Hi Mike...
I am new here but been following your thread with interest. I have been suffering with PA/anxiety for about 3 years now and want to reinforce what Nurseboy28 said previously...it is not the anxiety that we need to be concerned with, but our response to it. My symptoms disappeared for nearly 1.5 years, then popped back up quite unexpectedly. Now for the past several months, I have been trying to put a lid on it. I have found that there is one common aspect to recovery stated by others and that I have at times practiced and been successful to some degree with...Float past the symptoms and try not to resist the anxiety. Whenever you begin to experience symptoms, remind yourself that you are a fighter and not going to let this disorder control your life. If you do this (and I know that it takes practice), then you remove the power it has over you. Face it, accept it, float past the symptoms and then let time pass. If you do this, with practice, you will find that the anxiety begins to dull and takes on less importance in your life. I don't want you to think that I have not had to work at this...it does require effort and time. You definitely have the right idea in occupying your mind with positive thoughts and activities. I have found that if you limit the space you allow the negative thoughts, eventually they will diminish. I hope some of what I said here either reinforces your beliefs, or helps to enlighten your viewpoint somewhat. Take care and stand your ground!
