will@doyoupanic.co.uk

READY TO REJOIN THE LAND OF THE LIVING?

- no need for any conscious thought

To 'allow' yourself to be the natural you, you, first, have to 'understand' how this can be achieved

Any conscious thought will be an after-thought, post cut-off from a thought that has been and gone

 

The main point of all of this, is that we ‘don’t’ think we can ‘rely’ on our natural ability to cope with life, or how our minds’ work!

 

As I have explained, this is, actually, not the case. Why this becomes a case of real self-confidence, is understanding that we do all have very individual characters, but there is ONE very important quality we all possess – and that will enable us to prosper, as us. This is our cut-offs.

 

So, what does this all mean for recovery? Well, our cut-offs move us through our thoughts allowing us to ‘come out’ of negative/positive thoughts, without having to ‘hang on’ to them unnecessarily.

 

This is where I say, natural control vs complete control, as, if we stay in the subconscious – we will be a natural representation of us – as we’re meant to be. Any ‘conscious’ reacting to negative thoughts, or conscious hanging on to positive thoughts will cause issues to be made when they should have ‘come and gone’. This is why many anxiety sufferers also have repetitive behaviours – their way of coping with the raging intensity of their minds – a very uncomfortable and confusing place to be.

 

So, when we ‘understand’ that we can have that very intense or thought filled mind – without having to ‘go off on one’, we can allow ourselves to be moulded – the automatic negatives/positives and cut-offs that bring us out of them will be allowed to work.

 

Now, as you will see in my book – we can slowly work towards having no dependance on any conscious thought whatsoever, as we understand this is all about training the mind to avoid conscious panic reacting (see 'Crux of Recovery' Ch 2-6/MORD Ch 1, 'Advice Columns' and 'The Final Stage' - Ch 9 to see solution working in reality). This is the 'completion' of our recovery and the true meaning of 'letting go'. You will see that I/other past sufferers can now ‘operate’ in the subconscious – we realise (memory storage - see 'Habitualisation') that any ‘movement’ into the conscious mode is unnecessary, no matter ‘how tempting’.

 

We can exist without ‘deliberately’ trying to ‘get hold’ of our lives for secondary confirmation, or, indeed, by repeatedly running from our thoughts when there really is no need to.

Whilst it is easier to ‘see’ the flighter’s ‘response’, it can be misinterpreted that the fighter’s behaviour is calculated. Truth is, they really just don’t know what to 'do' (thanks to JA for this contribution) 

When we find some form of control/comfort (pt 4 MORD) for our panic ‘scramble’ (pt 3 MORD - following negative thoughts) we enter ‘the protection zone’ – our ‘safe haven’ for our predicament. However, this protection zone soon becomes ‘repetitive’, as we are trying to control/avoid a negative (pt 3) with a positive that’s already passed (pt 4 - over-controlling/comfort-taking behaviours) – in turn, making a ‘bigger issue’ of the momentary situation we felt ‘uncomfortable’ with. This is why we 'end up' with repetitive behaviours/obsessions - all very conscious, deliberate behaviours.

 

This happened to me in the past when I tried to ‘answer’ my stress with the ‘word’ relax, for example. I would ‘end up’ constantly and consciously saying this in my head (see Ch 1 and pt 4 MORD – repetitive ‘coping’ behaviours/actions), as I was trying to fight to ‘hold on/analyse/question doubt’ a positive thought that had ‘been and gone’. I wasn’t controlling ‘in the moment’, it was, actually, consciously ‘after’ the moment, such was my ‘desire’ for complete control.

 

It's 'crucial' we stay in the moment, as it's so easy to drift back into our 'bad habit' – this doesn’t just apply to negatives, but also any positive thoughts of control (see MORD/COPAST DIAG Ch 7/‘Getting Ahead of Myself’ – Ch 2)

 

..Ref some of my ‘Advice Column’ sufferers (over-controllers first!) “it was like a deliberate act. I was always (and I now realise ‘consciously’) ‘telling’ myself how to cope in my head – I realise now that I didn’t ‘need to do’ this, as any thought that I was trying to ‘consciously’ control – had actually just gone – so subtle, but I am really starting to understand this and the tension has gone. I found, especially when things really 'meant' something to me, my temptation was at its' greatest”… “and it didn’t mean that having that thought to ‘relax’ was wrong – you are right that ‘when it comes to you’ – you just don’t have to fight to hold on to it or question it”

 

..“I understand my repetitive behaviour now, as I was always trying to consciously force the positives, almost like a one-stop pigeon hole, or 'catch-all' for every negative situation”

 

'Complete control' is destructive, 'automatic control' is constructive

 

“I’d be ‘consciously’ thinking about/questioning/analysing everything I was doing – it was almost like a running commentary inside my head, no wonder I felt like I was living in a bubble”

 

"Hi Will, Thanks for replying, that has helped a lot as i worried about the 'false urge' the panic caused when i investigated and obsessed over thoughts. I am learning every day to accept myself and my thoughts, i think a lot of anxiety and obsessive thoughts are caused by the illness been brushed under the carpet. Nobody really feels like its acceptable to think or feel this way, when clearly it is. There are no limits to what our mind can come up with, i once read somewhere that film and script writers are a great example of this. They think and create stories about murder etc.. so these thoughts are perfectly acceptable.  Anxiety sufferers simply overstep the line of investigating these thoughts and not having the confidence to trust themself. I know now that anxiety will not dominate my life anymore, this specific query was the last thing keeping me in the vicious cycle. Thankyou for confirming this for me :)"
If you would like to add these emails to any of your future journals or books then feel free to do so. The issue i asked about is rarely talked about as people feel they are going mad, which is really sad as a lot of suffering can be avoided through knowledge. Thanks again Candie

 

Hi Will,
...I have been reading your book again today, the first time i read it i wasnt aware i was forcing myself back into thoughts... so i didnt understand how my thoughts were secondary.  When i read what you are saying in your book it is like i could of wrote some of the examples myself.  I have felt a lot of relief today reminding myself that there is no need to fight something that has already been dealt with... so i have been able to stop myself from fighting back into these thoughts. I have only suffered for a year because of this habit, so i am optimistic that it shouldnt take me too long to get the hang of things- although i do have patience! Only for the past 5 months have i been a fighter, before this i was a flighter and i must say it is far worse being a fighter! 
Thanks D 

 

“I felt compelled to run from the situation, as this seemed the right thing to ‘do’ – as you so rightly say. What I see now is that I have to understand the processes at work. I was over-reacting – even though I thought I ‘had to’ – I realise I don’t. I now stay put and move on with the conversation”

 

 “A reminder ‘not to’ interfere with what’s been and gone – Will....and I don’t need to throw up any more is something I’ll take…..”(see also ‘Promoting the ‘Subconscious Habit’ -  ‘Habitualisation’ Ch 6).

 

"Half way through my food, my thoughts turned "I can't do this", "I can't finish this sandwich", "I am going to be sick", "people will laugh at me", "people will think I'm weird", "this old school person will have to finish the sandwich for me". All these thoughts in a nano second (or three). But then my natural cut-offs kicked in, I said "I can do this", "don't fight (or flight from) the panic" and slowly I carried on eating, talked to friends and listened. Before I knew it I had eaten it all........ I so much see how relying on medication or reviewing thought processes were not giving me the confidence that I can recover with my natural ability -- we all can do this (ref Rob's 'Flighter' Case Study - Ch 5)"

 

...Remember we are consciously trying to control or run away from things we have already, subconsciously dealt with and have now come out of – that is our problem and what stops us moving forward on to our next thoughts and flowing through life.  

 

 

Anything ‘not in the subconscious flow’ is forced

 

 

To avoid that 'slide' into conscious 'retrospective' thinking is something that does take time - I, now, have it inscribed in my 'make-up' and, as such, flow in the automatic, subconscious - the 'only' place to be (see 'The Final Stage' - Ch 9).

 

***If this site/book has interested/helped you, then please feel free to feedback and 'post' a comment!

And remember (some primary advice!) - it also 'helps' to take care of yourself physically to get yourself right mentally i.e. exercise, better diet etc, more sleep (if you can) and talk to a 'trusted' source (that could even be me!), as a problem shared IS a problem halved - and will only help you realise you are NOT odd. Will

©  will@doyoupanic.co.uk 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Do You Panic?  Awarded 5* by the UK Mental Health Foundation - A Personal Case Study in Recovery From Obsessive Panic & Anxiety.

Further notes from this site:-

 DY Panic 1. Panic - Anxiety can be cured.

DY Panic 2. Panic recovery is based on understanding our 'reaction' is the real problem.

DY Panic 3. This panic process is one of 'fighting or flighting' - ie we fight to regain control 'actually' after it has happened/or run away from the 'threat' AFTER it has actually passed - as a result - we're stuck in panic, because we are trapped in a 'no win' situation.

DY Panic 4. Many e-mails keep coming in re- 'letting go' and confusion surrounding this. Remember 'panic or anxiety' is when we try to force 'control/running away'. Now, the misconception here is that 'letting go' means 'letting go of all controls'. This is 'wrong' because we don't have to do this as we 'can' get control - see primary 'positive' controls at bottom of recovery page.

DY Panic 5. 'Momentary' panic/anxiety can happen 'initially', like for everyone, but if we react - it becomes prolonged/frequent and repetitive.

DY Panic 5. Panic Anxiety - there are 2 different 'reactions' - we can fly or fight - mine was a 'fight' response very cosely associated with 'perfectionist' character type. An internalised reaction. Flighter panic is very much an externalised 'more visible' emotional loss of control - see actions of the Flighter i.e. CHAPS 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 and 8.

DY Panic 6. Panic Anxiety Reason why this is so confusing is we can't separate real 'primary' control and 'secondary' overcontrol - it is a very fine line. Nevertheless - I have separated the exact process - the difference between primary and secondary thinking IS this CONSCIOUS fighting OR flighting process, which then brings destructive panic.

DY Panic 7. Panic Anxiety. Awarded 5* by the UK Mental Health Foundation - panic 'sets in' we erroneously force control 'after' natural cut-offs have dealt with..no need for panic.

DY Panic 8. Panic Anxiety - you can only get 'focus' in your life, when you accept you ARE different to 'anyone' else. Then you can accept there is no need to 'question or run' if you have 'true' self-confidence. Panic Anxiety is very similar as you question/flight from your 'initial' thoughts. Don't be mistaken - as my study shows - this is not the only thing you question - you also question/run from/ignore your initial positives as well as negatives - but many of us don't see this. That's why panic is still a problem when we 'let go' as we think this means 'loss of all control', but this is 'forced' behaviour yet again - as there is a natural ability to accept positives without reacting to them - but this 'comes to us' NOT 'us to it'.

DY Panic 9. Panic Anxiety The purpose of the book is to give sufferers the chance to 'follow this understanding through' with more specific examples from my experiences and others' recovery. Clarification is, of course, important for all the fighter type perfectionists/confidence building to accept who we are i.e. our initial thinking IS ok (ref also flighters).

DY Panic 10. Panic Anxiety - when you are low, stressed, depressed etc - these are the threats to your very existence as a perfectionist/flighter. Hence, the reason why 'understanding' where 'real' control comes in, is imperative in our recovery from prolonged/frequent  panic anxiety