# Symptoms are neccessary to improve?



## drewr007 (Sep 21, 2017)

I have been using the strategy for years to make choices to help avoid things that make my symptoms worse. While this has helped a lot I'm starting to try to change my thinking and realize that the only way to make the symptoms completely go away is to allow them to happen and respond differently. Ie. instead of avoiding things that would make me anxious try and do them and view them as training for making my response better. The only way to develop tools to get through those feelings is to let the feelings happen sometimes.

I look at this like a solider in a war. There are times when it makes sense to retreat and get your strength up or pick a better position to fight from. And not being able to do that is a mistake. However I feel like if that's all you do you can never beat you enemy which is dp/dr. You have to fall back get stronger, change the playing field and face what is trying to destroy you.

Sometimes your symptoms will come at a horrible time just like an enemy in a battle. There may be fights you can't win and that's okay. It's not really about winning the fights it's about changing the way you fight so in the future you will be less and less likely to lose.


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## mind.divided (Jul 2, 2015)

I completely agree with you. The reason we have this condition is because we're constantly trying to avoid negative emotions by dissociating instead of allowing them like most people do. We have made it an habit to dissociate in painful situations and that has messed up our emotional system. I think the key to recovery is "healing" our emotional system by facing our negative emotions instead of constantly running away from them.


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## ReiTheySay (Aug 5, 2016)

honestly? I never managed to make this work. or maybe it just simply doesn't work with me. the "let the anxiety be and let it pass through you and then pass away", don't know how that's supposed to be; It only makes it worse- I wait for it as it gets worse before it gets better- but it doesn't.

Generally I do believe in facing such emotions and states, but I believe in doing that by changing the way we think, and perceive.


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## Pondererer (May 18, 2016)

Symptoms necessary to improve? But whats there to recover if there are no symptoms?


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