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Anxiety increase when starting program

It seems like when I wake up in the morning my anxiety is the worst. I'm shaky ,headache ,heart races. But my legs and upper back hurt less. Been taking Visteril to calm down a bit. The shakiness that comes with the anxiety is awful.
I was convinced that my pain for the longest time was trigger points and myofascial related. I still think it could be. But I also think it could be what Dr Sarno thinks.
 
I think this is really common. It happened to me last February. I read 2 Sarno books, saw myself and started the SEP. Then pain decreased and anxiety skyrocketed. And honestly I wanted my pain back! It all makes sense. I started therapy to deal with anxiety and trauma. My physical pain started after traumatic event in 2008 which became incredibly clear within the first day of journaling. My therapist says anxiety is an emotion, usually anger, with a lid on it. Sound familiar? It is all the same thing.
I too HATE feeling anxious so so so so much. I do find Claire Weekes' "floating" on anxiety as it passes to be very helpful, but I easily forget to do that and just fight it, which totally doesn't work.
I'll leave out the details of my story and it isn't yet a "success" but now my anxiety is down and my pain is increased. I quite drinking any alcohol about 3 months ago (this was the right decision for me as I had a problem with drinking even tho most people didn't know it), I'm physically active doing things I enjoy and I'm slowly tapering down my low-dose xanax. It is hard to even type all that because I'm actually acknowledging I cannot do it all. I'm journaling again, not the structured program yet. I'm recently in greater awareness of ANGER and my sub-conscious efforts to hold the whole world together with my care-taking and strength. I still feel like this is a process but I truly believe I have TMS and the only way out is through.
Best to you!
 
ladyofthelake said:
I think this is really common. It happened to me last February. I read 2 Sarno books, saw myself and started the SEP. Then pain decreased and anxiety skyrocketed. And honestly I wanted my pain back! It all makes sense. I started therapy to deal with anxiety and trauma. My physical pain started after traumatic event in 2008 which became incredibly clear within the first day of journaling. My therapist says anxiety is an emotion, usually anger, with a lid on it. Sound familiar? It is all the same thing.
I too HATE feeling anxious so so so so much. I do find Claire Weekes' "floating" on anxiety as it passes to be very helpful, but I easily forget to do that and just fight it, which totally doesn't work.
I'll leave out the details of my story and it isn't yet a "success" but now my anxiety is down and my pain is increased. I quite drinking any alcohol about 3 months ago (this was the right decision for me as I had a problem with drinking even tho most people didn't know it), I'm physically active doing things I enjoy and I'm slowly tapering down my low-dose xanax. It is hard to even type all that because I'm actually acknowledging I cannot do it all. I'm journaling again, not the structured program yet. I'm recently in greater awareness of ANGER and my sub-conscious efforts to hold the whole world together with my care-taking and strength. I still feel like this is a process but I truly believe I have TMS and the only way out is through.
Best to you!
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Since I started the program I feel very shaky and nervous. What helps u with the shaky uneasy feelings?
 
Marnster, just as you stop letting back pain intimidate you, stop letting anxiety intimidate you. When symptoms show up keep telling yourself,"My body getting me ready to deal with stress. This is good for me." And try to observe and see what happens.
 
Marnster said:
I wonder why people's anxiety increases?
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Because the area in your brain that is impacted by pain is also responsible for the emotions. Per Sarno, and per many other pain researchers, your physical pain is a result of suppressed emotional pains. As your physical pains subside, your brain looks for an outlet - and finds it in the emotional pain. Most likely, the same anxiety that you had pushed in and repressed in the past, is now rising and unless you figure out how to process it and let go of it, you will be going back between two pains. Different people get through it differently, try meditation, active exercise and pleasureful activities - whatever works.
 
The most helpful approach I have found to manage anxiety is to simply let the physical sensation of anxiety exist and know it will pass. Seriously, it feels like a waste of time but I'm basically biding my time until I feel better. Obviously I wouldn't say I like it. But fighting and hating makes anxiety grow.
I never thought I could be a person that could take a deep calming breath, ugh I used to hate hate hate being told to do that. But I actually learned to do it. But for me that learning happened in reverse. Deep slow breaths were not how I learned to calm but rather a side effect of floating through, rather than fighting, anxiety. Then once I got a sense of that, I could see my breathing was different. And gosh dang it, it was those hated calming breaths!
 
ladyofthelake said:
The most helpful approach I have found to manage anxiety is to simply let the physical sensation of anxiety exist and know it will pass. Seriously, it feels like a waste of time but I'm basically biding my time until I feel better. Obviously I wouldn't say I like it. But fighting and hating makes anxiety grow.
I never thought I could be a person that could take a deep calming breath, ugh I used to hate hate hate being told to do that. But I actually learned to do it. But for me that learning happened in reverse. Deep slow breaths were not how I learned to calm but rather a side effect of floating through, rather than
fighting, anxiety. Then once I got a sense of that, I could see my breathing was different. And gosh dang it, it was those hated calming breaths!
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Lady of the lake instead of back and leg pain I've been waking up in the morning shaking, having a fast heart rate, nervous. I'm reading Dr Sarnos books and I can't believe how much this sounds like me. My doctor put me on xanax and visteril for anxiety. But I'm now just taking vistaril to calm me since it's non addictive.
 
ladyofthelake said:
The most helpful approach I have found to manage anxiety is to simply let the physical sensation of anxiety exist and know it will pass. Seriously, it feels like a waste of time but I'm basically biding my time until I feel better. Obviously I wouldn't say I like it. But fighting and hating makes anxiety grow.
I never thought I could be a person that could take a deep calming breath, ugh I used to hate hate hate being told to do that. But I actually learned to do it. But for me that learning happened in reverse. Deep slow breaths were not how I learned to calm but rather a side effect of floating through, rather than fighting, anxiety. Then once I got a sense of that, I could see my breathing was different. And gosh dang it, it was those hated calming breaths!
Click to expand...

Ladyofthelake gave a perfect answer to the question about what to do when anxiety hits.

When anxiety hits me, I breathe and very mindfully notice where in my body I FEEL anxiety and what the specific sensations are. In my case, I feel waves of little pins and palpitations in my chest right below the collar bones, then those waves move to my back below shoulder blades and dissipate in the lower back area. For some reason, breathing steadily and follow the waves of anxiety and desperation through my body helps to get over it.

The paradox is that the stronger is the feeling, the easier it is for me to notice it and get through. It is like rain, a slow drizzle is barely noticed and can go on forever, but when a shower comes in, it dumps the water by buckets and then sun comes out right away.
 
TG957 said:
Each time I make any improvements in my symptoms, I get a surge of anxiety - which I totally welcome. Anxiety is one of those emotions that result in pain symptoms if repressed. As per Dr. Weekes and Jon Kabat-Zinn, there is no way around anxiety other than getting through it. As hard as it is, if you give your body a chance and space to feel through it, it will subside.
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Hi! How do u get through anxiety? For the last few weeks I've been feeling so shaky and nervous and heart pounds fast. This lasts almost the whole day. What can I do to get through this? Do I continue with the program?
 
Marnster said:
Hi! How do u get through anxiety? For the last few weeks I've been feeling so shaky and nervous and heart pounds fast. This lasts almost the whole day. What can I do to get through this? Do I continue with the program?
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See all the replies above, from me and Ladyofthelake. I am sorry it is rough for you but there is no way out. We all are quite miserable when anxiety hits - but you need to feel your emotions. Yesterday, I had a surge of anxiety and my symptoms almost disappeared. Today anxiety is gone, but symptoms are back, although not as bad as before. This is how it works :=(. I can't speak on use of anti-anxiety drugs, because I don't use them.
 
TG957 said:
See all the replies above, from me and Ladyofthelake. I am sorry it is rough for you but there is no way out. We all are quite miserable when anxiety hits - but you need to feel your emotions. Yesterday, I had a surge of anxiety and my symptoms almost disappeared. Today anxiety is gone, but symptoms are back, although not as bad as before. This is how it works :=(. I can't speak on use of anti-anxiety drugs, because I don't use them.
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I've been having anxiety daily for 3-4 wks :( mornings the worst
 
ladyofthelake said:
The most helpful approach I have found to manage anxiety is to simply let the physical sensation of anxiety exist and know it will pass. Seriously, it feels like a waste of time but I'm basically biding my time until I feel better. Obviously I wouldn't say I like it. But fighting and hating makes anxiety grow.
I never thought I could be a person that could take a deep calming breath, ugh I used to hate hate hate being told to do that. But I actually learned to do it. But for me that learning happened in reverse. Deep slow breaths were not how I learned to calm but rather a side effect of floating through, rather than fighting, anxiety. Then once I got a sense of that, I could see my breathing was different. And gosh dang it, it was those hated calming breaths!
Click to expand...

With my anxiety I feel so so shaky and heart beats so fast. It lasts almost all day. How do u get through it ? Do u get real shaky ? Breathing not working for me. I still feel nervous and shaky. Like I drank way too much coffee feeling. I'm afraid of certain meds cause they addictive.
 
The best way is to simply 'accept' the anxiety. For me that means to be aware of the fact that the feelings of anxiousness are only temporary and cannot do me any harm. I have also been cutting down on caffeine recently and after a few days of feeling tired, I have noticed that my energy levels are more consistent. If you're dealing with anxiety, I really do think cutting down on caffeine and getting enough sleep can be important.

It really sucks to go through anxiety but the good thing is that it is only temporary and it is probably fear of the anxiety that perpetuates it.
 
MrRage said:
The best way is to simply 'accept' the anxiety. For me that means to be aware of the fact that the feelings of anxiousness are only temporary and cannot do me any harm. I have also been cutting down on caffeine recently and after a few days of feeling tired, I have noticed that my energy levels are more consistent. If you're dealing with anxiety, I really do think cutting down on caffeine and getting enough sleep can be important.

It really sucks to go through anxiety but the good thing is that it is only temporary and it is probably fear of the anxiety that perpetuates it.
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Anything that helps u through it? I had it everyday all day for the last 4-5 wks
 
Marnster said:
With my anxiety I feel so so shaky and heart beats so fast. It lasts almost all day. How do u get through it ? Do u get real shaky ? Breathing not working for me. I still feel nervous and shaky. Like I drank way too much coffee feeling. I'm afraid of certain meds cause they addictive.
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I took xanax occasionally for years and did not get addicted.

For what it's worth - home remedies:

http://www.top10homeremedies.com/home-remedies/home-remedies-anxiety.html (Home Remedies for Anxiety | Top 10 Home Remedies)
 
Marnster said:
Anything that helps u through it? I had it everyday all day for the last 4-5 wks
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I would highly recommend reading Claire Weeke's "Hope and Help for Your Nerves"

http://tmswiki.org/forum/threads/this-changed-everything-for-me-if-you-are-in-pain-pls-read.10731/ (This changed everything for me. If you are in pain, pls read:)

This post has a lot of useful information. I would recommend reading and re-reading it. It is really possible to 'relax' into an anxious state, as ridiculous as that might sound. Trying to mentally resist the anxiety is probably only going to generate more anxiety. In one way, a person almost has to change their perspective and outlook about anxiety and accept it as a natural, organic emotion.

If you feel really anxious and feel like you can't cope, then try to get into a posture or position that normally causes pain. I have noticed that when I'm in pain, I am not very anxious and vice versa.

When I was in the beginning stages of my recovery, I also experienced enormous amounts of anxiety. It is a sign of progress.
 
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