I have developed quite a few self-help related programs over the years (A list of some of the most popular can be found here on JonMercer.net

But this blog is not all about me, me, me! (OK, sometimes it is–but I’m working on it. haha)  When I find other good self help programs I like to ’spread the love,’ and give credit where it is due.

So today I want to tell you about my friend Anthony St Augustine who, just like me, once suffered with TERRIBLE social anxiety. But honestly, it’s hard to believe that fact today — Anthony is incredibly social and easy-going, and you’d be hard-pressed to find even a trace of social anxiety in his personality these days.

That’s why, when Anthony asked me to check out his new “Social Dynamix” program, I was more than happy to do so. And in fact, I discovered that it is an impressive and versatile program for eliminating social anxiety. Anthony’s coaching is similar to my approach in some ways, but he has his own twist on it, and his own unique way of confronting and stopping social problems.

It also doesn’t hurt that he is a great guy. We’ve talked several times, and he’s always been extremely charming, knowledgeable and helpful. He definitely practices what he “preaches.”

Case in point: right now Anthony is giving away free social anxiety training videos and other resources just for signing up on his site.  Sign up and get his free training vids, and more info on the full Social Dynamix program here.

I wish Anthony the very best of luck with his new program–he’s an stand-up guy with a fresh approach to dealing with social phobia/ social anxiety, and he definitely deserves your attention.

~Jon

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I recently posted a new video on my main YouTube channel about the doubts and fears some people have that they will be able to overcome their panic attacks and anxiety symptoms.  Many times, people will e-mail or contact me on my Facebook page asking if it is REALLY possible to overcome anxiety. As I point out in the video, the question almost seems absurd to me: of course you can overcome these things!!

Since launching the EasyCalm series 6 years ago, we’ve received thousands of success stories from users — people just like you and me who have managed to eliminate anxiety and panic attacks from their life.  And I’m not saying that the EasyCalm video series is the ONLY way to do this (just the best way in my humble opinion =) .

The fact is, people overcome all kinds of limitations.  Almost everyone knows someone who has fought back and overcome severe limitations and problems in their life. I mentioned a friend of mine in the video who was born with polio.  Despite beginning life with such a severe limitation, it has never limited him, and he has gone on to do amazing things and achieved great success in many different areas.

You CAN cure your anxiety and panic attacks and live a normal life.  I have done it, and thousands of other people have done it.  So why not you?  If you’ve had any doubts that it’s possible for you to overcome these problems decide right now that it is inevitable that you WILL overcome them!

If working as a personal development coach has taught me anything, it is that most people have no idea how powerful they are and the amazing things they are capable of.  Think about that the next time you have doubts.  Believe you can do it, and most often, you will make your beliefs into reality.

You can watch my latest motivational video “rant” on the EasyCalm series and overcoming anxiety here : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFeqf7iYo48

All the very best!
Jon
www.easycalm.com

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Anger is the second worst emotion we can feel. The only emotional state that is lower on the scale, so to speak, is despair, which causes us to feel helpless, depressed, and in some cases, incapable of functioning in normal life. This is why I have occasionally defended anger as a slightly more useful emotion than despair.

But anger is a close second when it comes to destructive emotions. It may be a step up from despair, but it is no way to live your life. It poisons our state of mind in all kinds of ways — some obvious, and some more subtle.

The worst aspect of anger (and least recognized) is that it causes us to feel like “victims.” Any time you are experiencing anger, you are feeling that someone or something has “wronged” you — that they have limited your options, or taken something a way from you. It could be your personal property, the respect you feel you deserve, love, understanding, or peace of mind.

So anger stems from a feeling of lack, and it produces a mindset of victimization. Most often, it is a way of giving other people power over your life. This victim mentality that anger produces causes all sorts of problems, including anxiety, depression, low self-esteem and a poor self-image. So why would anyone allow another person or circumstances to have that kind of power over them?

I believe it is because, culturally, we have been conditioned to associate anger with increased power, when actually, the opposite is true. When you are feeling anger, you are NOT feeling powerful and in control. You have temporarily surrendered responsibility for your own happiness, and turned it over to someone or something else. You are choosing to be a victim.

In the EasyCalm video series, I discuss the importance of taking responsibility for your emotional state. This is a big step toward recognizing that anxiety (among other problems) is primarily the result of what YOU do, think and feel. Recognizing your personal responsibility is critical in overcoming anxiety, but it actually goes much further than just anxiety problems.

The victim mentality that goes hand-in-hand with anger poisons every area of your life, from your emotional state to your relationships — from your health and well-being to your ability to be successful at work or school. And to improve all of these areas it is necessary to confront your anger issues, and make a decision to no longer be a victim. Instead, take full responsibility for EVERYTHING in your life.

I will admit that some of my clients have found this very difficult to do it first. The society we live in practically worships the victim mindset; every five minutes there’s a commercial for an ambulance chasing lawyer or a news report about how someone felt offended and disrespected by a random comment someone else made. These are all examples of victimization, though. Basically, they’re trying to convince us to believe in a lie…

The great lie of our times is, “you are not in control.” When we buy into this myth we begin believing that life is something that simply “happens to us,” not something that we are responsible for. And that, in a nutshell, is the victim mentality. I can’t find words to explain how important it is that you reject this concept — completely. And along with it, reject the ridiculous notion that someone or something outside of you can “make” you angry. They can’t.

The choice to experience anger or not is yours. It always has been — always will be. This does NOT mean that we don’t experience unwanted circumstances in life. But it DOES mean that it is always your choice how you will respond to those circumstances.

Choosing to become angry about unwanted circumstances is a bit of a cop-out. It’s a way of throwing your responsibility down the drain, and simply allowing yourself to be pulled by the tides of fate or chance. It’s a way of giving up and giving in, making a choice to be a victim rather than accepting full responsibility.

The truth is, it doesn’t matter what someone else has done “to you,” or want kind of unfavorable circumstances you may have encountered in life, you still have to choose to experience anger. Don’t let the media or widespread cultural myths fool you: anger is not an automatic response to life’s ups and downs. It is a decision.

Obviously, we have all experienced bad things in our lives. And at some point each of us has felt betrayed or let down by another person. Sometimes that betrayal is so severe that it seems nearly impossible to forgive them. And you know what? You don’t have to.

But you do have to make peace with what happened– you do have to accept it, because whether we like it or not, these things sometimes happen in life. Without this acceptance, you remain in the victim mindset, and your personal power is significantly decreased, making it far more likely you will experience other emotional issues, such as anxiety, panic attacks, depression, addiction, etc.

If you’re holding on to anger toward a person, a circumstance, or even toward yourself, wouldn’t right NOW be a good time to accept it, let go of it, and move forward? Forgive those you can, and accept the rest. This puts you back in the driver’s seat, in control of your emotions, and ultimately, your life. Exactly where you want to be.

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Hi guys, Jon here with a reminder to visit my Youtube channel for lots of new self-help related videos. I’m now using my “AttractAnything” channel as my main outlet on Youtube, and we have been recently approved as a Youtube partner (yaay!).

Some of the new videos are anxiety-related, but others involve other self-help topics, from shyness, social anxiety, confidence, the success mindset, financial abundance, and many more.

If you haven’t visited lately, check out my Youtube channel here: http://www.youtube.com/user/attractanything

Don’t forget to subscribe to stay up to date on all the new coaching videos. There are many more new coaching vids on the way!

Watch my latest video below (about Simon Cowell’s depression and why he’s got the wrong strategy to deal with it):

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Sometimes I wonder how many people with an alcohol problem are really just trying to mask a social anxiety problem? I have no data or percentages to give you, but I suspect the numbers are pretty high.

Probably all of us have known an alcoholic (or at least a  “problem” drinker) who  seemed very shy and awkward when they were sober. And it’s no big secret that many alcoholics drink in order to self-medicate some personal issue. I recently spoke to two recovering alcoholics who both told me they felt unable to cope with many social situations without a drink. And sadly,  it wasn’t the first time I’ve heard that remark.

Of course, the trouble is that people who drink to self-medicate an anxiety problem just trade one bad situation for another that is even worse.  Alcohol is sometimes called a “social lubricant,” and as such, it probably helps some people to evade the symptoms of social anxiety — in the very short term.

But in the long run, alcohol is no cure for social anxiety. You have to deal with the root causes to get some relief. The control issues that are behind most types of anxiety are also present in social anxiety. In my experience, the solution is the same.

The EasyCalm Series is the only anxiety method I am aware of to directly deal with these control issues, making anxiety much less likely to occur in the first place. If you haven’t watched the free introduction video for the series yet, check it out on the EasyCalm homepage.

And it’s 1000x better than risking becoming an alcoholic just to deal with normal social situations! =)

~Jon

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Have you ever considered that anxiety isn’t actually real?  I know, I know, it seems real.  It can even feel real. And its effects (anxiety symptoms) can certainly be real. But the anxiety itself is entirely imaginary — it is created in the mind and has no life outside of your imagination.

Perhaps more than any other “condition” that affects our physical and mental well-being, anxiety is a fictional projection of the mind.  We create worst-case scenarios and imagine a bleak future whenever our minds are consumed with anxiety.  It is a very creative act. Perhaps that’s why many anxiety sufferers also tend to be highly creative people — their minds are used to imagining situations and perspectives that don’t actually exist in the “real world.”

The only way you can experience anxiety is if you yourself create it.  In fact, I would dare to speculate that the less creative a person is, the less likely it is they would experience anxiety and/or panic attacks.  I don’t believe it is a coincidence that over 50% of my coaching clients with anxiety tend to be in creative fields such as design, music, art and writing.

But here’s the good news: because anxiety is a product of the imagination, we can learn to imagine something different, to create new scenarios in our mind that have nothing to do with anxiety or panic attacks.  And the more creative in individual is, the more potential power they have to do this.

I’ve heard it said that we all create our own little universe as we go along — that life is a creative act, and most of what we refer to as “reality” is the product of our own mind.  It is very easy to see the truth of this in anxiety sufferers.  They are clearly creating little “loops” of anxious and unproductive thought that spiral into full-blown anxiety attacks, or at the very least, a low level generalized anxiety that keeps them stressed out and not performing to the best of their ability.

But just as easily as we can create these “loops” of anxiety and panic.  We can also create loops of well-being, peace and optimism.  How do you do that?  The same way you develop any creative skill: practice.  Like any other learned behavior, optimism and a calm state of mind are developed through repetition.

For this reason, the EasyCalm series (www.easycalm.com) lays out a series of simple day-to-day exercises to begin developing this new pattern of thought. It’s not difficult — it only requires consistency.  Repetition is the mother of all skill, and learning to create a better state of mind is a simple as practicing these techniques on a daily basis until they begin to take hold in your unconscious mind.  Once that begins to happen, a calm demeanor becomes your normal operating system, and the imaginary anxiety you use to create, withers away from disuse and neglect.

To start this process is very helpful to realize right now: anxiety is imaginary.  There is NO question about it.  The effects of it can be very real, but the anxiety itself is anything but. You cannot touch it, smell it, see it or hear it.  It exists only within the confines of your creative imagination.  When you realize the truth of this, you will also realize the key to overcoming anxiety — begin using your creative imagination in a new way, and create patterns of thought that are more helpful to you.

Without sounding too much like an infomercial (I hope!), training you to develop these new, more useful patterns of thought is exactly what the EasyCalm series is designed to do.  Check it out!

Jon

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I Get Weird Questions Sometimes…

Here are a few of the most “unusual” questions I’ve received in the past few months. Obviously, all names are withheld for privacy. Enjoy =)

Q: Dear Jon do you ever feel like your forehead will explode and the colors go really brite but then just before everything is going boom you get all calm like your just had sex?

A:  Hi, No, I don’t think so. Actually, I’m pretty sure I would have remembered that. Talk to your doctor about this first before assuming it is anxiety-related.

Q: Are you the same person as you are online? I mean like what is different about you  when people actually meet you?)

A: Hi [Name Withheld], Uh…I’m probably uglier. haha  But I’m basically the same dude. A few clients expected I would be very serious like some kind of  ‘guru.’  I’m not. haha I laugh about stuff a lot. And since we’re keeping it real here, one client was also surprised how much I curse sometimes =). Hey, I gotta be me.

[This next one isn’t actually weird, I just like the way she phrased it]

Q: Do you use your own programme for anxiety? Does it work for you or is it like a chef not wanting to eat his own food?

A: Hey [Name Withheld], I have used my own techniques from the EasyCalm Series MANY times. Fortunately I don’t have those kinds of anxiety issues any more, so I don’t need use them these days. I do keep many of the concepts in mind though, especially when life gets stressful. My own food, however, I have a hard time keeping down 

Q: I like your voice very much when I listen to your series! Every night you are talking to me before I  sleep.  If you know me better do you think you would like me. like as special friends?

A:  Hi there, I already have a “special friend,” so we’d have to be regular friends, mmkay?

Q: How you doing Jon, my sister really like’s you and want to know if you’ll come to Denver and help her with her anxiety about talking to people. Thats why I’m emailing for her, shes to shy to do it. My friend is gay but he likes you too. Are you gay or straight? Hpefully one of these two would be right for you.

A: Haha…you’re quite a match-maker, aren’t you? Tell you’re sister I’m flattered. There’s a lot of resources on JonMercer.net to help with the social anxiety. Have her check those out. About your friend, can’t help you there. I’m straight.

Q: I read that you lived or went to school in Norway. Is this true. Kan du Norsk?

A: Hey [Name Withheld], That’s true. Jeg prata Norsk ikke so vaerst til aa vaerre en utlending.

Q: Do you get sick and tired of what u do helping people and hearing about problems, blah…

A: The answer is YES!!! haha Seriously though, you can get tired of anything you do for many years, but 95% of the time I love what I do. I have nothing to complain about.

Q: Jon, do you ever get clients who are just assholes and you don’t want to coach them. Or they have some serious messed up problems and needs to be in a mental hospital?

A: No, I don’t accept clients like that. =) I only coach people who I feel I can help and I will enjoy getting to know.  That’s why many of my clients become friends later on. To answer the second part of your question, I have referred a few people who contacted me to a specialist for help, if you see what I mean…

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I was recently interviewed by the wonderful Jill Green from panicfreeme.com, a leading anxiety resource site. We talked about the EasyCalm series, dealing with anxiety and panic attacks, and I had a few harsh words for the pharmaceutical industry(!) Jill was kind enough to provide a transcript of the full interview, so I’ve posted it below. ~ Jon

Jon Mercer Interview With Jill Green of Panicfreeme.com

[Jill] Jon Mercer, hi! My readers are very excited for me to speak to you today. I’m pretty excited myself!  At http://panicfreeme.com, we’ve been carefully reviewing the best panic attack treatment programs available, so of course we were eager to look at EasyCalm.

[Jon] Thank you Jill, it’s a pleasure to talk to you.

[Jill] You developed the EasyCalm anxiety series for anxiety sufferers, and you’ve been helping folks like me and my readers since 2005. Thank you for that.

[Jon] I’m glad to be able to help. It’s been just over 5 years since EasyCalm took off online and I don’t think anyone expected it would become as popular as it has, least of all me! I get emails from EasyCalm users in places like Cambodia, Sri Lanka, even one researcher at the South Pole! It’s a bit surreal sometimes.

[Jill] I imagine! About your background: you’re a Personal Development Coach with a Masters Degree, and as I understand it, you’re an ex-anxiety sufferer too.  Can you share a bit about your struggles with anxiety and panic attacks?

[Jon] I started having anxiety and social anxiety problems around puberty. Later in my teens, I began having panic attacks while driving and in some social situations, along with almost daily generalized anxiety. One of my worst symptoms was breathing problems — I felt that I couldn’t get a deep breath. I had all the medical tests, but the docs said I was perfectly healthy. I had no idea what was going on, and it seemed no one else did either. So I mostly just hid the anxiety from everybody, even my family; and that’s one of the WORST things you can do. It really does start to wear you down both mentally and physically.

[Jill] The present time is often described as the ‘age of anxiety’. Why do you think anxiety is such a huge problem in our society today?

[Jon] Um, that’s a big philosophical question Jill! I thought this was gonna be a softball interview. haha. But seriously, I think as a society we’ve got some really bad habits these days. And some of those habits make people more likely to have anxiety and panic attacks. I know it probably sounds like a cliche, but the constant stream of unsettling information and unresolved conflict on television and the media is absolutely contributing to greater anxiety in my opinion. Some of my clients improve 30-40% just by turning off the TV and news for a few weeks. That says a lot.

[Jill] I have to say, the fact that you’ve ‘been there, done that’ is what I appreciate most about your coaching style. Your teaching is so authentic, and that is refreshing for people who struggle with anxiety.

[Jon] Thank you. I try to keep the coaching low key and “real, so there’s no big production. Just a goofy looking guy talking to a camera–haha!  In my experience, coaching works best in a very casual environment and I always try to draw on my own experience to explain subjects and gently steer the client in the right direction.

[Jill] You have said that EasyCalm is at heart a very simple program. Why do you think many anxiety sufferers overcomplicate things when it comes to getting better?

[Jon] I think it’s because anxiety seems like such a huge, complicated problem. So naturally, we think it should take a huge, complicated solution to get over it. The reality is, it’s a pretty straight forward process. Problems are complicated–but happiness is always pretty simple.

[Jill] That makes sense. I personally struggled with social anxiety disorder, agoraphobia, generalized anxiety disorder, AND panic disorder for over 20 years. It’s only been a few years that I have been cured, and it is entirely due to teachings just like yours, Jon. Medical doctors had me drugged out of my mind on prescription medications and I spent thousands upon thousands of dollars on therapists and psychiatrists.  Traditional medicine made everything worse, in my opinion. What do you have to say about that?

[Jon] That sounds a lot like my story, and unfortunately I hear stories like this nearly every day. I’m a harsh critic of the pharmaceutical industry. I was also drugged up with SSRI’s and Benzos. Trusting in those medications and the doctors who prescribed them led to a lot of pain for me–not to mention horrible side effects and a protracted withdrawal from Ativan that nearly killed me. People think that’s exaggeration, but recovering from benzo dependency was the single hardest thing I’ve ever gone through. What’s amazing is, I was only on the drug for 3 months!

 

With EasyCalm, I set out to offer anxiety sufferers a real alternative to these drugs. And as you might expect, the drug companies aren’t very happy about that. Their legal teams have contacted me on several occasions warning against comments made in some of my anti-drug rants online. So far, they haven’t stopped me though.

[Jill] No, I see that they haven’t. So do you believe EasyCalm works for all types of anxiety?

[Jon] I’ve been misquoted a few times in interviews as saying that ALL anxiety is emotionally based and can be eliminated using the EasyCalm techniques. The truth is I believe about 95% of all anxiety issues are emotionally-based, not physical and can be remedied using our method. There are physical illnesses that can cause problems with the amygdale in the limbic system and lead to anxiety and panic. Thyroid conditions being one possibility. But in my experience these are the exception to the rule, and they’re actually pretty rare. I always encourage anxiety sufferers to get examined by their doctor though, for their own peace of mind.

[Jill] Before we go, is there any advice can you give to anxiety sufferers who are desperate for some relief, but not willing or able to pay the $200 or more most psychiatrists charge for a single consultation?

[Jon] It may sound self serving, but I honestly recommend they try the EasyCalm method first before considering more expensive and complicated options. Unlike Psychologists or other health care professionals, we offer a no-questions-asked refund policy so there’s no risk in trying the program. And it’s a testament to how well these techniques work that even with our open door policy, our refund rate has remained incredibly low over the last five years.

[Jill] Well this was a real pleasure, Jon! Thank you for your time today and for the opportunity to review EasyCalm. It’s a terrific program and you are indeed the real deal. Thank you for all the great work you do to help anxiety sufferers everywhere!

[Jon] Pleasure was all mine Jill. And thanks for the great work you’re doing online to help anxiety sufferers.

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A lot of people are shy, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they have social anxiety. So what is the difference between the two? One of my clients once referred to social anxiety as “shyness on steroids”(haha).  But here’s how I break it down:

Shyness is a personality trait that some people have. There’s nothing wrong with it at all, and in fact, it’s a very endearing quality in many people–as long as they accept themselves as they are and don’t try to fight against their nature.

(by the way, if you are shy and have trouble accepting yourself as you are, I HIGHLY recommend The Fire Breathing Introvert Series).

But social anxiety is NOT shyness. It is NOT a reluctance to speak up or tendency to be somewhat introverted. It is an anxiety condition that is triggered by social interaction. The difference between these two concepts is vast. For example, many social anxiety sufferers experience real physical symptoms –rapid heart rate, aches and pains, trouble breathing, mental “fog,” shaking, blushing, feeling weak or faint, or even chest pain and heart attack-like symptoms.

Of course, not everyone who experiences social anxiety will have physical symptoms like these, but many do. For others, the symptoms are primarily emotional, but they still tend to be severe, painful and debilitating. In other words, social anxiety prevents you from living a normal life. Shy people can function in society, at work, etc, where social anxiety sufferers often find these same everyday situations almost impossible to deal with.

The EasyCalm Series has helped hundreds of people with social anxiety over the years, and our add-on series called “Social Strategies” is also a great help to many. Check it out here: http://www.easycalm.com/social.htm

Jon

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have heard it said that if you want to get along with people you should avoid talking about religion or politics. Well, I’m going to break that rule today and get into a discussion about the role of religion in the lives of anxiety sufferers. We’ll see how it goes. Wish me luck!

First, it’s important for me to state my point of view, so you know where I’m coming from. I am not religious. I was brought up in the Christian faith, and I even attended a Catholic university as an undergraduate (St. Thomas University, Miami, Florida). But the religious aspect of life never “took” with me. That’s just who I am, and I believe it’s important to be honest about these things above all else.

Having said that, I have many family members and good friends who are deeply religious — several are even ministers. Occasionally, one of my non-religious friends will ask “how can you be friends with so-and-so? They’re so religious.” But I see no contradiction at all in connecting and forming close friendships with people who have a different viewpoint from myself. In fact, we have quite a few Baptist and Methodist ministers who are affiliate partners for the EasyCalm anxiety series, and I appreciate both their support in getting the word out, and their acceptance of my viewpoint. I am fortunate to have attracted people into my life who accept me as I am. The least I can do is to return the favor.

I’ve also been asked many times if the EasyCalm method is appropriate for Christians (or people of other faiths), or if it conflicts with religious teaching. I believe that it is completely appropriate. And to the best of my knowledge, there is no conflict between the techniques taught in the EasyCalm series and Christianity, or any other religion. So while the series is not in itself “religious,” it is not at odds with religion at all.

 Religion is about faith — Anxiety is a LACK of faith

Many people are better able to deal with anxiety situations because of their religious beliefs. And this makes perfect sense when you think about it, because religion is all about having faith. Anxiety and panic attacks, on the other hand, are a lack of faith. This doesn’t mean that someone who is experiencing anxiety or panic attacks is not truly religious; it just means that WHILE they are experiencing anxiety or panic, their faith is clearly at a low point. The type of fear and outright terror experienced during a panic attack is the complete opposite of the courage and faith in God taught by Christianity, for example.

Now, as presumptuous as it may seem for a non-religious person to give religious advice to believers, that’s exactly what I’m about to do (I didn’t get where I am without being presumptuous — or without coaching and befriending many religious people and observing what helped their anxiety situations

If you feel your anxiety levels rising or a panic attack coming on, turn to your faith. Quiet your mind and pray, but not in the sense that you’re praying for a specific outcome (like “God please stop these anxiety attacks!”). Rather, pray that God’s will be done — whatever that may be. So if it is His will that you should experience anxiety or panic, pray that that is exactly what happens.

This may sound counter intuitive, and I admit it does take courage and faith. But the whole point of turning to your faith is to recognize you are part of something bigger than yourself, and turn yourself over to that higher power. This exercise of faith without desiring anything for yourself helps many people to lessen the effects of anxiety and panic attacks. Another way of expressing this is in the popular saying, “let go and let God.” If you are religious, that is exactly what I recommend you do when panic or anxiety strike: let go and have faith that God will take over.

“According to your faith it is done unto you” is not just a catchy biblical quote. It’s a statement of metaphysical truth we should ALL bear in mind.

~ Jon

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In my experience, if you have dealt with anxiety problems in your life, there is a 90% chance that you are a “sensitive” person. Sensitivity is a double-edged sword: it is usually accompanied by high intelligence, creativity and the capacity for self reflection, and all of these qualities are great, of course. But sensitivity also has a downside — sensitive people tend to have more emotional issues and self esteem problems than their less sensitive friends or family members.

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Introducing the Fire Breathing Introvert! We’ve been pretty busy this year working on new programs. Now we’re rolling out the first of these, a video/audio coaching series called ‘The Fire Breathing Introvert. It’s a specialized coaching series aimed specifically at introverts, and includes tons of techniques, demonstrations and coaching sessions to make sure that introverts not only survive in the world of extroverts, but also THRIVE out there!

Watch the video on the homepage to learn more about what the FBI series (as I call it) can offer you! I think you’ll be impressed: www.firebreathingintrovert.com

AND…The FBI Coaching series marks the very first time I’ve demonstrated ‘The Hemisphere Techniques” to the public. The Hemisphere techniques are a series of physical NLP ‘tricks’ for making very rapid changes in self-esteem, and socializing. These little beauties have been very well received by my coaching clients. Now you can try them too. Check  out @ www.firebreathingintrovert.com

And before I forget,  Follow Me on Twitter!  Come’on,  join the conversation already! What’s the matter with ya!

Take care!
Jon

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My friend Kat gave me a great recommendation today to post a “warning” about the potential for the antibiotics known as Fluoroquinolones and Quinolones to cause anxiety and a host of related central nervous system issues.

 Dr Jay Cohen published a study in 2001 demonstrating a link between patients taking the fluoroquinolone-class of antibiotics, and adverse effects on the central nervous system. Dr Cohen’s study found that the nervous system symptoms typically were long-lasting, with the majority of respondents suffering one year or longer after taking the medication.

In addition to the clinical research, there has also been a LOT of anecdotal evidence that Fluoroquinolones and Quinolones can cause anxiety and related nervous system issues. It has been noted on many benzo-recovery message boards, for example, that people attempting to taper off of benzodiazepines often have very negative reactions to taking either Fluoroquinolone or Quinolone antibiotics.

Of course, in these cases, the individual’s nervous systems are already somewhat compromised by the benzo withdrawal; but even so, it suggests that Fluoroquinolones and Quinolones have a pretty profound negative impact. Anyone who is already dealing with anxiety related issues should discuss this with their doctor before taking these particular antibiotics.

These meds are primarily prescribed for combating infection and the have a variety of trade and generic names, including:

Unfortunately, many doctors are unaware of the potential nervous system problems associated with Fluoroquinolones and Quinolones, so they continue to be prescribed often. But personally, even without anxiety issues, I would be hesitant to take either of these drugs.

Before considering taking any of the Fluoroquinolones or Quinolones, please do your research first, especially if you already have any anxiety issues. More information here: http://www.medicationsense.com

Take care,
Jon

Follow Jon on Twitter! 

http://www.easycalm.com/
http://www.easycalm.com/social.htm
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A while back I posted a blog about my experience with Ativan withdrawal, and the hell I went through trying to get off of those evil little pills. I never imagined how many responses I would get! Emails poured in from people all over the world dealing with withdrawal from Ativan, Xanax and other benzodiazepines. Some of their stories sounded eerily similar to mine, but others had it even worse.

 The most common question I got after publishing that benzo withdrawal article was, “Is their anything I can do make withdrawal easier?”

 Obviously, everyone’s experience will be a little different when it comes to withdrawal from Ativan or Xanax. I can only tell you what helped me get through it. Hopefully these tips will help some of you too:

1. My first mistake was quitting Ativan cold turkey. NEVER do that. Cold Turkey benzodiazepine withdrawal is much worse, and can potentially be dangerous (seizures, etc are possible). Drugs like Ativan and Xanax need to be tapered slowly over time (several months usually). Talk to your doctor about helping you taper off gradually.

Also, read ‘The Ashton Manual.’ Dr. Ashton ran a benzodiazepine withdrawal clinic in the UK for years, and is an authority on safely withdrawing from Ativan, Xanax and all benzos. You can download The Ashton Manual benzo withdrawal guide in PDF format here:

http://lonelylinks.com/ashton.htm

2. During benzodiazepine withdrawal I COULD NOT tolerate any supplements! Even fish oil or multivitamins would make my symptoms worse. For 2-3 months I stopped taking any supplements at all, with the exception of an occasional ibuprofin for pain. 

However, I did discover that Noni Juice seemed to slightly improve the Ativan withdrawal symptoms at times. It was actually the only supplement that didn’t make things worse. I don’t normally promote Noni juice, and I’m not affiliated with it in any way. But in my experience, it did seem to help slightly (don’t expect miracles). NOTE:  I took it only 2-3 times weekly, NOT every day.

I also took an occasional Benadryl to help me sleep, but NOT very often. I even cut them in half most times because my system was so sensitive to any outside influence. FYI: some experts advise against taking benadryl during benzo withdrawal, but occasional use didn’t seem to have a negative effect on my recovery from Ativan. As always, your results may vary.

3. On bad withdrawal days I stayed on the sofa and watched mindless comedies. Nothing heavy or dramatic, just unchallenging films or shows to distract me. I also kept the room fairly dark and cool as the withdrawal made me extremely sensitive to bright light and heat. I drank lots of water and avoided spicy, exotic or unusual foods–I lived off soup and crackers some days–tried and true “bland foods” were tolerated the best.

4. After being off of Ativan about one month I began to develop an extreme intolerance to heat. Even being in sun for 20 minutes could cause my withdrawal symptoms to flair up. I also noticed the same problem whenever I showered. Hot water would irritate my skin and cause me to feel itchy and “tingly” all over, leaving me feeling fatigued. I began to reduce the heat in the shower, eventually almost taking cold showers (something I normally hate). It took some getting used to but it did help.

5. I used guided relaxation sessions to help calm down when the anxiety got unbearable. This was back before I was producing anti-anxiety visualization sessions myself, so these days I would recommend the kinds of sessions we include in the EasyCalm series (there are three different types included).

This may sound like self promotion (which I am certainly not above ,-), but I’m keeping it real here. These kind of visualization sessions did help me when I was struggling with Ativan withdrawal, and I’ve heard from lots of EasyCalm users who’ve said the same thing.

When you’re dealing with severe benzodiazepine withdrawal, very few things can offer any real relief. The “usual” anxiety remedies tend to fall flat because your central nervous system is just too fried during the recovery process. But guided visualization is one thing that DOES help many people, to one degree or another. To try some of these sessions free, check out the Easycalm homepage here.

6. I also could not tolerate vigorous exercise while withdrawing. My symptoms would go nuts! Some people say they can exercise normally during ativan withdrawal, but it just wasn’t in the cards for me. I could walk around the block or do moderate (not heavy) weights, but that was about it. Whether you can tolerate working out during withdrawal or not will be obvious after a few attempts. The symptoms will either flare up of they won’t…

 Getting off of Ativan or Xanax can really test your patience, but it DOES get better over time. Keep telling yourself that and do everything you can to keep a positive state of mind–it does help! Try visualization, and beware of too much sun or heat. Otherwise, benzo withdrawal is a waiting game. It will eventually fade and you WILL return to your old self, even if it doesn’t always seem like it when you’re in the middle of heavy withdrawal symptoms.

Wishing all the benzo sufferers out there increasing peace and all the very best!

Jon
Click here to follow Jon on Twitter!
www.easycalm.com

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I’ve heard about lots of tricks for stopping panic attacks; but using math? Yep, an EasyCalm user from Denmark named Tom recently sent me this tip for stopping panic attacks (Takk Tom!). It involves doing math in your head, and believe it or not, Tom wasn’t the first person to mention this trick to me.

I make no guarantees that this will work for everyone, but obviously, it has worked for some people. So give it a try for yourself and see how it goes.

The technique itself is as simple as they come. The idea is simply to start doing difficult math problems in your head whenever you feel a panic attack coming on. The trick is to make the math problems (or “maths” for my non-North American friends) difficult enough that you have to really focus on them, but not so difficult that you get frustrated and give up. Depending on your skill in math, this could range from simple multiplication to more complicated division, or even algebraic equations if you’re a whiz with the numeros.

I couldn’t try out this technique for stopping panic attacks properly, because, gratefully, I haven’t had a panic attack in a long, long time. But I did get a chance to try it when I was a little stressed about being stuck in traffic a few days ago. I just began doing multiplication problems like 13 X 13, and 21 X 11. My results were kind of mixed (but that could just be me). While I was doing the math problems I did notice that I was somewhat distracted from stressing about the traffic, and the fact that I was running late for an appointment.

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