It should def be enough! Beating panic/anxiety is really freakin difficult. TAKE ANY VICTORY. :)

also, I think it's cute your husband did that for you. :)