Hi. It's thursday night and I just read all the posts on goal setting. I/ve been on another "thread" on this site but would like to set a goal too. I had a panic attack at the Y last week thursday when I took the kids for lessons. I had to escape the building and go into the car while they had their lessons. The whole time I had to calm myself down in order to go back in and get them at the end of lessons. Well, today, I chickened out. A half hour before leaving, I had to tell the little kids, no swiming, I was too uptight and scared of a panic attack. They even had their bathing suits on. So my goal next thursday, is to take them for their lessons. Thanks for encouraging us to set a goal. Carol

Hi Caitlin i just wanted to know if you can pump gas yet :)For almost 3 weeks now i have been driving my son to school with my other children with me :)I have also been going into shops by myself as long as my husband is waiting in the car for me My goal for next week is to drive to a shop make a purchase and drive home i think i can do it will let you know how i go.Anyone else up for a challenge?? Lulu..

caitlin, Thank you so much for all the courage and belief in me. Sometimes I need to hear that I can do it, you know? I'm so proud of you for accomplishing your goal and Lulu too! Far Out!!!!!!!! It's not a dumb goal caitlin. I think it's an excellent goal. Pumping gas is a hard things and it requires remember a lot of things as well as not paying attention to those around you. I'll have to think of a new goal for me next week:)

I did it i took my son to and from school with my other children with me and didnt panic once Yay!Congrats to everyone else who attempted to do theirs whether or not you did it just having a go is what counts.Im so grateful to you Caitlin for posting this challenge.I am going to think up my next challenge for next week and i will let you all know. Lulu..

Caitlin, I am so proud of you! This is fantastic progress and we are so glad you are doing better :) Please keep us updated and let us know how we can help, Keep Strong, Josie ______________________________ The Panic Center Support Team.

caitlin, you are a really good person. Your name should be ANGEL hehe. Thanks for inspiring all of us to push harder. I really do feel insecure about my ability to do this alone. I feel that i am not independent. But i want to gain power and just DO THIS. I want to be able to BRING ON the panic attacks without being afraid. I promise i will try doing this...i will let u know how it goes!

Caitlin, you have seriously inspired me to attend the next CBT program! It sounds like you have accomplished a lot in a very short time. I am so happy for you. :)

RIGHT ON MYSTIC!!! I knew you could do it! And the really cool thing is that you had a panic attack in the middle of your goal - and yet you STILL went on and did it the third time, even though it would have been so much easier to avoid the situation. You took control of the fear, instead of letting it control you! Believe it or not, having that horrible panic attack has put you waaaaaay far ahead in your control of the anxiety, because even though you had it you still took control and achieved your goal. One of the things we are learning in my CBT group is to just accept panic attacks as they happen - don't anticipate them, don't fear them, just accept them and go with it. Literally say to yourself as you feel the beginnings of an attack "BRING IT ON!". And then just let it happen, while you relax your body and think calming thoughts like "I know exactly what this is - it's just anxiety. It is unpleasant, but it will not hurt me. It will pass, and when it does, I am getting up and moving on." I am so proud of everyone for posting their goals here and doing their best to meet them. Even if you don't meet the exact goal you set, you still made an effort, so let's say that's half the battle - now fight the last half by trying to achieve the goal for next week! I met my goals this week too. I only lost my patience with my step-son once this whole week, compared to my usual 2-3 times daily. It made a huge improvement to my overall anxiety levels. And I drove myself all the way to my CBT group tonight (which is quite a ways from my home) and all the way back. No panic attacks (anxiety and tension, yes, but no panic). My goal for this coming week is to (don't laugh, I know it's silly) learn how to pump my own gas! I know it's ridiculous, but I only got my license a year ago and I have always had the gas jockeys or my husband pump the gas - I have conciously avoided ever having to do it myself because I feel stupid for not knowing how. And it kind of weighs on me in the back of my mind, making me feel weak and vulnerable and embarrased. So I'm going to get my husband to show me how, and then I am going to drive BY MYSELF to the gas station and pump my own gas, and go in and pay for it. Anyone else have a report on their goal for the past week, or a ne

Hello all, Just wanted to let you all know that I achieved my goal this week. I went to all three appointments. The first one and the last one went off without a hitch but the middle one was horrible. I completly lost it and had one of the worst panic attacks I've had in a while. Nevertheless, I did achive my goals though, and I am very proud of myself for sticking with it and telling myself I could achieve something that I thought I couldn't. :)

That's fantastic Lulu!! You should feel really proud of your determination! The more you do it the easier and easier it will get until you don't even have to think about it anymore!! I have done really well with not getting upset at my step-son. While I usually get noticably irritated or upset with him at least 2-3 times every day, I have only done it once in the past 5 days. It has made a huge difference to my anxiety and stress levels. I have to have an ERCP tomorrow (basically what they call getting "scoped" I think) which means I will be sedated so I am not sure that I will even be allowed to fulfill my second goal which was to drive myself to my CBT class tomorrow night, but we'll see. Maybe it will all have worn off by then! I am so enthusiastic seeing all your great goals posted here... it makes me feel like we're actually physically moving toward recovery and control! Debbi - you are being WAY too ambitious honey!! You need to start small, with a simple and tangible goal. And just one - not 3 or 4 giant ones. That will just be unattainable and then you won't be able to celebrate your success! Just pick one simple one - like leaving the house once every day this week, even if it's just for a walk around the block. Or, alternatively, make your goal to go one place you have never been before to get out of your comfort zone - even if it's just walking down a street in your neighbourhood that you have never gone down before. Let us know what your new SIMPLE goal is, remember - baby steps!