Anxiety Disorder- Selfhealing Book Module 6

Weight loss (1)

• Nearly 60% of the patients experience weight loss to a certain degree at the beginning of the illness. And weight loss of 5-10 kilograms is common. Some patients even lost 20 kilograms in just two months.
• Here, I really can’t help but teasing. In an era when thinness is regarded beautiful. There are so many people whose efforts in losing weight are in vain.
• In other words, you just need to improve or rectify your understanding. “Have I lost the function of digestion and absorption?
• If I go on like this, I will be doomed.” This is the problem that many patients worry about at the beginning of the illness. So, what you are afraid of is not “losing weight”.
• But “losing weight all the time”. In fact, this is completely “groundless worry” of the patients. After they regain their weight. Many of them even start to miss the “effortless” weight loss before.
• Which is really amusing. To say it amusing, it is because I have the same experience. After losing 10 kilograms in a month, I was also much frightened.
• When I recall it, I find it is an interesting “disease”. In fact, even if I don’t say it. Everyone knows part of the reason for their “abrupt weight loss”.
• You should have no appetite currently. Sometimes you are “full” when you see food. And even some patients will have stomach pain, nausea and vomiting after eating a little bit of food.
• Is it weird to “lose weight suddenly” with this kind of “diet”? In the previous chapters (about stomachache and gastric distention).
• I have already mentioned the reasons why you can’t eat, so I won’t repeat them here. But I want to remind everyone that it is an eternal truth.
• That food is an absolute necessity of people. Now, I ask you: Whether you have an appetite or not, you need to “stick to” eating. You have to eat something even if you vomit.
• After vomiting, you can continue to eat. Have frequent mini meals temporarily. Don’t worry about whether it can be digested. The power of adrenaline is limited.

When you do like this, this situation will soon pass. You will be “gain weight” soon. Oh, by the way, don’t regret it after you “gain weight”.

Weight loss (2)

• Everyone may have heard such remarks, “Somebody suddenly lost a lot of weight and died of cancer not long after”.
• “Somebody was seriously ill and emaciated”. Those wrong perceptions, which are bad cognition. Acquired through thousands of channels including. Our parents and elders, relatives and friends, classmates and colleagues.

Fancied illness

• Their subconscious believes that weight loss “for no reason” must be bad. If you can’t hold back at this time and go to google “abrupt weight loss”, “emaciation” and other keywords.
• Results can be imagined. You are already powerful enough if not scared to death. When you are caught in the “fancied illness” from Google.
• You will feel a wave of heat rushing out from nowhere and spreading all over the body in an instant.
• Symptoms of cranial throbbing, sweating and palpitation then appear. There may be even a panic attack if it is serious.
• In fact, there is another reason for weight loss. In addition to the one caused by insufficient food intake of anorexianervosa.
• Modern medicine has found that increased secretion of adrenaline will increase consumption. While increased insulin will help store energy.
• Great consumption makes one thin and great storage makes one fat. That is why many “weight management experts”. Are using various methods to increase your adrenaline secretion to achieve the effect of losing weight.
• Patients with anxiety disorders have met all the criteria for “weight loss”. While you are “on a diet”, you are secreting a lot of adrenaline. So is it strange to be “thin”? Who else will be thin if it is not you?
• Do you need to suspect other “major diseases”? You may find that I am not using the word “completely harmless” here.

As it is not acceptable whether you are dieting to lose weight or not eating because of anorexia. Try to eat even if you can’t eat. It is an effective way to get through this stage.

Agoraphobia (1)

• In my opinion, there is really no need to subdivide situational fears. You can regard all situational fears such as driving fears, airplane fears.
• Dense crowd fears, confined space fears, agoraphobia and etc. as agoraphobia. The difference is that each individual fear different places or situations.

About 90% of patients experience accelerated heart rate, palpitations, dizziness, weak legs. And are eager to “escape” when they experience a certain situation.

Symptoms

• After the “escape”, the symptoms will naturally ease. Most agoraphobia is caused by panic attacks or more violent symptoms.
• Ms. J is in such a situation, “I used to like traveling the most, and my favorite transportation. Is the plane, which is convenient and fast.
• But since I have anxiety disorder, I don’t dare to fly anymore, as my first panic attack was on a plane.”
• Miss Ye’s situation was similar, except that she had a panic attack. While she was driving and waiting for the signal light.
• She has been deeply afraid of driving ever since. Mr. Jiang had symptoms of dizziness. In the square outside a shopping mall. For a long time, he did not dare to walk in an open place alone.
• Agoraphobia, which is common among patients, is one of the most typical symptoms of anxiety disorder. It is undeniable that agoraphobia has caused great distress to the patients.
• Once the patients are in these “places”, they will suffer from attacks. So they “avoid” going to these places as much as possible. And even stay inside the house.
• However, this is not bad through careful analysis, as it just proves that your body is healthy, isn’t it? Just imagine, what kind of “major disease”.

Will occur in a specific place of the world? It would be interesting to think about the problem in a different way, perhaps.

Agoraphobia (2)

In fact, it is not difficult to overcome agoraphobia. There

are two methods:

1. Cognitive therapy
2. Semi-exposure therapy

Agoraphobia can be overcome quickly through a

combination of the above two methods.

1. Cognitive therapy

• Firstly, let’s talk about the cognitive therapy. In fact, it not difficult to find. That we are not afraid of planes, driving cars and squares.
• What we are really afraid of is that being in these places. Will evoke memories of our past-“terrible memories of symptoms”, that is to say.
• What we need to overcome is still fear itself. When you have enough awareness of anxiety disorder. And no longer fear or struggle with the symptoms.
• Why are you afraid of those “places” that may cause your symptoms? As for how to overcome fear itself, it is the main purpose of this book.
• Which aims to help everyone understand anxiety disorder and overcome fear itself. About what fear itself is.

It has been introduced in detail in the previous chapters, so I won’t repeat it here. Then we will talk about the semi-exposure therapy. If you want to understand semi-exposure therapy.

1. Semi- exposure therapy

• You must first know what exposure therapy is. As the name suggests, exposure therapy refers. To letting the patient directly enter a situation.
• Which is most frightening to him and correcting the patient’s wrong understanding quickly. So as to achieve the purpose of eliminating fear.
• In other words, the method makes you do what you dare not do and go where you dare not go. Though the exposure therapy is practical, I don’t recommend it.

Reason is simple, as exposure therapy, though effective. Has mixed advantages and drawbacks.

Advantages

The time is short, and the problem-solving is

relatively straightforward.

Drawbacks

It is difficult to implement and has a great impact on the patient’s body and mind. So it must be used with caution.

And the so-called “semi-exposure therapy” can minimize

those drawbacks through the following:

1. Give yourself a few weeks to truly understand anxiety

Disorder. And establish a correct understanding it.

• Try to overcome the fear itself as much as possible by

correcting cognition. And eliminating the fear of symptoms.

• Try the “exposure therapy” after completing the initial

cognitive therapy.

• Further undertake the “cognitive therapy” as the main

method and the “exposure therapy”. As theauxiliary method and combines the two.

This is what I call the “semi-exposure therapy”. On the one hand, it will not cause a huge impact on the body. And mind of patients one the other hand. It can help patients overcome agoraphobia in a short period of time.

Tinnitus

• According to a literature on tinnitus from the Outpatient Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery. And Tinnitus from Oregon Health Science and Technology University.
• Anxiety disorder is a common complication of tinnitus. In line with the classification of DSM-IV, there are many types.
• Including generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post traumatic stress disorder, panic disorder, etc.
• Among those, the generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder. Post-traumatic stress disorder and panic disorder are more common in patients with tinnitus.
• In addition to affecting the emotion and behavior of patients. Severe anxiety disorders can also cause certain physiological reactions.
• In turn, strong physiological reactions can increase patients’fear of tinnitus, forming a vicious circle.
• Other non-auditory problems of tinnitus can also include poor concentration. Memory loss, being upset, easy mood swings, etc.
• These symptoms are commonly referred to in clinical practice as “neurosis II”. In fact, some of these are symptoms of anxiety disorder or depression.

And some are related to lack of sleep. If anxiety, depression, or lack of sleep is effectively improved. The above symptoms can often be eased.

Mental and psychological factors

• Literature has confirmed that mental and psychological factors. Are inextricably linked with tinnitus, especially for patients.
• Who have no tinnitus before or have mild symptoms. Those patients develop symptoms of tinnitus at the same time. As or after the disease (anxiety disorder), and anxiety disorder may be the main factor.
• Likewise, you can treat tinnitus like any other symptoms. Regard it as a part of your body temporarily and actually allow it to exist.
• As you recover from anxiety disorder, your body and emotions return to normal. The “tinnitus” caused by anxiety disorder will disappear naturally.
• This also applies to tinnitus caused by other problems. At least, it will be nothing difficult to be greatly improved.

Insomnia (1)

• Insomnia may be the most painful and common problem for people with anxiety disorder and depression. More than half of the patients have experienced temporary or long-term insomnia.
• However, do you know that 99% of sleep disorders come from psychological problems. And a large part of them are just occasional insomnia caused by certain problems.
• No matter how healthy a person is, he will have temporary insomnia due to certain problems. So, why does the little problem like insomnia cause so much trouble to everyone?
• I have pinpointed a problem from the communication with thousands of patients. And it is precisely because of this problem that makes the treatment of “insomnia” more difficult.
• “Insomnia” itself is not scary, what is scary is the fear of “insomnia”. People fear that insomnia will cause major harm to the body.
• Make them out of spirits the next day, or even will lead to madness, sudden death, etc. And this incorrect cognition is the true culprit behind your “insomnia”.
• Here, I don’t want to arbitrarily say that insomnia is harmless. And I won’t follow public opinion to judge the insomnia threat theory.
• I just want to tell you that over the past few years. After hearing thousands of patients describe their “insomnia” symptoms.

And excluding subjective pains, I have come to a conclusion. Among so many patients who are suffering from “insomnia” symptoms of anxiety.

Depression and OCD

• Depression and obsessive[1]compulsive disorder, no matter how severe the symptoms are.
• There has never been a single case of major illness, madness or sudden death caused by “insomnia”. Yes, what you hear is true, there is not even a single case.
• Are you still so afraid of “insomnia” when you hear this? At least, sleep is not as important as you think.
• Try to fall asleep as you can and stay awake if you can’t fall asleep, so what? If you can really achieve this, then “insomnia” will be self[1]defeating. There is no need for treatment at all.
• Remember, “insomnia” is not scary. What is scary is that you are afraid of it.

Insomnia (2)

• Is insomnia really that scary? I have done comparison and analysis of many patients with “insomnia”. Theoretically, insomnia is the same, so the damage to the body should be the same, but in fact it is not.
• Here I will share two interesting cases with you. Ms. Cui and Mr. Wang are both patients with anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
• They both suffer from symptoms of “insomnia”, so damage from the same anxiety. Obsession and “insomnia” should be the same.
• Difference is that Mr. Wang has undertaken cognitive behavioral therapy for a month. In terms of sleep, I just tell him repeatedly that sleep isn’t as important as he thinks.
• As a result, interesting differences emerge. Ms. Cui suffers from “insomnia” every day and has difficulty in falling asleep.
• She often can’t fall asleep at one or two o’clock in the morning. So she is very obsessed and worried about sleep. She fears that she may be out of spirits the next day or may even die suddenly.
• She is guilty of not being able to fall asleep, which makes her almost “crazy”. When each night falls, fear is already arising.
• She still feels even if she gets up at noon the next day. Thus she suffers greatly. Mr. Wang is different. His “insomnia” is more serious.
• He often can’t fall asleep till three or four in the morning. And sometimes he is forced to stay up all night. However, through treatment of cognitive behavioral therapy.
• He tries not to force himself to sleep. Sometimes he read books, listens to music, achieving “happy” “insomnia”.
• It turns out that the on next day, Mr. Wang does not feel much discomfort. And sometimes even feels energetic. This situation is not an exception, but a common one.
• Why are the results so different for the same insomnia? We should ponder deeply over this. Let us make a bold assumption.
• Assume that the harm of “insomnia” to us is 1, then the harm of “fear of insomnia” is at least 10-100. Therefore, “insomnia” is not scary, what is really scary is “fear of insomnia”.
• And if you can achieve happy insomnia, then the damage caused by insomnia to you will be infinitely close to 0.
• After all, more than 90% of diseases are caused by negative emotions. And fear is the biggest negative emotion. Compared with fear, “insomnia” is nothing!
• Facts have proved that when patients get rid of fear of “insomnia” and start “happy insomnia”, “insomnia” disappears surprisingly. The vast majority of patients have such a case.

So, let’s have “happy insomnia”.

Insomnia (3)

Specific ways to treat insomnia:

1. Sleep is not as important as you think.
2. Instead of suffering passive insomnia, it is better to be happy and have active insomnia. Close your eyes and think that by just closing the eyes and resting the mind, the body can be healthy. I should not sleep tonight, just close my eyes and rest my mind.
3. I can listen to audio books, listen to music. Close my eyes and rest my mind and I am enjoying it.
4. Don’t fall asleep. I will fail when I fall asleep.
5. If your plans fail, then you have overcome insomnia.
6. If you have successfully stayed up all night. You don’t need to worry about the second day and the third day. As sleep is the genetic code of millions of years and will not be broken by decoded you.
7. Remember! Insomnia is not scary at all. What is scary is the fear of insomnia.
8. Now, you can close your eyes and rest. My dear friends, have a good dream.

Chill

• Almost every day, there are patients who say to me: “I’m cold all over, I must have a fever, but why does the thermometer show normal body temperature?
• I am really cold.” Some friends tell me: “I am freezing but I have no fever. After covering the quilt and turning on the electric blanket for more than two hours. I do not even warm up, let alone sweat.” In fact, this is not a big problem.
• This level of “chill” is completely tolerable for everyone, but hypochondriasis is unbearable. Some patients can’t help.
• But suspect that they have a “major disease” again, and their fears will follow. Although other patients do not have such obvious fear. They are vaguely worried in their subconscious.
• Wondering if there is a “problem” in their body that has not been detected. Although this kind of worry is not violent. It will prevent the adrenaline from returning to normal, and the vicious cycle continues.
• In fact, feeling chilly is not such a terrible thing.

Mechanism

• Excessive adrenaline and disordered nerves will cause your blood vessels to constrict. Which will slow down the blood circulation of the whole body.
• Constriction of blood vessels of the skin will reduce the flow of high temperature blood to the skin. Especially for the hands and feet which are farthest from the heart.
• Although this situation will not have any effect on the body. It does exist and it may occur frequently, accompanied by symptoms such as scalp tingling and goose bumps.
• In fact, this situation is not unusual among healthy people. When people are nervous and afraid, it will cause such symptoms.
• No matter how healthy people are, they will secrete more adrenaline. When nervous and anxious and their nerves will be more sensitive than usual.

For patients with anxiety disorder, the symptoms may just be more frequent.