Face Your Fears

[Rebel]

I no longer have problems with anxiety. I don't get panic attacks. My life is considerably improved. Do you want to be where I am at? There's a really simple solution: Face your fears.


What gives you anxiety? Stare it down and push yourself to get past it.


I was getting panic attacks in public places. Crowds, unfamiliar places, department stores with cameras (a bit paranoid lol) they all gave me panic attacks.I limited my time around and in these places. As the old joke goes "welcome to walmart, get your **** and get out". I got out lol. 


All I did was force myself into situations that gave me anxiety. A few months later and I didn't even realize I wasn't having panic attacks anymore.


It's that easy. Literally. Mind of matter. Stop being so dependent on medication. You don't need it. 

 

[JCP]

Stop being so dependent on medication. You don't need it. 

Sorry but that's just terrible advice.

 

[kelden]

Or you might end up worse, or be killing you. I don't remember what I told to a bloke the last time this subject was brought up to a discussion, but the suggestion of facing and enduring your fears is just asking to add an extra layer of stress and misery to your already hapless life. Of course, It undeniably works if they're brave enough to face their fears, It will pave a path to a fast recovery. Although for some people is more of a matter of "conquer or die trying" when facing their fears, thus they need to take baby steps first.

 

[Surrender]

I do agree with you @Rebel and that's kind of the approach that works for me, but it doesn't work for everyone that way, and I understand that too.  


I also think we shouldn't become dependent on medication, but everyone's situation is different.  Some people need it at times (me included) and some people need to stay on it forever.  But I think we should be cautious and test ourselves to see if we can go it alone, but if not, then by all means take the medication, that's what it's there for. 


It's a difficult topic because everyone is probably at a different level, with a different background, and different coping mechanisms, etc. so it's hard to say one certain way of doing things is the best. 

 

[Alex]

Facing your fears sounds great, but we also have to be in the right place to do that. Some people need to accept and realize them before they can face them, so that's a hurdle one must cross first. Often we are oblivious to the obvious and until we know the issue it can't be dealt with.


While I have been on medication and am off it now, I wouldn't tell people not to take medication because some people may need it. Obviously it is better not to take any, but only under professional help. If someone was starting out and hadn't started taking medication, I would recommend intense therapy first, and then the therapist can decide if medication would be necessary. It's not something you should decide alone.

 

[Panic57]

I no longer have problems with anxiety. I don't get panic attacks. My life is considerably improved. Do you want to be where I am at? There's a really simple solution: Face your fears.


What gives you anxiety? Stare it down and push yourself to get past it.


I was getting panic attacks in public places. Crowds, unfamiliar places, department stores with cameras (a bit paranoid lol) they all gave me panic attacks.I limited my time around and in these places. As the old joke goes "welcome to walmart, get your **** and get out". I got out lol. 


All I did was force myself into situations that gave me anxiety. A few months later and I didn't even realize I wasn't having panic attacks anymore.


It's that easy. Literally. Mind of matter. Stop being so dependent on medication. You don't need it. 

I'm confused, did you have a panic attack or an anxiety attack.  They are subtly different.  Were you diagnosed with either or sell diagnosed?  While I'm a fan of taking the least amount of medications as possible, I wouldn't be so rude to call someone who needs them dependent and that they don't really need it.  Facing your fears is an important aspect of life but do it to often and you'll wear out your heart.  I know for a fact that my anxiety attacks messes with my asthma.  If it happens to long I'll pass out from lack of oxygen.  So just pushing myself into situations that upset constantly could kill me or cause worse problems from lack of oxygen to my brain.  So no, your advice isn't correct for everyone and doesn't take any consideration to the people who have been fighting for years with the help of a psychologist without making much headway.  While I'm happy that you were able to overcome your anxiety, you need to be more careful with your words.

 

[Choochoo]

There are times when I've had phases of facing my fears and it felt natural to do it then and I guess the circumstances at the time helped too. I think one thing we should remember is that as much as we do have some control over our destiny there is also a part of it that is beyond our control. I agree that it is good to face your fears, I think it's still great advice in general. 

 

[kelden]

On the other hand, I shall say, that for all those people that choose to go daredevil and face their fears head on, you have my admiration. All of you are living paragons of the strength of willpower, and you undeniably will have an ongoing success in life. Fears may come in different flavors: uncertainty, prejudice, hatred, insecurity, self-loathing, anxiety, etc. And every time,the more a person decides to topple their fears, the more we are advancing as a society. But yeah, is not for everyone. 

 

[John Snort]

One strategy could work for some people but it might not work for others. I've heard stories of people who tried to conquer social anxiety by facing their fears but ended up committing suicide because they weren't prepared for the reception they got. It's best IMHO to experiment, find out if facing your fears is working but if you honestly think it doesn't then seek treatment.

 

[janemariesayed]

I no longer have problems with anxiety. I don't get panic attacks. My life is considerably improved. Do you want to be where I am at? There's a really simple solution: Face your fears.


What gives you anxiety? Stare it down and push yourself to get past it.


I was getting panic attacks in public places. Crowds, unfamiliar places, department stores with cameras (a bit paranoid lol) they all gave me panic attacks.I limited my time around and in these places. As the old joke goes "welcome to walmart, get your **** and get out". I got out lol.


All I did was force myself into situations that gave me anxiety. A few months later and I didn't even realize I wasn't having panic attacks anymore.


It's that easy. Literally. Mind of matter. Stop being so dependent on medication. You don't need it.

In a sense, I am facing my fears, by getting therapy. But it has never worked for me just throwing myself into my fears. It makes me worse. I thought I needed therapy and now a whole team of doctors have decided it for themselves and put me down for it.

My mental illness is to do with childhood problems that need to be overcome. It's not just a case of face it and go for it. Every day is a struggle at the moment. There are many reasons why we can become depressed or anxious. It is not mind over matter, not with me anyway. It may be that with some people but I tend to believe that there must be a trigger for these low moods and mental problems.

I was not one for taking pills either. Read my posts on here and you can see that I was never one for chemical meds. I even admit I am a pot smoker. But it helps me to relax and not think about my problems. It even helps with the PTSD that I am going through.

Without being rude or offensive, as I never mean to be. Perhaps before thinking that it is so easy to get over this illness, to first read up on symptoms. It has flabbergasted me for example that my PTSD is also due to what happened to me in my childhood. My bad memory is down to my childhood. In an interview nowadays, they ask us what our most challenging thing was and how did we overcome it. That is a trigger for me. I can't help it, but I walk out of interviews and have panic attacks. Now I get them before I leave the house for fear of what someone wants to talk to me about. How can I leave the past behind if the world wont let me?

Now the crisis team has put me on Prozac. I'm not getting any side effects, apart from I've had a few headaches but I'm fine now. If these pills help me to relax and cope then I am all for it. So I am in agreement with @JCP and if the pills work for you, then try them. They may just help you to heal.

My sympathy and understanding goes out to all those people who are suffering any kind of mental illness. I hope and wish that they find the strength to get help and overcome the hell that they are going through.

 

[janemariesayed]

Facing your fears sounds great, but we also have to be in the right place to do that. Some people need to accept and realize them before they can face them, so that's a hurdle one must cross first. Often we are oblivious to the obvious and until we know the issue it can't be dealt with.


While I have been on medication and am off it now, I wouldn't tell people not to take medication because some people may need it. Obviously it is better not to take any, but only under professional help. If someone was starting out and hadn't started taking medication, I would recommend intense therapy first, and then the therapist can decide if medication would be necessary. It's not something you should decide alone.[/QUO

The doctors have decided that I am better to calm down before starting my therapy. They know a quick A - Z of my life and think that it would be better for me if I start on the meds first. They don't think I am in a good place to start facing things yet. the tablets I was given last year was Sertraline that made me shake uncontrollably so I didn't take them and saved them up instead to take all at once if I felt like it. Now those pills have been confiscated and they are giving me one week at a time. So these Prozac are the first pills that I have really taken every day. This is so I can begin therapy and face my demons without getting suicidal.

 

[JessicaBarnett]

It might work for some but not for everyone.

 

[XmasCarol52]

Sorry but that's just terrible advice.

I come to find that people who say something like that probably never had a anxiety attack in the whole life,you just cannot snap you fingers and make it go away.It may work for some but it never worked for me.

 

[Concernedgal]

I no longer have problems with anxiety. I don't get panic attacks. My life is considerably improved. Do you want to be where I am at? There's a really simple solution: Face your fears.


What gives you anxiety? Stare it down and push yourself to get past it.


I was getting panic attacks in public places. Crowds, unfamiliar places, department stores with cameras (a bit paranoid lol) they all gave me panic attacks.I limited my time around and in these places. As the old joke goes "welcome to walmart, get your **** and get out". I got out lol.


All I did was force myself into situations that gave me anxiety. A few months later and I didn't even realize I wasn't having panic attacks anymore.


It's that easy. Literally. Mind of matter. Stop being so dependent on medication. You don't need it.

Umm. It's not that simple. This a chemical imbalance not in your head. Our brains literally sees the world differently. Does facing your fears help? Sure it does . However. ..it' not a solution. You can' just ignore your anxiety away.

 

[XmasCarol52]

Umm. It's not that simple. This a chemical imbalance not in your head. Our brains literally sees the world differently. Does facing your fears help? Sure it does . However. ..it' not a solution. You can' just ignore your anxiety away.

I couldnt have said it any better and you cannot get rid of them that fast he probably never had them to begin with cause if he did he would know that anxieties are fear .How can you face something you are afraid of?Ya like I am terribly afraid of snakes what am i suppose to do go into a room so I can face them?There is no way in hell I could ever do that.

 

[janemariesayed]

I couldnt have said it any better and you cannot get rid of them that fast he probably never had them to begin with cause if he did he would know that anxieties are fear .How can you face something you are afraid of?Ya like I am terribly afraid of snakes what am i suppose to do go into a room so I can face them?There is no way in hell I could ever do that.

Yeah and I'm hit scared of spiders. All creepy crawlies really. Ha ha. Am I supposed to be shut in a room full of spiders? I'd have a heart attack and that would be the end of me. Tee hee. And what about my fear of heights? I suppose I'm supposed to go and jump off a roof.

 

[XmasCarol52]

Yeah and I'm hit scared of spiders. All creepy crawlies really. Ha ha. Am I supposed to be shut in a room full of spiders? I'd have a heart attack and that would be the end of me. Tee hee. And what about my fear of heights? I suppose I'm supposed to go and jump off a roof.

I have a fear of heights to.I know if we were able to face our fears we wouldnt have any to begin with.

 

[janemariesayed]

I have a fear of heights to.I know if we were able to face our fears we wouldnt have any to begin with.

That is so true. I think that fear is built in us. All of us have a fear of something if we are honest.

 

[XmasCarol52]

That is so true. I think that fear is built in us. All of us have a fear of something if we are honest.

I know dont you just love ti when people tell you they arent afraid of anything?That is bull I am I am already nervous and stressed out guess why because as usual i am always worried about my money being in the bank.I know it will be but until i see it there ugh.You know what else I notice if I am extremely nervous I get awfully hot so much to the point i shake and sweat like crazy..

 

[janemariesayed]

I know dont you just love ti when people tell you they arent afraid of anything?That is bull I am I am already nervous and stressed out guess why because as usual i am always worried about my money being in the bank.I know it will be but until i see it there ugh.You know what else I notice if I am extremely nervous I get awfully hot so much to the point i shake and sweat like crazy..

Sweating is part of it. I sweat so much too, more when I am anxious for any reason. Anxieties are a fear so I am not surprised that our bodies raise their temperatures. Maybe some people don't like to admit their fears.