Over the last 3 years I've learned one thing through all of my anxiety, panic, DRs, blood tests, ER visits, etc… and that is that the MIND is a very very VERY powerful thing. Anxiety is not just mental. It will begin to mimic so many other diseases, EXPECIALLY if you start looking for them. It will create changes physically inside your body.

It's important to get tests done, sometimes its even important to get second opinions, but beyond that you begin to give into your anxiety and you start down a vicious cycle. If you cant trust one or two doctors, you will begin to question everything.

I spent a lot of time reading about my conditions, and visiting forums…and trust me, it does no good. You can not take medical advice from someone on a blog and you can not follow something that you read….every case is so SO specific that you need to trust YOUR doctor. I feel its important to not just pick your first doctor, but to visit several until you find one you are comfortable with.

I remember finding relief when I read a forum about heart palpitations. If I read someone who had a good experience I would instantly feel relieved, if I read something from someone who had a bad experience, I would all of the sudden feel terrible. What happens is you begin to rely on that information. Information that has nothing to do with you, even if you think there is a connection, there is not. It is false.

Now I think forums serve a great purpose. And that is encouragement, open discussion, community building, but don't fall into the trap of self diagnosis. It is a terrible road and there are steps you need to take to get yourself onto the right track.

After getting out of the whole anxiety mess, with countless long anxiety filled nights, I decided to take what I've learned and create a project to help others like me. I called it Project: I Wanna Live Again. It is a Project I have founded to offer support. If you have a chance check it out, its new and in its early stages, but I am hoping to really help people prevent the long hard path I had to take with my anxiety.

Best of luck

Rich

www.iwannaliveagain.com