Who else starts to freak out when they start to calm down?

This has gotta be common, right?

You start to relax, you start to forget about your pain and fears and troubles, you maybe even sleep a little...and then WOOSH! FREAK OUT! Your brain sends all the fear and pain and adrenaline because it does not feel safe when you are not alert!

My least favorite.

 

Your brain will eventually learn to relax a bit. The important thing is not to react when it wants to go back to high intensity mode.
When you begin to think about the anxiety and push away the sensations try following Claire Weekes advice to “float” through it. Let it be, don’t get attached or worry about thoughts associated with it.
Myself, I make sure to thank myself for the seconds of calmness, and be confident that this is only the beginning.

 

You're not alone! I had the anxiety plus I couldn't stand my own company and relax, I'd push it all away; in my case I'd stuff everything down (the sensations etc) with food. As Cactus says, try to 'float' through it à la Dr Weekes. The more you practice it the easier it becomes.

 

@Cactusflower @BloodMoon Thanks! Yes, I've been practicing with Claire Weekes' techniques for several months now. It's a good reminder to float...I think as we start to have some success we can stop remembering to practice.

Last night I got some sleep...and immediately went into high alert. My mind is very interested in figuring out what I did wrong because sleep must mean something is wrong! It immediately went to "oh I had one good night so I should stop this medication that has been building up in the past few nights for sleep" rather then "yay, the medication is working and I got some sleep, what a relief."

 

Yes - can totally relate and have become so aware of it!

A couple weeks ago, had a fun, long conversation with someone - something I have been longing to for, just freeflow conversation without thinking about the pain and symptoms - it was simple, nothing major.... but the flare has been happening pretty much since then with the reoccurrence of a few of it's old favorites as well that interestingly enough, make it difficult to talk, so have been reluctant to have any conversation for any length of time since. Pretty amazing!

Now, with this awareness of what the mind is doing, hopefully at least a step closer to being able to assure it, it doesn't have to freak out anymore...
And, maybe I just need to stop what I am doing and make a phone call now to just remind it that this is not acceptable?
Onward we gooooo. And, maybe I just need to stop what I am doing and make a phone call now to just remind it that this is not acceptable?

 

I think you do need to make a phone call. Just do it!

 

Called a friend and talked for about an hour! Thanks for the nudge!

(of course I didn't do most of the talking, but at least it's a step in that direction and certainly A LOT more talking than I would have done had I not made the call!)

 

Good for you!!!
TMS tempts us to fill our lives with "I can't." We need to respon with "I can!"