Would like to hear some inspiring stories of those who beat this monster!

[Tricia386]

Hi would like to hear some inspirational stories from you, and how you beat this monster! 

[ecameron]

I got depressed when I saw no one answered this!

[Tricia386]

Give it sometime ecameron! I just posted a few minutes ago, must be optimistic!

[bryan3000]

I beat it, and then it came back. :)


Seriously, I have this theory that once people beat something like this for real... or get it managed to the point where it's not an issue in their lives, they likely stop spending a lot of time on an anxiety message board. Right or wrong, I think if someone frees themselves of it to an extent, they likely want to spend less time thinking about it.

The downside of that is, many of the sufferers here fail to hear those success stores... but they're out there. Guaranteed. I'd bet that a large % of the people who encounter anxiety find ways to cope and even "beat" it, medically... and otherwise.

So, you have to keep that in mind when looking for "victory stories" online. People who beat it... often just "beat it," and don't hang around posting as much as they once may have.

It's for that reason that when I HAVE had medical successes in the past, I try to share the solutions for people online, so the internet isn't solely filled with "I'm sick, how do I get better" stories.

There are ways to cope, deal and often beat this. You just have to work hard and continue to seek them out, imo.

[Tricia386]

Great Point!

[ironmary]

I will have to agree with a fellow poster.  I have been feeling better the last couple weeks and have found myself not coming on to the forum as much.  I don't spend all the time reading the different posts.

I have also had success!  I went just about 2 years without having any anxiety.  Then it comes back for awhile, goes away, comes back, and then goes away.  For me, it's a cycle.  I start feeling better, so I stop doing all the CBT techniques I've learned.  I stop doing my relaxation tape and all is good until my life is a bit more stressful and anxiety comes back.  I think the key is to make the CBT techniques and the relaxation tapes a way of life, instead of all the stopping and starting.  I personally feel this will be better for myself in the long run. 

[Cally539]

I agree. Once I felt better, I didn't come here as much. In fact, I'm feeling a tad off today, so that's why I stopped by. I feel like I'm beating the anxiety, but it will return with stressful events, even good ones like the big picnic I hosted this weekend. I frequented these boards heavily Feb-May and now when I come back I don't recognize many of the names. It shows that many people make progress and move on. Check out the success stories board and you will find lots of stories.

[Warbirdwf]

I agree. Once I felt better, I didn't come here as much. In fact, I'm feeling a tad off today, so that's why I stopped by. I feel like I'm beating the anxiety, but it will return with stressful events, even good ones like the big picnic I hosted this weekend. I frequented these boards heavily Feb-May and now when I come back I don't recognize many of the names. It shows that many people make progress and move on.

I fully agree with this. I've been off and on this site since 11-09. I've seen lots of people come on when they first came down with an anxiety issue. They posted frequently and were scared. I can think of a few people who posted multiple times a day. All those folks are not on this site any longer. The reason, they healed, their anxiety resolved and they moved on. I don't plan on visiting this site when my anxiety finally goes away again.

As for success stories, I don't know anyone who has had an anxiety issue that hasn't recovered. Several family members and a few friends have come down with anxiety and then recovered. I have also had a couple of -episodes- of high anxiety in my past. 20 years ago I came down with it for several months. It resolved w/out meds or therapy. A year later it returned and then resolved again w/out meds or therapy.

In all cases for me, my anxiety was due to poor stress management. I remember when it broke out the first two times and know exactly how stressed I was. This time the anxiety broke out due to a divorce, sagging economy, laying folks off, etc. TOO MUCH STRESS.

Anxiety isn't a monster. It's actually a natural thing that our body does to warn us that things are out of sort. The symptoms can be a real challenge but, once you realize it's just your body mis-firing due to stress and other things, it eases the fear of it and the recovery starts.

[amartinez]

I have suffered from panic attacks and anxiety for about 20 years. I have gotten over them by doing yoga, keeping myself busy with my children and studying. I lived anxiety free for about 12 years and then about 3 years ago my brother died and my anxiety came back. I could not get out of the house for months and I had to stop working, stop driving, could not take care of my kids. I started counseling again, I had a lady come and stay with me because I could not be by myself. she would read the bible with me everyday, we would do yoga for stress everyday, and sometimes I would just cry for hours. After about four months like this I went back to work part time and eventually started getting out to the stores. I had to go early in the mornings so that I would not be around too many people. I have to tell you that I started driving again about a year ago, I work full time (teacher); I go to the stores (still early in the morning) I am not in counseling, still do yoga. My anxiety and panic would never go away, but I have learned to live with it. I still get those moments when I feel that I am going to have a heart attack, but there are very few. I think the main thing for me is knowing that I have a choice in my life. I don't have to do anything I don't want to do, if I don't want to go anywhere then I won't go and if I want to I will. Choice is what makes me make it through the days. And always take one day at a time, sometimes one morning at a time.

[bryan3000]

I have suffered from panic attacks and anxiety for about 20 years. I have gotten over them by doing yoga, keeping myself busy with my children and studying. I lived anxiety free for about 12 years and then about 3 years ago my brother died and my anxiety came back. I could not get out of the house for months and I had to stop working, stop driving, could not take care of my kids. I started counseling again, I had a lady come and stay with me because I could not be by myself. she would read the bible with me everyday, we would do yoga for stress everyday, and sometimes I would just cry for hours. After about four months like this I went back to work part time and eventually started getting out to the stores. I had to go early in the mornings so that I would not be around too many people. I have to tell you that I started driving again about a year ago, I work full time (teacher); I go to the stores (still early in the morning) I am not in counseling, still do yoga. My anxiety and panic would never go away, but I have learned to live with it. I still get those moments when I feel that I am going to have a heart attack, but there are very few. I think the main thing for me is knowing that I have a choice in my life. I don't have to do anything I don't want to do, if I don't want to go anywhere then I won't go and if I want to I will. Choice is what makes me make it through the days. And always take one day at a time, sometimes one morning at a time.

Awesome story. Awesome advice.

Props to you.


I've come onto anxiety because of a medicine reaction and it's stuck with me. So, I've never known what it was like.  In the past, I probably would have thought of people with anxiety as weak people.
It's obvious to me now just how strong people like you really are.

It takes a ton of patience and guts to overcome and even live with this. But, it's possible, and people need to take that to heart.

[Tricia386]

Thank you for all of your stories, my anxiety started out as HA anxiety 2 months ago and it was outta control, I slowly notice a change. I can go places and do things again, my only thing is i am still not sleeping the greatest. But I am starting Therapy soon so hopefully this will help. This bored works miracles!