Understanding our disorder is the first step in taking the power back. Acceptance is the second step. When we have been diagnosed as having an anxiety disorder we need to accept it, otherwise we will not be able to recover.
The starting point is to accept: ‘This is me and I have an anxiety disorder’. We need to totally accept the disorder and ourselves, not with fear and not with shame or humiliation, but with understanding and compassion. When we can fully accept ourselves as we are at the moment, we can begin to work towards the future when we won’t have an anxiety disorder.
Even when we have accepted the anxiety disorder it can still dominate our life. Through our fear we remain passive. If we feel angry or frustrated we take it out on ourselves. Why? Why aren’t we angry at the disorder? It is destroying our lives. We need to take the power back. We need to dominate it. Everyone wants to recover, but we need to reach a point where enough is enough. The power of our anger and frustration can motivate us in developing an attitude of, ‘I will recover no matter what!’
‘No matter what’ means our recovery is number one priority. We become disciplined in our approach to meditation or relaxation and our other management strategies.
As our power and confidence develop, ‘no matter what’ means we challenge our thoughts. We challenge our fear. We challenge the anxiety and our attacks. How dare they do this to us?
Have you ever tried to have an attack? Have you ever tried to be anxious? Try. See what happens.
As I mentioned in chapter four, our anger can be the ‘rocketship’ to recovery. We can use our anger and frustration against the disorder, instead of against ourselves. Our anger and frustration can help break its dominance. Our anger at this level of acceptance is stronger than our fear. We take back the power. The dominance of the disorder is broken permanently.
The disorders do feel as if they push us to our limits, physically, mentally, emotionally and in some cases spiritually. We survive—but we can do more than just survive, we can recover. We can take back the power.
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