How to accept anxiety disorder

[uk23]

I keep trying to accept it but for some reason I just don't believe in it.

I think this is mainly due to the volume of medications and therapy I have tried, all with little success. I have spoken to my psychologist about this as well and he said its not an uncommon belief amongst people with anxiety disorders.

So...any sort of advice, especially from people who feel the same?

[Captain Caveman]

Hi. Well I actually don't agree with accepting you have a disorder. I think it's better to look at it that you are behaving in a certain manner and need to sort it out. I came across an article of a therapist discussing obsessive and compulisve behaviour and the term disorder. If you have a look at the description of what the word disorder means, it doesn't even make sense to say "I have a disorder". You are saying "I have a chaos". Doesn't make sense.

"The word disorder is simply the term doctors use to describe the interference or disruption or disorder that the obsessions and compulsions that you are experiencing are causing in your life. Or to put it into terminology consistent with this webpage, the “chaos” that these symptoms are causing in your life. That’s all that word means." http://www.ocdchicago.org/index.php/...word_disorder/ (http://www.ocdchicago.org/index.php/experts-perspectives/article/dont_be_afraid_of_the_word_disorder/)

[judipat]

Hi
When we say you need to accept aniety/panic, OCD whatever - its not just a case of like an alcoholic saying;
"I'm Joe Bloggs - and I'm an alcoholic"
You have to believe it! and thats the hard part.
What you are saying is that you do not beleive that your thoughts are responsible for the way your body reacts to them.
I am 53 Piers and have lived with this for over 30 years, not constantly, but the times I have been really ill are those times when I've let the physical symptoms frighten me. These have usually been times of extreme stress like the death of a loved one, physical and/or mental exhaustion etc etc.
I think the key is to recognise and accept the warning signs and not to react to them. Once you do this, you can then form your own strategy to deal with them. I know that when I get anxious, the first thing that happens is my breathing goes all over the place, this leads to chest pains, tingling, lightheadedness etc etc.When this happens, I know I have to rest, body and mind, use my breathing techniques and generally look after myself for a while.
Dont get me wrong, there have been times when I hav'nt been able to do it and this has lead to endless trips to the docs, tests etc. I've just gone back on medication after years without it - but, I knew I needed it, to take the edge off. I know I wont be on it for long.
So, whatever you label it, only you can control it by accepting the way you are.
Take care
Judi xx

[JohnBliss]

I too believe that we can only achieve change through acceptance and the more we fight anxiety the worse it becomes. I have been "managing " anxiety for nearly thirty years and over time have accepted that this is just the way I am .The more I can accept it the less of a problem it is
and this is the mindset I try to achieve every day. The anxiety does sometimes get the better of me and I do suffer the occasional panic attack but again I try to accept these and even will them to happen which seems to " blunt" them
Best Wishes
John