YOU ARE NOT ALONE - A companion online community discussion board for The Mental Illness Happy Hour podcast with Paul Gilmartin

I recently have come to the conclusion that anxiety is an appendage on my body. One that really has no purpose but is there just the same. It is kind of like our gallbladder or appendix. Everyone has one, but most live entire lives with out even noticing it is there. But some of us have one that "flares up" causing great discomfort and sometimes needs medical treatment. Too bad we can't just have it removed.
The reason I started thinking of it this way was due to a recent flare up. Something that is normally stressful for anyone happened to me. I had panic and anxiety but it didn't feel all encompassing this time. It was just sort of there, like it was hanging off my body. And as soon as I dealt with what needed to be dealt with it went away. It was a weird sensation to not have it overwhelming me.

That's such an awesome way to think of it. A combination of acceptance and invalidation of anxiety's power over you. I'll try this out

I agree wholeheartedly with what Chell said, great way to think about it! It never ceases to amaze me that as I talk openly about my struggles with other people, they share their own experiences with anxiety. That we can live "normal" lives with that blasted thing hanging off of us.

I am really glad you guys liked it. I am wondering if it started when I started to separate my from various pains. Before any pain would shut my body down, a tooth ache, a toe stub, a splinter... but I can't remember which book gave me the idea but I started to stop myself from freaking out and tried seperating my "SELF" from the pain in my body, starting small. Example, ok, that broken nail really hurts BUT that pain is only in my finger. The rest of my body is fine. Its just in that one little spot on the surface of my entire body....... etc.... And I think I built it up over time. As someone with lots of aches and pains, I guess that part was easy. LOL. Well that particular day, I think I was tired and when the panic attack started I was just too tired to go through the motions and told myself, a part of my brain is misfiring chemicals. and it is causing this affect to my body. It will go away. And it did.