Thank you for this! I have dealt with anxiety/panic attacks since I was in my 30's. I am now 63. Thank God, my doctor recommended reading Claire Weekes many years ago, and for the most part, I went decades without any issues. I would have the occasional setback, but would revisit Dr. Weekes' tools and recover quickly. Due to many, many life stressors the past few years, I experienced anxiety once again last fall. It had been so long since I experienced that, I was in shock. it was a blessing to find you in January of this year, Drew. I read your books, and am now reading "Needing to Know for Sure," which you recommended. As soon as I knew you were a student of Dr. Weekes, I felt confident that you knew what you were talking about. It is always helpful to gain new knowledge and tools to navigate through this crazy life. It was good to refresh my memory on accepting and floating...or surrendering. There are so many anxiety "help" groups out there, but you are the real deal, the compass we need. You are truthful, solid, and have lived what you teach. Thank you so much.
It’s really encouraging to hear that you were able to go for so long without panic attacks and when anxiety came back later in life that you were able to bounce back quickly.
"I should not be going through this again" is a very self-critical thing to say. All humans are going to go through periods of stress and challenge, mentally and emotionally. Would you berate a loved one for feeling the impacts of that stress or challenge? Of course not. This is where learning to be kind to ourselves can be such a challenge! xx
Love the series. I tend to cycle...I'll do great for a few weeks but then a stressor of some sort will happen and even when I don't think it's a big deal, my body and brain do. It's a bummer bc then I find I'm ruminating more and my body will bring back those physical symptoms like buzzing, feeling agitated and worried I'll go crazy. It's been a year and half and although the cycles happen, I find that overall I am better so I'm grateful for that. I'm just ready for my body to increase its stress tolerance.
That's very insightful Lauren. You seem to understand the cycle pretty well. You'll have to SHOW your body that it can tolerate these things. Start there. You can do it. :-)
This is helpful, and I think we don’t always have to be currently in a stressor. I had a baby 4.5 months ago, I was fine up until now when my anxiety has returned (still fine) and I thought “nothing is happening” but sometimes stress can be delayed. When my mom was almost dying I was stressed & crying but my anxiety wasn’t at a disordered state.
This was great Drew. Really needed to hear this as I have been dealing with this for awhile now, and now navigating separation from my husband. I tried to wonder why this setback started to begin with but I know it may just be my body realized I had a lot more stress in the marriage than I did. I guess that doesn’t matter. Anyways, back to using the tools for navigation not eradication.
I’ve been working through this for 3 years. I felt pretty much almost recovered a few times along the way. I have been building up in my head that this is it, this year I’m back to life…fully. I started applying for work and feeling like I could do this, finally! Then BAM, all those pesky physical symptoms and the scary thoughts about them are back. I didn’t put those two things together until now…I’ve been avoiding watching videos, it was a rule I made for myself. It’s like I told myself watching them wasn’t recovered. But took a chance today and I’m glad I did….this was very helpful.
So glad Pema Chodron is mentioned. She got me through my initial intense Anxiety back in 2018. She is the best. What helps me is studying and practicing the teaching in the Course in Miracles too.
this is my greatest fear drew, I know its possible to get rid of panic attacks for many many years, but its very possible that they would come back during an important time period in my life and I do expect to put my self under inhuman amounts of stress to generate enormous amounts of money since I never got to live my child hood the way others did, and now I have panic disorder which is another nail in the coffin for me, I really think psychosurgery should be implemented in things like panic disorder removing the amygdala would make things like panic disorder agoraphobia and ocd impossible, yeah sure ill be emotionally dull ill have memory loss ill maybe have episodes of dejvu but who cares? ill never be abnormal ever again it honestly hurts me to see more and more money going to psychological and pharmacological interventions instead since I belive these 2 have reached their maximum clinical potential which is periodic remission with high relapse rates, psychosurgery should be the new treatment for these things money should be used to develop faster easier ways to remove the amygdala in a clinic within a few hours, more accurate tools to remove the amygdala without damaging the surrounding brain tissue, that would be great honestly.
I wish you well, but I suspect that I am not going to be terribly helpful for you. If the content I create compels you to show me why what I'm saying doesn't apply to you because relapse is your destiny, then I have to point out that I might not be producing content that aligns with your situation. You have asked me questions and I have answered. I talk about my definition of recovery quite often. It's not helpful for me to debate your fear of and focus on relapse.
@@TheAnxiousTruth you are helpful to me, your free book gave me a bit of hope, your definition of recovery is the most legitimate one although you wont say that to avoid the "chamomile tea + meditation = panic disorder cure" crowd getting angry at you "drew was free of this crap for 10 years, yet it only took 1 panic attack and he was back into panic disorder" that is my fear here man, and this fear is confirmed by this sub reddit called r/panicdisorder this one post stuck with me, a girl saying she thought she was cured 14 years ago now she's lost hope and taking antipsychotic medications for her "treatment refractory panic disorder" i feel so terrible for her and selfishly i panic at the mere thought of getting into her situation, i just have this 1 question drew, after you reach this point of legitmatly not giving a shit about panic attacks, is it possible with life stressors to fall back into panic disorder? the whole reason i just default back to "oh well i just need to terminate my amygdala here, that way ill be free" is because i see these horror stories on r/panicdisorder of people thinking they are free, only for 1 single life stressor to send them back into panic disorder.
It's so unfair that someone who is once recovered from this hell and was teach brain to tolerate all this big things, only to fall back in to disorder at first obstacle in life. How is that that the brain is not learned from previous expiriences and rewired it self to be more resilient on life stressors that is nothing in comparing what we gone through. Seems that neuroplasticity here is something that make no sence. Anxiety scar is something that never heals and needs very little to open that wound again. After years of accepting learning and recovering reality of life is slap us in the face and show us that we are achieved nothing. Back to acceptting and all over again until fall in cycle next time. Such a pathetic way to be alive. Stupid brain!
Thank you for this! I have dealt with anxiety/panic attacks since I was in my 30's. I am now 63. Thank God, my doctor recommended reading Claire Weekes many years ago, and for the most part, I went decades without any issues. I would have the occasional setback, but would revisit Dr. Weekes' tools and recover quickly. Due to many, many life stressors the past few years, I experienced anxiety once again last fall. It had been so long since I experienced that, I was in shock. it was a blessing to find you in January of this year, Drew. I read your books, and am now reading "Needing to Know for Sure," which you recommended. As soon as I knew you were a student of Dr. Weekes, I felt confident that you knew what you were talking about. It is always helpful to gain new knowledge and tools to navigate through this crazy life. It was good to refresh my memory on accepting and floating...or surrendering. There are so many anxiety "help" groups out there, but you are the real deal, the compass we need. You are truthful, solid, and have lived what you teach. Thank you so much.
Those are very kind words Sharon. Thank you so much. :-)
It’s really encouraging to hear that you were able to go for so long without panic attacks and when anxiety came back later in life that you were able to bounce back quickly.
Sharon thanks for mentioning that “needing to know”. I’m listening to it now and appreciate it being suggested.
WOW. Thank you so much. "Loss of resilience" "I should not be going through this again." Yes, I've been there.
"I should not be going through this again" is a very self-critical thing to say. All humans are going to go through periods of stress and challenge, mentally and emotionally. Would you berate a loved one for feeling the impacts of that stress or challenge? Of course not. This is where learning to be kind to ourselves can be such a challenge! xx
@@TheAnxiousTruth Thank you so much and yes of course you are 1000% correct.
did have another today......
this is one of the best videos on anxiety setbacks, relapses. just wow
I'm glad you found it helpful! Thank you for the feedback.
Just did an exposure and had to swab the poop decks.
Good episode.Thankyou👍🇭🇲
Thanks!
Love the series. I tend to cycle...I'll do great for a few weeks but then a stressor of some sort will happen and even when I don't think it's a big deal, my body and brain do. It's a bummer bc then I find I'm ruminating more and my body will bring back those physical symptoms like buzzing, feeling agitated and worried I'll go crazy. It's been a year and half and although the cycles happen, I find that overall I am better so I'm grateful for that. I'm just ready for my body to increase its stress tolerance.
I am going through that too. I was doing great until my doctor said something. I recognize he is my trigger.
That's very insightful Lauren. You seem to understand the cycle pretty well. You'll have to SHOW your body that it can tolerate these things. Start there. You can do it. :-)
This is helpful, and I think we don’t always have to be currently in a stressor. I had a baby 4.5 months ago, I was fine up until now when my anxiety has returned (still fine) and I thought “nothing is happening” but sometimes stress can be delayed. When my mom was almost dying I was stressed & crying but my anxiety wasn’t at a disordered state.
This is an excellent observation. We can't always see the stress as it builds up. Great comment Lauren!
This was great Drew. Really needed to hear this as I have been dealing with this for awhile now, and now navigating separation from my husband. I tried to wonder why this setback started to begin with but I know it may just be my body realized I had a lot more stress in the marriage than I did. I guess that doesn’t matter. Anyways, back to using the tools for navigation not eradication.
I'm having setback now weakness tired off balance dizzy feel like I'm gunna collapse agitation restlessness restless legs was doing so good too 😢
I can relate. You are not alone.
@@japplesin you having same symptoms
"Feel like" is your enemy. The issue is never what it feels like, only what we do with that feeling. This is important.
I’ve been working through this for 3 years. I felt pretty much almost recovered a few times along the way. I have been building up in my head that this is it, this year I’m back to life…fully. I started applying for work and feeling like I could do this, finally! Then BAM, all those pesky physical symptoms and the scary thoughts about them are back. I didn’t put those two things together until now…I’ve been avoiding watching videos, it was a rule I made for myself. It’s like I told myself watching them wasn’t recovered. But took a chance today and I’m glad I did….this was very helpful.
Same..I thought I was the only one..😢😢😢
So glad Pema Chodron is mentioned. She got me through my initial intense Anxiety back in 2018. She is the best. What helps me is studying and practicing the teaching in the Course in Miracles too.
Lauren got me to read some Pema Chodron. She has such a great way of teaching really heady concepts in a very down to earth way. I'm a fan!
can I find Pema Chodron online?
this is my greatest fear drew, I know its possible to get rid of panic attacks for many many years, but its very possible that they would come back during an important time period in my life and I do expect to put my self under inhuman amounts of stress to generate enormous amounts of money since I never got to live my child hood the way others did, and now I have panic disorder which is another nail in the coffin for me, I really think psychosurgery should be implemented in things like panic disorder removing the amygdala would make things like panic disorder agoraphobia and ocd impossible, yeah sure ill be emotionally dull ill have memory loss ill maybe have episodes of dejvu but who cares? ill never be abnormal ever again it honestly hurts me to see more and more money going to psychological and pharmacological interventions instead since I belive these 2 have reached their maximum clinical potential which is periodic remission with high relapse rates, psychosurgery should be the new treatment for these things money should be used to develop faster easier ways to remove the amygdala in a clinic within a few hours, more accurate tools to remove the amygdala without damaging the surrounding brain tissue, that would be great honestly.
I wish you well, but I suspect that I am not going to be terribly helpful for you. If the content I create compels you to show me why what I'm saying doesn't apply to you because relapse is your destiny, then I have to point out that I might not be producing content that aligns with your situation. You have asked me questions and I have answered. I talk about my definition of recovery quite often. It's not helpful for me to debate your fear of and focus on relapse.
@@TheAnxiousTruth you are helpful to me, your free book gave me a bit of hope, your definition of recovery is the most legitimate one although you wont say that to avoid the "chamomile tea + meditation = panic disorder cure" crowd getting angry at you
"drew was free of this crap for 10 years, yet it only took 1 panic attack and he was back into panic disorder" that is my fear here man, and this fear is confirmed by this sub reddit called r/panicdisorder this one post stuck with me, a girl saying she thought she was cured 14 years ago now she's lost hope and taking antipsychotic medications for her "treatment refractory panic disorder" i feel so terrible for her and selfishly i panic at the mere thought of getting into her situation, i just have this 1 question drew, after you reach this point of legitmatly not giving a shit about panic attacks, is it possible with life stressors to fall back into panic disorder? the whole reason i just default back to "oh well i just need to terminate my amygdala here, that way ill be free" is because i see these horror stories on r/panicdisorder of people thinking they are free, only for 1 single life stressor to send them back into panic disorder.
It's so unfair that someone who is once recovered from this hell and was teach brain to tolerate all this big things, only to fall back in to disorder at first obstacle in life. How is that that the brain is not learned from previous expiriences and rewired it self to be more resilient on life stressors that is nothing in comparing what we gone through. Seems that neuroplasticity here is something that make no sence. Anxiety scar is something that never heals and needs very little to open that wound again. After years of accepting learning and recovering reality of life is slap us in the face and show us that we are achieved nothing. Back to acceptting and all over again until fall in cycle next time. Such a pathetic way to be alive. Stupid brain!