Today I'm going to introduce you to Kirsty! Kirsty is a former Panic to Peace student who's here to share her anxiety recovery journey! These anxiety success stories can be so helpful if you're currently struggling with anxiety. Sometimes we forget that anxiety recovery is possible, but these stories are a great reminder that you aren't the exception to recovery!
ANXIETY RECOVERY SUCCESS STORIES: MEET KIRSTY
Before we start, I want you to get to know Kirsty! Kirsty lives in the UK with her husband and two children, and she also works outside of her home part-time. From the outside, it might look as though she lives a very functional life. But Kirsty has gone through 20+ years of living in a state of being okay only under certain conditions. These conditions usually involved a whole lot of safety behaviors that helped her gain a sense of control. But what she didn't know at the time was that the safety behaviors weren't actually doing anything to make her more safe!
In our conversation, Kirsty shared her challenges with these safety behaviors, resisting experiencing panic attacks, getting caught up in her anxious thoughts, and always wanting to feel in control. If you're struggling, I'm sure you can relate to this! She also is here to share her experience taking my program, Panic to Peace, and how it absolutely changed the game for her anxiety recovery! But most importantly, Kirsty's story is a reminder that there isn't a quick and easy fix to overcoming panic and agoraphobia. It takes time, courage, and lots of small, healthy steps!
Kirsty's Journey With Anxiety, Panic Disorder, and Agoraphobia
Kirsty shared with me that she'd struggled with anxiety and panic since she was 13 years old. Her anxiety ebbed and flowed throughout her life, but things became especially difficult for Kirsty during the pandemic. She noticed that her safety objects increased from a snack and a bottle of water to several drinks and snacks for the smallest of outings. And as Kirsty started to recognize that her anxiety was getting worse, she found me and my program! She decided to sign up for Panic to Peace, and I'm so glad she did.
Learning To Acknowledge Anxiety In A Healthy Way
Although Kirsty was able to continue leaving the home, she thought she needed many safety behaviors in order to do so. Not only would she carry lots of snacks and different drinks, but she always felt that she needed her phone so she could call her husband if she experienced a panic attack. But one day Kirsty realized that most of her panic and fears centered around being alone. And ultimately, this helped her understand the anxiety better!
When Kirsty started to understand what was causing the anxiety to pop up, she was able to really focus on taking healthy steps to overcome these fears. Panic to Peace helped Kirsty develop an awareness about anxiety, and even to start facing it in a healthy way! For her, this looked like taking small steps and slowly surrendering to the anxiety. Recently, Kirsty even climbed a mountain with her family. This is something she thought she'd never be able to do, but with courage and healthy action, she got herself up that mountain!
Accepting That Anxiety Recovery Is A Journey
One of my favorite parts of my conversation with Kirsty was when she mentioned that anxiety recovery isn't always linear. For example, one day it might be really easy to do the hard thing. And the next day, it's ten times harder! And when Kirsty learned to accept that this is just a part of the process, she took so much pressure off of herself.
Because the reality is, experiencing panic after weeks without a panic attack doesn't mean you're facing a setback. It doesn't mean you're weak, that you're failing, or that you aren't capable. It just means you're facing the hard stuff, and that you're on the path to recovery.
I am so proud of Kirsty's journey, and I was so happy to hear all of the ways that Panic to Peace has helped her lead a life filled with lots more peace, joy, and freedom. If you're interested in my program, Panic to Peace, you can sign up for the waitlist here! In this 10-week program, I'll teach you how to heal your relationship with anxiety and begin finding freedom from the anxious thoughts, symptoms, and fears.
Don't forget to tune in and listen to the full episode for all the goodness!