On the forum we asked ‘What is the most important lesson you have learned since beginning Panic Away?’ Read on as Megan shares with us how patience and acceptance have been vital to her recovery from anxiety.

 The most important thing anxiety had taught me is patience and acceptance. Treating an anxiety disorder is not a speedy, easy process. Since I’ve been using this program I have learned to accept myself as I am and trust that I am working my absolute hardest to get back to a peaceful existence. Accepting and embracing my anxiety has been a very beneficial lesson to me. I am a more accepting person in other aspects in my life because of what I have learned about myself using Panic Away.

Along with acceptance, I have learned to be patient with myself. No one here deserves to be verbally abused- especially by yourselves. It has been so hard for me to kindly encourage myself to work hard at overcoming anxiety. Being so harsh on myself was a nasty habit that needed to be broken, and I have anxiety to thank for that (in a weird, twisted way lol). Every day I tell myself that it is okay to work toward my goals at whatever pace I feel is comfortable. No more beating myself up if I feel like I’m not making progress fast enough.

It wasn’t until I learned these lessons that my anxiety started to drastically become easier to maintain. Although I still struggle with anxiety from time to time, I am overall a happier person because of my experience using Panic Away and am working hard to be a better me.

 Congratulations Megan. True Acceptance is extremely difficult to achieve. It takes a lot of patience and time. Complete 100% acceptance of all that you feel is crucial for the anxiety symptoms to lessen and eventually fade away. When we try to mentally push feelings of anxiety away, the feelings bounce back harder. You need to know that you have a choice. You can fight and resist anxiety or move to true acceptance of it and allow it to be present. When you move into a state of true acceptance of how you are feeling you create a gap for nervous system to calm and heal.  No longer allow yourself to be the passive victim waiting for anxiety to come, take control and change the way you think about it.

 By accepting, you are paradoxically healing your anxiety.