How this student overcame GAD and panic attacks

My post content

00:00:10 - Shaun Grant: I'm Shaun Grant from Attack Panic, and tonight I feel very privileged and grateful to have Dexter on the line. Dexter is going to share his particular story, his journey with his own anxiety, how he's progressed, how he's healed, and a little bit about how the Attack Panic program may have even helped him to do that. I just want to say welcome, Dexter, and I truly am from the bottom of my heart grateful for you to be not only willing to share your story but even more willing to air your dirty laundry out for the world to see. It takes a lot of guts to not only come as far as you have but also to be willing to share your story. So let's start by finding out a little bit about your story specifically—your anxiety condition. What were you suffering from when you first came to see me?

00:01:40 - Dexter: So I was suffering from GAD, General Anxiety Disorder. Since a young age, I had gone through a bit of a stage of OCD, writing a lot of stuff down. At the time it didn't seem pointless, but later on I found out that what it was, was a condition that wasn't an everyday thing for the average person. It frustrated me and confused me for a long time. As I got older, I kind of weaned out of it without even knowing, and then all of a sudden had this anxiety disorder. The thing that affected me most was worrying about things that were out of my control—just general worry and being scared of things I couldn't control.

00:03:28 - Dexter: A lot of the time it would be things that were way out of my control and had nothing to do with me, but I would somehow trip my mind into being scared of them and let it consume me. It started from a young age, maybe 15 or 16. I initially reached out to a counselor. At the time, it felt like it helped talking about it, but at the end of the day, I was just kind of coasting through it to show up, not actually really trying to learn or understand. From that, I went to see a doctor, and they diagnosed me with General Anxiety and Depression and put me on some pills.

00:05:52 - Dexter: In the moment, it felt like it was helping because I was talking about it and getting it off my chest—a brief relief. I would walk out of there feeling alright, but then a couple days or weeks later, the same feelings would come back. It was a constant cycle of not really getting anywhere but feeling better for a brief moment and then just back to it.

00:06:49 - Shaun Grant: That’s what I found as well. Therapy and counseling for anxiety conditions are often nothing more than safety crutches. They’re good at making you feel better because they help you manage or avoid the actual cause, which is high anxiety in the background. But they’ll never make you better because you’re not addressing the cause through behavioral changes and changing the "record" playing in the background. How was your anxiety affecting your life before you came to see me?

00:08:52 - Dexter: It took me doing the course and reflecting back to realize how much it had a grip on me. I was so confused about what this thing was. I couldn't see the "light at the end of the tunnel"—my goals or vision. I was stuck in a rut. It was hard to be motivated. It affected my career and restricted me in ways I didn't even realize.

00:10:22 - Dexter: It affected my relationships for sure—friendships and romantic relationships. It was dampening all of it because I couldn't give my all or be the person I wanted to be. It was like a dark cloud over everything.

00:11:20 - Shaun Grant: When you have that anxiety condition in the background, you just can't look forward with any positivity. That's when you start feeling depressed. One of the golden rules is to build a meaningful vision of the future, but we’ve got to build those other building blocks first—self-love, acceptance, gratitude, and forgiveness. What did you know about self-love and acceptance before the course?

00:15:04 - Dexter: I was aware of it from social media, movies, and books, but I didn't know how to actually apply it or what it actually meant to me. I didn't know the "how."

00:15:53 - Dexter: I joined the coaching program because I was at a place in my life where I was already lost, and then went through something that made me feel even more lost. I was willing to try anything. I was apprehensive because of what I’d tried in the past—medication, psychologists, counselors—and I thought this might just be another thing that wasn't going to work. But it did the opposite.

00:17:13 - Dexter: It gave me a different understanding and perspective. It’s simple to understand, but harder to execute. Understanding why you feel a certain way and why doing one thing makes another thing happen... just a little bit of work each day, one step at a time, made it manageable. It’s hard to put into words, really.

00:18:21 - Shaun Grant: It is simple, but hard because we are creatures of habit. To change the habit, you have to throw away all your coping strategies and safety crutches. It’s harder to walk into that "cafe" and walk up to that ghost and say "fuck you." It feels really uncomfortable when you throw away the tools you've been relying on. What were some of the lessons you learned?

00:21:05 - Dexter: One was how crazy and misleading the brain can be. But you realize it’s not real—it’s a thought in your head. Learning that perspective was refreshing. You’re unlearning and learning that the brain can be flipped into a positive, optimistic mindset.

00:22:43 - Dexter: Life’s pretty good now. Reality will still throw curveballs, but I’ve learned how to deal with the lows and accept them. Dealing with those low points makes the high points even better because you can really enjoy them. I can see that light at the end of the tunnel now and have more purpose and excitement each day.

00:24:03 - Shaun Grant: The problem-solving process is so simple: Is the problem real or not real? If it’s real, what is within your control? The only thing in your control is how you interpret it and deal with it. Everything else, you use your mantras, acceptance, and gratitude to flatten it out. How do you feel about your future now?

00:25:42 - Dexter: I feel excited for it. At a younger age, I had things I wanted to achieve, but I lost that spark. In the last couple of months, that excitement has come back. I feel like I can do whatever I want to do now and pursue those things.

00:26:40 - Dexter: I would definitely recommend the Attack Panic program. If I can be an inspiration to anyone suffering from anxiety, OCD, or panic attacks... you don’t need to live with that. It’ll be hard for sure, but it gets easier. You turn corners you didn't think you'd be able to turn.

00:28:16 - Dexter: I shared my story because if I can do it, anyone can do it. It’s remarkable the changes I've gone through and how I see things now.

00:29:11 - Shaun Grant: You've been successful because we were able to connect, and because you saw my story and knew that if I could come from where I was to where I am today, there was hope. I teach you the how—to change that daily routine with a new set of attitudes that helps you reprogram your mind. I appreciate your time, Dexter.

00:30:35 - Dexter: Thank you so much. This book changed my life.

00:30:44 - Shaun Grant: You did it yourself, Dexter. I just gave you a roadmap. You had to do the heavy lifting. Thank you, Dexter.