I bought your program back in 1993 and am still playing your tapes - they have become good friends when I’m having bad times and feeling anxious or depressed. As a life-long sufferer of panic and anxiety, I have learned much from your program as well as other reading I have done, therapists I’ve had, and people I’ve met in support groups.
Lessons from the Midwest Center for Anxiety and Depression
I can identify when you say that you benefited from helping others - I have found I do much better when I focus on that.Your advice on breathing was my early inspiration (no pun intended.) I “tune in” to your web site often - it’s a great web site!
The Origins of My Panic and Anxiety
My problems with panic and anxiety began as a teen when my mother unexpectedly died of a brain aneurysm. It was tough being the oldest of children (all girls) with the youngest sister some 18 years younger than me. I fell into a big sister and sometimes mother role in the family with some role confusion among the three sisters that remains to this day. These situations can cause some stress that turns into anxiety without proper emotional management.Learning to Handle Anxiety and Panic
My husband and I lost our home in Miami when it was destroyed by Hurricane Andrew (while we were inside the house.) We were not in an evacuation zone and had to endure the storm up close and personal. This situation would cause anxiety in even the most emotionally stable person.I was doing OK - getting better and better at handling the anxiety and panic - even quit smoking and started exercising more regularly. Then, my father fell ill and died after a brief illness - I was bedside when he left us. Then, my sister’s health declined - she needed an organ transplant to survive. It was my “middle sister” who recently had a liver transplant with all the accompanying caregiver pressures and stressors. It seemed like everything was crashing in on me all at once and the stress started to build up into a ball of anxiety.
Getting Through Stressful Times with Breathing
With the Attacking Anxiety & Depression Program and lots of reading, and with a focus on doing my breathing, I was able to make it through all of these stressful occasions. I have found that if I remember to do measured, diaphragmatic breathing, I can avoid an episode when I feel anxiety coming. I also found that if I practice my breathing routinely during the day and stick to it, I don’t stress and I haven’t had any panic or anxiety attacks.I didn’t mean to go on and on, but I thought it important to give you an idea of what has brought us to this point. Moreover, I wanted to describe how breathing has been so very helpful to me - I can’t endorse it enough.
