http://www.anxietytribe.comAnxietyTribe.com http://www.anxietytribe.com/rss.php?header=blogs&id=19370 http://www.anxietytribe.com/rss.php?header=blogs&id=19370 Been busy with work lately. I still stop in and check messages and blogs. Didn't want you all to think I left you or died or something lol. Keep possitive, eat well, and exercise. A healthy lifestyle is a happy and non anxious life style. Tell anxiety to suck it! lol. Hope all is well. Thu, 10 Feb 2011 21:02:35 -0600 http://www.anxietytribe.com/rss.php?header=blogs&id=19167 http://www.anxietytribe.com/rss.php?header=blogs&id=19167 Have coping skills folks. Have a few of them. You may have noticed that many coping skills that are emotional based tend to work sometimes but not others. For example getting angry usually takes anxiety away. These emotional based coping skills are good but always have other back ups. I like to get angry at myself, talk to my inner child, act really goofy, act anxious...ect. I have many that I use from day to day. When things get really bad I just go with it. I tell my anxiety to take me and I stick with it till it passes. The main thing is to get through the anxious days and don't carry it with you. Feeling good one day then getting stressed becaue you are anxious the next is hard on the mind. Take the good with the bad. As we move forward you will start to realize that two steps forward and one step back is still progress. Feel better people :") Sat, 22 Jan 2011 21:01:38 -0600 http://www.anxietytribe.com/rss.php?header=blogs&id=19108 http://www.anxietytribe.com/rss.php?header=blogs&id=19108 Well my anxiey finally broke last night. I decided enough was enough and gave myself a hard kick in the pants. This is how I deal with my feelings. Its not for everyone. But I will tell you this, I still feel anxious. The kicker is I am not focusing on negative crap and it doesn't bother me. Lets go a little deeper, this isn't the cure for everyone. Its a goal all of you should try to reach and another step for those who are far into recovery. I noticed that anxiety without depression exist only as a hightened sence of over active body functions. I spoke about cortisol before being the stress hormone. As this is released into your system when you are stressed, it gives you more energy to be angry, stressed, ect. Its what we replace with coffee. But anyhoo, after being stressed for so long this chemical release is no automated. Its so use to releasing so many times a day, now that you are no longer stressed out it countinues to release. Hence so called suprise anxitey. Which is silly. If I eat a bran muffin every morning, havea hot drink at lunch time and I have to pooh at 12 30. I don't call it a suprise. Thats how the body works. So, now the stress is gone, you have no use for this cortisol. When it kicks in, it jolts you! You say WTF! And you become frightened. No its cognative. You think about the frightening experience and you become anxious awaiting its next attack on you. The cortisol releases and boom you have a panic attack. Now your scared shitless! You stop doing things because your mind is try to tell you whats causing it but all the things you stop don't help. Now your quality of life is in the hole. You stop going to school, work, out with friends, ect. Depression sets in! You become comfy at home so your stress level stays low after you adjust but your depression level is now through the roof. Over time the cortisol stops releasing itself into your body. Panic attacks subside but the learned behavior of being affraid keeps you anxious. If you sevearly provoke that feeling it could cause you to have another attack. So, don't worry. This is all kewl! This is what you do. 1. Get motivated! Acceptyour disorder. 2. Think positive! 3.Lower the edge off of your attacks by eating well, exersizing. 4. Learn relaxation techniques that will help you sit through an attack. This is important. You can't get over a fear that you know nothing about! You need to feel an attack, be somewhat ok with whats happening to you and KNOW THAT YOU ARE IN NO DANGER! 5. Meditate! This gives your mind time to reboot! You absolutey need to do this on some level. It takes practice but 10 minutes a day is worth the results. 6. Visualize your avoidance behaviors because you are going to be working through them soon. After your body goes back to normal its time to tackle these situations that you believe make you anxious and panicy. As you do you will feel your anxiety getting stronger. This is normal, you are now releasing cortisol again. The difference is, this is now an induced release rather than automated. This is how you get over an anxiety disorder. Some may argue but they are wrong. This is the skinny right here. The Kicker is depression. Which is why they give you anti depressants for anxiety disorders. When you are depressed you have no motivation and you can't think possitive. So you have to do things for your depression. Vitamines, exercise and constantly looking at positive things in your life will help. Some people say that their anti depressants is for their anxiety but I have never met any medicated anxiety patient that never has attacks. I know you haven't either! So if you are medicated for your disorder, this is just a crutch. You still need to work on your anxiety! For those of you who are in a slump, get the hell out of there or get on the meds. The depression will never allow you to get better! You have to get out of the funk! Don't let this freak you out. I am bi polar and I don't medicate. I have to work really hard at this. Some people can't do this as well as I do. Those people need a therapist and or medication. I know this is not for everyone at the moment. But those whom are far away from recovery should work toward this. I hope this helps some of you. If you have doubts talk to a professional and they will support what I have written here. There are many smaller parts to recovery, this is the overveiw. If you have questions, message me. I'm always glad to respond. Tue, 18 Jan 2011 18:01:05 -0600 http://www.anxietytribe.com/rss.php?header=blogs&id=19100 http://www.anxietytribe.com/rss.php?header=blogs&id=19100 I don't know about yall but my train is getting back on the track and I'm hoppin on that sucker. I am done with the negative, I can't, I don't want to attitude. I have been holding myself down for days. I made up my mind a few hours ago that I am done with this shit. Although I am still anxious as we speak, I feel a million times better. U feel like I lost my drive somewhere and I didn't know where to get it back. So many questions in my head with negative answers. If I am anxious forever then I am gonna be goofy, angry and stuborn along with it. I am me, extreamly complex with a million layers like an onion. I am abeautiful man beast! As perfect as any man beast could be! No more self doubt or dwelling on crap that I can't change. I'm gonna light a cigar, jump on that Harley and ride it to hell and back! Grrrrr... Lets do some freakin living here. Brighten up this donkeys bum hole we call a web site. lol. Open the curtains and let some light in! Wow, I think my manic stage just kicked in! So, yeah.... Lets smile, get motivated, think possitive, eat well. Go to your local Harley dealership, grab a beenie style helmet and a leather jacket. Put the on and sit on one of their bikes and start making loud motorcycle noises. LMAO! Really, do it! Act as crazy as you feel and maybe you might laugh along with the others that are laughing at you :") Check out the new pick I added. Soooooo beautiful and relaxing. Mon, 17 Jan 2011 21:01:05 -0600 http://www.anxietytribe.com/rss.php?header=blogs&id=19085 http://www.anxietytribe.com/rss.php?header=blogs&id=19085 I was out for my walk today and I was thinking. Alot of the times I don't want to do anything but sit and laze around. Even now that my anxiety is starting to bother me again. I know all of the things I have to do. I can feel my mood change soon as I decide I'm actually going to do them. But still, I make excuses like its to cold out to walk, I'm too anxious to exercise, I don't feel like going out with friends...blah blah blah. I see my anxiety as tolerable but my depression and lack of drive throws it over the top. I can't find any literature on this so I guess this is going to be my personal study. Do you guys feel like this? Do you think that the anxiety causes a lack of drive or lack of drive perpetuates anxiety? I know that I tell you guys to eat healthy, exercise, and think possitive all the time and I know this eases anxiety. There have been tones of studies on this and its proven to work just as good as meds without any side effects. But some I tell this too are still anxious as hell. Others that write back that are doing it are very possitive and thankful. If you guys can leave a comment below and tell me if you are doing these things and what your overal mood is and anxiety level and even if you are not I would like to know. I need to find the correlation between this lack of drive and anxiety. I woke up anxious this morning and just wanted to stay in bed. I just layed there while my heart rate went up and down, up and down. So i finally got out of bed and went for coffee (decafe). I thought that it would make me extreamly anxious if I went for a 2 hour drive. So I came up with excuses, its too far, gas is expensive, its not gonna fix my anxiety, ect. So I did it anyway. I was anxious, then I wasn't, then I was anxious then I wasn't.... I have found that your mind will creat safety through thoughts as it would when you are faced with trauma. So no matter the situation, if you are affraid of it and you face it nothing will get worse. But if you try to face it and run away you may reinforce that fear. So I never try, I just do it! I felt ok when I got there, walked around a little. The drive home was alot better than the drive there. When I got home I forced myself to exercise than eat something healthy. I took a shower and gathered laundry then I went for a walk. Now I didn't want to do any of this. I had to push myself to even get out of bed. My drive has gone to shit. I see absolutley no joy in anything. Usually I can focus on things like the up cpming warm weather or riding my Harley but there is nothing. I feel nothing but gloom and anxiety. But after forcing myself to do things I feel more stable. I found moments of releif rather than an intire anxious day. I hate those by the way lol.So leave a comment, tell me what you think about all of this. I am really interested in this aspect of anxiety. Hope everyone is well :") Sun, 16 Jan 2011 15:01:15 -0600 http://www.anxietytribe.com/rss.php?header=blogs&id=19075 http://www.anxietytribe.com/rss.php?header=blogs&id=19075 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpQpH_WqDzc This will make you feel better! Sat, 15 Jan 2011 13:01:26 -0600 http://www.anxietytribe.com/rss.php?header=blogs&id=19073 http://www.anxietytribe.com/rss.php?header=blogs&id=19073 Last night I decided that I had to get back to my work concerning anxiety. I was thinking back over last few days to find what was making me anxious. getting back to work, a major change in sleeping patern and stress about school would be to blame. Bit this isn't it. I went through some material and I found something about myself that I have never really paid attention to. I am what you call a pleasure seeker. I get joy out of buying things, thinking about what fun I will have in the future, thinking about girls that I would like to date, thinking about having lots on money. I have done this my entire life. I see the here and now as some insignificant point leading to better, happier times. Now if I do this with my possitive thoughts why wouldn't I do it with my negative thoughts. Anxiety is negative anticipation of a future event. Evertime I get anxious its about something that is going to happen tomorrow, next week, a year from now. WHY? What is wrong with here and now? I woke up this morning and shoveled my own and my neighbors walk ways, I cleaned my house from top to bottom and I just finished meditating. This moment here and now feels comfortable. Why do I need to think about tomorrow? Why do I need to look at the weather to see when the snow will be gone? Can I change the weather? Can I really predict what is going to happen at any moment tomorrow? Of course not. So why focus on it. Even in a possitive manner we create the anxietys, constantly looking toward the future for happiness will leave you with nothing but an empty present. Further more the persuit of pleasure is a fantasy of something that will always fade in time. You can be happy in mexico on a beach for awhile but after a week, a month, a year, it will lose its luster. True happyness is something that never fades. Unconditional love for others and yourself is the key. Focus on what you have in your life right now. Stop finding the faults in your partner, friends and family. They are beautiful complex creatures with thoughts, hopes, dreams and goals of their own. Stop looking for what you want in them and see what they are. Sure their not perfect and they may piss you off on a regular basis but they are your family and friends. Forgive their wrongs, don't focus on what their bad traits. Look for their good side, even if you have to dig deep. Everyone has something good inside them. Another form of happiness is acheivement. Acheivement is something you can always have with you. You can look back and see what it took for you to achieve and smile, you can see at this moment that achievment and smile, you can look to the future and no matter what you see your achievements are still there with you. There are many other true forms of happiness and I will write more about them over the next few blogs. Back to what I was saying about looking toward the future. Its not always a bad thing. Having goals and dreams are great motivators. But the key is to look to the future with realistic expectations. For example, you want to complete a degree. Looking toward the future you see hard work but the end result will be a great acheivement, so you smile and become motivated. Thats good anticipation, its realistic. On the other side you look forward to summer because winter and snow make you depressed and anxious, when it all melts you will be anxiety free. Thats negative. You have no idea what you will feel like 6 months from now. For all you know you may be reading this blog and something in you clicks and you feel better right now. Maybe thinking about the here and now may make you want to go tobogganing, skying or skating and winter can ultimately become your favorite season. How do you know? Humans can't tell the future. I am always thinking about summer. I see myself polishing my Harley then heading down to the lake. Is this all there is for my summer? Am I going to polish and ride to the lake everyday? If it rains for the entire summer what will I do? Further more, when ever I stop thinking about this I become anxious. Its not hard to understand. When I am thinking about riding in the summer I am ANXIOUS to do so. It may be possitive but its still anxiety. You take the possitive feeling away and replace it with a negative one and what do you have? As I said before its not horrible or damaging to think about the future, But its extreamly damaging to every aspect of your life if you live there. So enjoy today! Find something you love right now, at this second. Call a friend, go skating, listent to your favorite song. LIVE HERE RIGHT NOW! Forget the past mistakes, love the great memories, look to the future not for gratification but with wonder and possitivity. This is real people, Its not the holy cure for everything but its certainly a step in a more possitive direction and happier future. :") Sat, 15 Jan 2011 13:01:44 -0600 http://www.anxietytribe.com/rss.php?header=blogs&id=19070 http://www.anxietytribe.com/rss.php?header=blogs&id=19070 Hey everyone. I know that some of you read my blogs and think that I have everything figured out. I'm sure some have even badgered themselves for not having a grip on whats happening to them. Today I thought I would tell you that I am just like you. I deal with my anxiety realy well at times but days like today I'm axious for hours. The difference between myself and some is that I look back a rationalize. On wednesday I got called back to work, I had to make decessions that may probably effect the next 30 years of my career, I had an exame this morning and a few assignments due, people in my personal life need help so its hard to focus on myself and to top it all of I threatend a guy in a swiss chalet parking lot last night and he wrote down my plate number. For the last few days I haven't done any exercise, I sleep 5 hours a night instead of my usual 10. So tell me, Are you suprised that I woke up this morning and had an attack? This is what I keep telling you guys about. A healthy life style is important, focusing on good things is important, relaxing and meditation is important. We all tend to slack off when things are smooth or when we get to busy, alot of the times it comes back to bite us in the ass. So I'm getting back on track. I'm not saying that you have to eat carrots and walnuts and run 5k everyday for the rest of your life. But understand that if you are prone to anxiety and you are about to enter a world of deadlines and stress, preperation is key. We can deal with stress alot better when we are healthier in mind and body. Focus on something good today. You'll see that it makes you feel instantly better. This is because anxiety is a feeling, just like happiness, anger, depression, ect. We can always change our feelings when we have something to feel differently about :") Fri, 14 Jan 2011 18:01:11 -0600 http://www.anxietytribe.com/rss.php?header=blogs&id=19036 http://www.anxietytribe.com/rss.php?header=blogs&id=19036 I didn't mean to offend anyone with my earlier blog. I know that we should never sensor what people write or think. I said what I did because I know people hear are very sensitive to any information they are given even if its not true. I saw what was written by another member and I became instantly anxious not for myself but for all of you. I understand that we all need to talk about what happends in our day good and bad but you have to think sometimes that the things we say and howtheycan dramaticly effect another person. I don't mean talking about your bad day at work or problems you may have with loved ones or friends. I am more concerned with misinformation. For example if I told an extreamly anxious person that falling asleep anxious can kill you, it would mess them up for awhile and no matter what they read and what a dr tells them they wont sleep for days. The thought gets stuck. With that said, I'm not even going to ask. I am just simply suggesting that we think about the things we write before we write them. I changed my example in this blog 4 times because I didn't want to give anyone any crazy ideas. lol. Seems funny but I do it every time I write. I read it over and look for anything I may have said that could cause any fear of panic in the more sensitive people. Their are alot of us that rationalize things we see, read and hear and I'm sure some of us who do can remember a time when someone told you something silly that kept you anxious. I once had this girlfriend, her mother told her that a pig can flip your car (thats what she heard). What her mother actually said that a pig has a low center of gravity and if you hit one at a high speed it can in fact flip your car "head over heels". That girl believed for years if she drove by a farm and there where pigs in the field who noticed her driving by, her car would flip over. lol. Wed, 12 Jan 2011 21:01:31 -0600 http://www.anxietytribe.com/rss.php?header=blogs&id=18993 http://www.anxietytribe.com/rss.php?header=blogs&id=18993 I was raednig tihs tihng ahwile bcak taht syas if you sepll wrods icnorcetly but palce the frsit lteter and the lsat leettr in the rgiht sopt it can atuclly sitll be raed. Isn't that wierd? lol. I was bored so I thought would share that. I find the human mind fasinating :") Tue, 11 Jan 2011 01:01:50 -0600 http://www.anxietytribe.com/rss.php?header=blogs&id=18987 http://www.anxietytribe.com/rss.php?header=blogs&id=18987 I just read Jacks blog and It brought something back that I have put away along time ago. So I wanted to talk about it today. Alot of times when we feel overwhelmed on the inside we try to bring that feeling outside so it can be seen and felt on a physical level. Humans understand things better this way. Which is why early trials of treatment for disorders was shock treatment, cold water submersion, ...ect. Drs beleived that you could treat internal matters by causing an external matter. There is something to this study because shock treatment for depression does infact work. No one can tell you how it does work but it actually has had success. Which is why some of us naturally feel the need to harm ourselves in a none threatening way. I used to be what people call a cutter. I have about 30 deep razor blade scars on my chest. I haven't done this to myself for about 10 years now but the scars are raised and discolored like it just happend a few weeks ago. I feel ashamed when I have to take off my shirt. I really wanted to post a picture as Jack did to show him that he is not alone but I find the apearance to be repulsive. I deeply regret what I did to myself. This form of self distruction is not uncommon, many people do it in one form or another. We put ourselves through tremendous amouts of stress, act as if we have a death wish, over eat, drink or do exessive amouts of drugs, ....ect. The point of this blog is, if you have any behaviors that you see are self distructive you need to see someone. I have alot of answers for alot of things but this is something I couldn't offer advice for. I just want you to know that these thoughts escalate. Maybe the first time you do it its for a shock value or release, the second time could be because you are angry and overwhelmed, no matter what it will become a part of who you are and in the end small cuts don't do it anymore. I don't want to go into that here but I will tell you the first time I cut I never in a million years thought it would escalate into what it did. So stop self distructing anyway you can. If you have any behaviors that you see as unhealthy, seek help. It may seem like nothing now but in the end you can easily lose all control then its too late. Sorry to be a downer today but this topic strikes me in a sensitive place. Mon, 10 Jan 2011 11:01:45 -0600 http://www.anxietytribe.com/rss.php?header=blogs&id=18968 http://www.anxietytribe.com/rss.php?header=blogs&id=18968 It was a busy day today so I didn't have much time to write. Checked out the motorcycle supershow in toronto then went to see tron. So here is a small blog to get your mind thinkin. I still get anxious from time to time but it rarley gets out of control. I saw tron in 3D and things that appear funny visually always make me a little anxious. Then I started to get weird thoughts. Like what if I was stuck in the tron world........Anxious thoughts....From a grown man....Stuck in a tron world! At that moment, I said if I am really that retardit I was going to go home and snort pepper till my brain explodes. Which brings me back to challenging thoughts. If you do not rationalize the stupid stuff that runs through our heads, our imagination will take our anxiety where ever it wants to. So try to nip these thoughts in the bud. Grab hold of the thought as it appears and start questioning it. Am I really gonna die? Have I not experienced this feeling at least 20 times before and lived? Is obama really trying to seduce my girlfriend through the TV? LMAO. Challenge what your thoughts and reassure yourself that everything is ok. Your anxiety will subside :") Sat, 8 Jan 2011 23:01:05 -0600 http://www.anxietytribe.com/rss.php?header=blogs&id=18948 http://www.anxietytribe.com/rss.php?header=blogs&id=18948 So, today going out for coffee, I came to a realization that really isn't a revelation but was quite funny to me. First off I would like to start by saying I am not racist, but the stereotypes do play a role in my day to day life. I have badroad rage. So natuarally everyone who holds me up on the road are asian. This is not always the case and it really isn't fair to say. I live in waterloo ontario, everyone here is east asian. lol. But none the less it is a known stereotype, asians can't drive. I justify these things in my head buy saying that they are from another contry with different driving rules. Its not their fault that they are not magnificant drivers. Other times I say mean things because I'm angry. But back to this morning. I get my coffee and I pull back out onto the street and stop at the first red light. I started looking around my car and noticing that it was kinda dirty from winter goop. Lost in my gaze I hear a beep from behind. I look up and the light had changed, as I look behind me through the rear veiw mirror I see a little asian lady smiling and peaking ove the dash of a compact car. I waved and had to laugh. At that moment I realized that I spend so much time focusing on the bad drivers on the road that I fail to see that I to make the same mistakes. The problem I and most people have in life when it comes to anger directed towards others is or failure to see our own mistakes. When we see ourselves as humans who make mistakes than it becomes easier to see others as mistake making humans. When we try to justify all that we do and beat others down for doing the same thing it creates a gap between you and them open to speculation and judgement. I sometimes go as far as to say that I built the road (I actually did) so it gives me the right to cut others off. When they cut me off I simply say they are bad drivers. Thats insane! I try really hard to stop myself from being the ass hole that I am. I guess the point here is that when I see myself as someone who makes mistakes its easier to forgive others for theirs. Try this out and see if it works for you. I hope you can laugh at your self for the things you do wrong as I did this morning. It actually felt really good :") Fri, 7 Jan 2011 14:01:14 -0600 http://www.anxietytribe.com/rss.php?header=blogs&id=18931 http://www.anxietytribe.com/rss.php?header=blogs&id=18931 This is really about personality and people set in their ways. So my friend and coworker just called me and said his girlfriend had left him. I'm not supprised, he really isn't a great boyfriend. The man has a huge heart, he's tall and handsome. He is a no doubt a ladies man. When I joke about him I say "He loves all women except for his own". We talked yesterday over a game of squash and I told him to find out why he is the way he is and come to terms with that. I know his family. His parents married young and his mother was not happy. So I suggested that maybe his mothers infedelities has made him either not respect the bonds of a relationship or has caused his mistrust in women. He agreed, it made sense to him. But when he spoke about it, I can hear the anger and judgement in his voice. Also, in the time that I have known him he has had self confidance issues. Which I never understood. I can call myself a manly man but I have no problem saying the he is handsome. People judge him alot about his personal life, I joke about it but I never crucify the fellah. Even though he slept with my ex girl friend. I was with her for a few years and we where all friends. After she left me, my best friend slept with her. WOW! lol. I was angry and I wanted to hate him. But I know who he is. I know that there is something in his mind that makes him this way and he has no control over it. I always said that he would change when he loses something precious because thats how change. But I worry for him. Everone thinks I'm crazy because I'm still friends with him after what he did but I see through his bad habbits and rediculis ideals because I love him. He would walk through a snow storm in board shorts if I needed him too. Whichs brings me to some point here amongst this rant. When you love some one, you love them although. Which differs from like. You like someone because. I like my car because its shiny. I love my friend although he's an ass. lol. I'm not sure of any kind of point that I am trying to make here, I guess these are my thoughtsbeing spewed into a blog. Or maybe I want you all to have compassion for the screw ups you call friends. All in all, my friend is a dough headbut I'm gonna accept him for what he is and ask himout for coffee. He can usesomeone to talk toright now :") Thu, 6 Jan 2011 13:01:35 -0600 http://www.anxietytribe.com/rss.php?header=blogs&id=18902 http://www.anxietytribe.com/rss.php?header=blogs&id=18902 I will try from now on to label these blogs for whom I directing them at. A few friends made the point that not all advice suits everyone. Don't worry, I will continue to write others that will suit everyone. This one is simply to wrap your mind around the idea of your anxious thought process. Directed at people that are moving forward but still left with avoidance behaviors. So, If you where anxious about eating apples. You fully beleived that eating an apple will give you the worst attack. An attack means all of the thoughts and feelings associated with panic and anxiety at there worse. You look at the apple and you can feel anxiety building, you think of apples and you get uneasy. Now you are sitting on a couch a man with a ski mask bust down your front door. He has a gun and hits you with it. You are terrified for your life. He pulls out an apple and points the gun at you. He then tells you to eat it. Would you say "no, I have anxiety towards apples"? Think about that. Now, when all is said and done. You ate the apple because you made a choice. You saw the gun as a real threat so your irrational fear of apples was "shrunk". This is called forcefull desensitization. It's how "strong" people get over fears. A psycologist will call this the elevator technique. )If you are affraid of elevators, just get in one).  Now the other methode is to create an anchor than slowly chip away at the fear in all forms. An anchor is a reinforced feeling. This is why relaxation is so important with anxiety. You need to practice relaxation. When you are in an anxious situation you bring back that feeling of relaxation. It is your anchor. A big old possitive, rusty stable anchor. So you think about the apple, it will make you anxious so you use your anchor. keep doing this time after time. Keep rationalizing youtr thought, what ever they may be. Tell yourself that these are just thoughts and they are not real. Just thoughts, feelings and symptoms. Nothing dangerous about apples. Then sit in front of one. Use the same techniques as above. Then take a little tiny bit. Then next time a bigger bit, then two bits,....ect.  Keep eating apples and the fear will be completely none existant. You are all affraid of apples and I just want you to eat it and see its not so bad. Before I tell you to eat that apple, I want you to be relaxed, I want you to feel safe, I want you to love you and accept everything around you. I want you to see that there are many beautiful and wonderful, safe things to eat apples for. Some people say that there are different degree of apple fears but this is false. Anxiety has no degree, your imagination however fuels your anxiety and the imagination is endless. So with that being said, I want your imagination to be possitive, I want it to speak possitive things to your subconcious. So when faced with your apple you wont see only a fear of apples, you will see the sunset you enjoyed last night, you will see the neighbor you helped last week, you will see all the wonderful things you fill yourself up with. Then your only fear is the apple. Just a simple little apple. I know I seem like I'm judging sometimes but that is for specific people. When some people are ready for their apple I can see the hesitation. This is when I give the extra boost. I say "HEY ITS JUST A FREAKIN APPLE" lol. Those of you who are moving on and doing things understand this nudge. It is helpful, you can't deny that. For the others, this is a progressive blog. You have to read ALL of my blogs to get to this point. You have to do all the steps I talk about! You cannot half ass anxiety! So, I hope this clears the air. I don't want anyone to feel that I push because I think you are weak. I was where you are once. I saw pushy people as ars holes but then I realized that these people had no other motivation than to fix me. The advice I got was "be a man" lol. I would never say that to someone. But it worked for me because I all my friends and co workers are large hairy bikers lol. Wed, 5 Jan 2011 18:01:55 -0600 http://www.anxietytribe.com/rss.php?header=blogs&id=18887 http://www.anxietytribe.com/rss.php?header=blogs&id=18887 Weird day today. My boss called me at 9 am and asked me to come to work for a chat. I had to go out there to deal with paper work anyway so I went to see him. The whole way there I was thinking that the conversation was gonna be about this asphault plant that I escaped from. I saw that job as liquid stress. I hated it there and told myself that I would never run that plant again. So I showed up at his office we spoke. As I assumed, he wants to know what my intentions are for the up coming season. I look up to my boss, he's like a father to me. I told him how I feel about things but I was willing to do what ever he needed me to do. He Told me that our company is constructing a new asphault plant and he would like me to run it. Nobody looking over my shoulder, no one to tell me how to do my job. It changed something in me. The man I have always looked up to saw me as the guy for this job. My own plant! I don't know if you people understand this but in my line of work this is a huige deal. Its not everyday someone offers you 30 million dollars worth of factory and says "your the captain". They idea is really exciting but I look at my anxious mind and wonder how I will actually perform. It wasn't there, I couldn't even fake an anxious thought. Which brings me to todays blog. Purpose! If you do not have one, I suggest you find one. There have been multiple studies done on stress levels in correlation with unemployment and job hatred. I know it is hard in this day and age to do what you want to do. But we all need to find some possitivity in our jobs. Sometimes all it takes is a change in attitude, a vacation or a small promotion. Think of what you want from your job and aim for it. If its possible, go out and find a new job. This sence of purpose means alot to stress, anxiety and depression. Not only in our jobs but in our lives. There is an idea that anxiety is so prevelant in our society because of the loss of God. People have no religion, no purpose, no higher power to perform for. I am not religious myself but I can easily understand this. I see retired men in my profession drop like flies because they do nothing after retiremen. They lose their purpose, then their drive and ambition. It leaves them open to depression which causes a quick downward slope in over all health. This is so real that my company has a policy about including retired workers in all of out company functions. You need to have purpose! This is why I say, get a hobbie, develope goals. The sense of acheivement will keep your mind in a possitive place. Their not hard to develope. Try simple things. Make plans to be a better friend or mate. Quit smoking. Set goals and work toward them. Have a purpose and you will feel better. See the things you hate doing as a part of this purpose and they wont seem so bad. Alot of times we can change how we feel and think about things just by looking at it from another angle. I hate cleaning the toilet, but I love walking into a clean bathroom. I wish someone else would do it but that person does the dishes and I hate dishes! lol. You see, we all have to do our share for the end result. This is why I do what I do and not think to negatively about it. Try this out. Find your purpose, make real acheivable goals and pat yourself on the back when ever you can :") Tue, 4 Jan 2011 16:01:34 -0600 http://www.anxietytribe.com/rss.php?header=blogs&id=18876 http://www.anxietytribe.com/rss.php?header=blogs&id=18876 Stressed out people flood their bodies with cortisol AKA the "stress hormone". After a while this hormoneremains high in the blood because people stay tensed.Their bodies see this as their normal mode of opperation. They are negative, depressed, angrypeople.This high cortisol brings on anxiety.... Hmmm, don't get stressed, think possitive. Do possitive people get stressed......? Exactly! Lower the cortisol, lower the anxiety. All your left with are avoidance behaviors that can be taken care of with a little hard work. I'm not Mr Rogers people.... I don't tell you to smile because I want to live in a world full of flowers and rainbows. I turn wrenches, spit, ride harleys and smoke cigars like Tony Soprano. But I face evrything with a smile and enthusiasm and my anxiety is rarely a blip on my day to day. I remember a time when my front door wouldshift and my heart jumped out of my chest. I was just like every other anxious person. But with exercise, a better diet and a possitive out look, I became what I am now. So stop stressing out, its making you worse. Learn to smile, get a hobbie. Do something good for someone. Seeing things in a possitive light will set your mind in a relaxed state once more. This doesn't end the journey but it will get you half way. The rest will be all down hill. Have a good day and don't think about pink camels............ I said don't think about them! lol Mon, 3 Jan 2011 19:01:03 -0600 http://www.anxietytribe.com/rss.php?header=blogs&id=18860 http://www.anxietytribe.com/rss.php?header=blogs&id=18860 Its the first day of the new year. People are stumbling out of bed with heavy heads looking for the only open tim hortons in town. What will become of all of our resolutions buy the end of the day? Keep motivated, don't slip backwards. The more we think about change they more out minds make excuses. Last night I sat here and imagined what it would be like to be some place else. So i took it a little more serious and looked at places I would like to live. Remeber that my fear is traveling. I started looking at British Columbia and narrowed it down to Kelowna. The thought made me anxious. I searched for pictures and videos. Then I started looking at jobs and houses. Before I knew it I was seriously thinking about moving there. This is a dream of mine. I want to be some place warm and beautiful. I'm considering this a goal now. We all need goals. Without goals you will have little direction, motivation or drive. Set some goals, make them real in your mind. Visualization is a big part of recovering from anxiety. You'll notice that as you see the things that scare you in your mind they will bring about anxiety. But you are safe, these are just thoughts. As you practice this visualization it will become less and less scary and you can then put your plans into action. I see my new goal as monumental which in turn makes all the smaller things that I have to do not so bad. I see these small steps as obsticles I need to overcome to reach my destination and it makes them easier to face. Have hopes, dreams and goals. They create a possitive future that you can strive for. Nothing is hard when you face it with possitivity, excitement, and wonder. The only thing that really holds you back are your thoughts. So take these thoughts and rationalize them. Twist them around, turn them inside out. Your mind will create a different conclusion. So right here and now, I challange you to dream big and start small. Think of what you really want and start putting your ducks in a row :") Sat, 1 Jan 2011 10:01:02 -0600 http://www.anxietytribe.com/rss.php?header=blogs&id=18855 http://www.anxietytribe.com/rss.php?header=blogs&id=18855 I just spoke with my neighbor who also suffers from anxiety. She calls me and we chat when things are too much. She is having to deal with a minor situation that she has blown completely out of proportion. This is a habbit of negative thinkers. Getting something done is nothing more than putting a plan into action. with no plan, you are walking to an unknown destination in total darkness. some plans are as easy as buy the vegitables, start cooking at 4, have supper at 5. Other plans take alot more steps and time management. No matter what yourgoal is if you try to face it with no plan and a negative mind you will think up a million road blocks, as an anxious person you will turn these thought into anxiety. So, when you have a task, get a paper and a pen. Write the steps you need to take, on the next page write all of your negative thoughts. when you are done, cross off the negative thoughts that are irrational. This will cause you to question your thoughts. You can even ague with yourself a little if you want too. This is an extreamly useful tool when battling anxiety. its call "Thought Challenging". Your disorder is based on alot of irrational thought. Now its time to rationalize this irrationality. In order to retrain your mind, you need to give it a new way to think. Question yourself, challange the negative thoughts. Just because its your mind, doesn't mean you have to take its first choice. imagin if you wanted to put a sears entertainment center together and you had it all planned out without any rational steps. You would never get this things together! But if you sit there with the instructions and study them you will eventually acheive. Give your mind theright instructions. There are unlimitied solutions to all problems. You don't have to accept that ahigh heart rate means death. You don't have to accept that rapid shallow breathing or light headed feelings mean danger. You see what I mean? challange thoes thoughts and find the proper answer. if you need real reassurance, then go get it. See your Dr, get a few test done. This is now real! You can think what you want but there is nothing physicly wrong with you. Only answer left is the right one. Your heart beats fast because your anxious responce is releasing adrenaline in to your body which elevates your heart beat. This is normal and healthy. It proves that everything in my body is working exactly the way it suppose to. The problem is the conection between my body and my brain. I can fix that by bringing them together through meditation. Problem solved! See these steps as true and possitive and you will use them and you WILL feel better. Stay possitve! Question irrational thoughts!Stop being a victim. Happy new years :") Fri, 31 Dec 2010 16:12:21 -0600 http://www.anxietytribe.com/rss.php?header=blogs&id=18841 http://www.anxietytribe.com/rss.php?header=blogs&id=18841 Today I would like to talk about your safety person. Most anxious perople have one. for alot of us its our mother of partner, for others its a Dr or close friend. All in all we deppend on these people, whether its to be beside you at all times, to call when something is wrong or to talk you down when you are anxious. First of all tell that person you appreciate them! These people do not have your disorder but they deal with all of it through you. They need a recharge too! They are there for you when ever you need them, thats pretty kewl of them! Sometimes they get frustrated with you, sometimes they seem pushy, sometimes they try to avoid aspects of your life. What you need to understand is this person does not know your thoughts it may be very hard for them to understand. Don't lash out at your safety person. Thank them, be understanding to them as you would like for them to be to you. Today is HOUG a safety person day! lol With that being said, you need to realize as long as we lean on these people directly we are not actually facing our fears and problems. Let a little slack in the line. See yourself as a small child moving further out of moms sight. You remember back when you got your first bike and everday you would travel a little further from your house. It was our sence of adventure that pushed us out there, Try to create that again. Know that your safety net will always be there waiting for you and move your self further and further away. Independance is a wonderful thing. Being strong and on our own brings a sence of power. You want to feel like this, we all do. So try a little at a time. Think of what bothers you and try to do it anyway. Back when I used a safety person I would ask them to go places and leave me by myself. I would start with that person leaving for 20 knowing where they where going, then for an hour, then longer. In time I never needed to know where that person was and never needed them near me. I learned that the world was a safe place because I carried my safety inside me. That person was just a symbol of safety. There was nothing that person could do with a confused mind in a scary situation that I couldn't preform better with a body full of adrenaline. Remember, your body is always ready for a bad situation. If I was getting mugged I would want a whole crew of anxious people rather than my mother and old asian dr LMAO. Try to be more independant, get away from the normal safety net. You know its there if you need it,its ok to travel further from that place. Good luck :") Thu, 30 Dec 2010 15:12:29 -0600