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Dear fellow anxiety sufferers
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TOPIC: Dear fellow anxiety sufferers 2603 Views

Re: Dear fellow anxiety sufferers 30 Oct 2019 02:44 #344674

Thank you again for responding, and I appreciate the additional tips and suggestions.

I would like to keep summarizing the tips (in the order that they come in) so that other anxiety sufferers can find the various tips and ideas in an organized fashion.

1: Treat the underlying issue of anxiety through therapy.

2: Practice mindfulness.

3: Listen to Rabbi Yiztchak Fanger's lectures, and read his books.

4: Treat the underlying issue of anxiety through medication.

5: Practice exposure therapy.

6: Exercise.

7: Share your anxieties with a friend who can help put things in to perspective.

Unfortunately, I am incapable of actually implementing most of these ideas [for reasons that I disclosed in previous posts, and for reasons that I cannot disclose for various reasons], but thank you to all who shared tips and suggestions, and I look forward to hearing additional tips…

On a separate note, I did some thinking regarding the therapy approach. It seems like we all agree that there are a whole lot of real incompetent mental health "professionals" out there, and that one should only try to go to a real competent mental health professional with a proven track record.

Based on my knowledge, though, besides the difficulty of getting weekly sessions or even bi-weekly sessions with these top notch professionals, they can easily charge $250 per session.

Now for someone like myself, and plenty of other frum individuals who are not making over $30,000 a year, which leaves us with just $2,500 a month, minus taxes, rent / mortgage / food / bills etc. how can one justify spending such huge amounts of money on therapy?

Re: Dear fellow anxiety sufferers 30 Oct 2019 03:10 #344679

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Just a quick point. Medication doesn't treat the underlying issues. For that you get therapy. Medication helps the symptoms. 

you mentioning the opioid epidemic and drug addiction. These drugs are not what are used for addiction at all. But like with therapy, you need a competent doctor to prescribe them. 

I feel bad that you have the anxiety and most of the tips and suggestions won't work for you. I hope you find something that works for you. Good luck! 

Re: Dear fellow anxiety sufferers 04 Nov 2019 09:05 #344893

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Concerning mindfulness, you can see this link from ColinColin : ww.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/beyond-self-destructive-behavior/201601/mindfulness-in-the-treatment-self-destructive-behavior
As he said : in mindfulness, you treat the urge to fall as an external thought...

Concerning Rav Fanger, you can find shiurim translated in english at Hidabroot.com

Re: Dear fellow anxiety sufferers 12 Mar 2020 04:00 #347812

Dear community of GYE,

Hello,

Thankfully, the last five months have been incredibly successful for me. I am just three days away from being 150 days clean (!!!). This is the second to longest clean streak that I had since I exposed to shmutz for the first time. I look forward to making this clean streak my longest streak ever, when I will – with the help of Hashem – reach 225 clean days.

My success can largely be attributed to my full schedule and the general consistency and stability of the winter season, both of which left little room for any anxiety and depression.

But sadly, over the last few days, I find myself losing grip. No; I did not fall, and I barely slipped. I just feel that I am losing grip. My anxiety is heavily kicking in, and my Yetzer Hora is doing exactly what it does every single time I have an anxiety episode; it is telling me that the world is gloomy, the future is dark, I am both helpless and can do nothing to avert the darkness, and I might as well just throw in the towel on frumkeit in general, and abstinence in particular.

My Yetzer Hora is assuring me that if I just drop frumkeit, move away to a far-flung, small and cheap non-frum town, live in an apartment alone, and have a basic job, I can live peacefully and calmly, and commit every sin in the world (rachmana litzlan) while undisturbed from the endless anxieties of living a frum lifestyle and raising a frum family.

There are numerous elements that are presently contributing to my heightened anxiety (Purim, Pesach, travel, family members etc.). Among the various elements is the coronavirus. In my mind, there are so many potential scenarios that can unfold, including, death and job loss (rachmana litzlan), amongst myself, my friends, my family and my community.

Dear fellow Yidden,

I am certain that if this phase of anxiety results in a fall (rachmana litzlan), the damage would be unbearably excruciating. Getting back to normal would be beyond difficult.

In light of that recognition, I beg those who genuinely relate to my struggles, to please inspire me and motivate me to navigate my way through this phase, so that I can leave this challenging phase unharmed…

Hashem should shower each and every member on GYE with guidance and clarity, so that everyone can leave their own challenges behind them for once and for all.

Re: Dear fellow anxiety sufferers 12 Mar 2020 11:16 #347816

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Iyh you will pull through. Anxiety can be debilitating but not when you have chevra holding your hand! Reach out to the oilam here. I also would propose that someone like yourself that BH is doing bli ayin hora so well should reach out to help others. You have experience to share and can definitely sympathize with others who struggle. It is very helpful for one's self to help another struggler. There is an element of accountability/responsibility coupled with a sense of accomplishment. Hatzlocha!
Feel free to contact me at michelgelner@gmail.com

My threads: Lessons Learned: guardyoureyes.com/forum/20-Important-Threads/335248-Lessons-Learned

                    My Story and G-d Bless GYE: guardyoureyes.com/forum/17-Balei-Battims-Forum/303036-My-story-and-G-d-bless-GYE

Re: Dear fellow anxiety sufferers 12 Mar 2020 14:17 #347817

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One of Freud's first patients was called the "Wolf Man". It seems he achieved little success with him by using his techniques on one hand. On the other hand, the patient kept coming to sessions for years. It seems that, the mere fact that the "Wolf Man" was "lightening his load" by telling Freud his problems, made him feel better and more relaxed. This illustrates an important point in therapy. A big part of it is "venting out" feelings, experiences, etc. That can certainly improve your mental health.
But also I can say from personal experience, more than any technique, the therapist is a 3rd person in the story. He usually "catches you" on your stories, experiences, etc. He sees what you don't see. He says see? You're doing that again. He's more of an eye opener. He disentangles strong and old knots in our minds, like irrational beliefs (even acording to Judaism). Personally, it was very liberating for me, all the therapy I did.
Finally it seems to me that you're avoiding your anxiety triggers, which is great. But what happens when they come to you and you're unprepared? Also will you live your whole life in avoidance? Sounds like very stressing to me. Therapy can help you make peace with your past and uncover the underlying reasons for your anxiety. Think of the therapist not so much as a doctor, but as a teacher that will help you discover yourself and guide you. You're 100% right that you should strive to find the best match. On the other hand, if one has a heart problem for instance C"V, does one not go to to the doctor at all, since the doc could make a medical mistake?(And I reckon there should be a lot of 'em) Sounds irrational to me, but everyone is entitled to their opinion.
From what I read of your posts, I strongly encourage you to seek professional help. You'd be surprised how much it could make you happier and live an easier life. Try it. If you don't like it you can always quit or change therapists.
אם יהיו חטאיכם כשנים, כשלג ילבינו
Last Edit: 12 Mar 2020 14:20 by Snowflake.
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