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870 Mile Run of Wales Coast to Face my Agoraphobia

Join a TeamBelinda KirkComment

I have suffered for 15 years with Anxiety Attacks, Social Phobia Agoraphobia, Stress Depression among other things... I went from University drop out because I became a house bound Agoraphobic, over 15 years the NHS failed to help my condition, mainly providing Pills that did nothing, although occasionally made things worse. I was Offered Behavioural Therapy to help change my behaviour, which was a group class that was far away... not at all considering I was an house bound social phobic. Then on the odd days I got myself to the Therapy, I realised changing behaviour is hard for non sufferers hence the same old new years resolutions we never keep to, and the multi million pound industries for losing weight and quitting smoking that fails to help so many because like losing weight and quitting smoking CBT requires a lot of motivation and commitment to change your behaviour. The NHS failed to address the fact that typical symptoms of an Anxiety Sufferer and Agoraphobic is lack of motivation, lack of commitment and an inability to keep appointments. So I developed my own plan to learn motivation and commitment, because despite what some of you might think, it is not something you have or have not, it is something you develop like any other skill with practice... So now I am running 870 miles of the rugged and hilly Wales Coastal Path, facing our classic typical weather while climbing the equivalent hills as running up Everest nearly 4 times, in the bid to set the fastest time... I want to do this to face my final demons because I have not done enough yet to totally free myself from my self imposed prison, but if I do tomorrow what I did today I will get tomorrow what I got today, running has helped me develop my motivation, commitment, keep my sanity and push my boundaries, it has got me back on my feet but I have not yet run enough to face all of my fears and this is it, one Epic challenge to take on a seriously intimidating challenge to take control of my mind and stop those pesky negative fearful reactions. When I am done I will write a book and already have met up with a publisher... because I want to help those who like me did not get help from the NHS or medication and the typical treatments, I want to help you people realise there is an alternative and I reckon I have a good concept to help you build the foundation you need to mental wellness that the NHS isn't providing, I have no doubt that CBT works, I have studied psychology but CBT is not the starting point of recovery but midway, it took me 2 years of building motivation and commitment to be mentally tough enough to seriously take on behavioural change and to complete it and not just another half arsed attempt and failing once again to keep that new years resolution, or that fitness plan, weight loss regime etc. If what I am saying makes any sense to you and you like what I have already achieved and am still striving to achieve with every fibre in my body then please pledge to help me realise my dreams of mental freedom and helping others achieve theirs; and when I say strive with every fibre I mean that literally not metaphorically, I wake up in the night thinking about my plans, preparations and to do list, wake up in the morning and answer questions and speak to more potential sponsors, film videos, spend hours editing them and posting blogs to help make my dreams a reality. However, if you can't pledge but still feel what I am saying, then just share, typically 3% of an audience will pledge, my audience is limited but with all of yours it is substantially larger... if you do not grasp anything that I have said here then that is fine... just leave me some encouragement as a humane human being and help remind people like me that there is people that care... as I have encountered plenty of insensitivity through my struggles I have suffered for 15 years with Anxiety Attacks, Social Phobia Agoraphobia, Stress Depression among other things... I went from University drop out because I became a house bound Agoraphobic, over 15 years the NHS failed to help my condition, mainly providing Pills that did nothing, although occasionally made things worse. I was Offered Behavioural Therapy to help change my behaviour, which was a group class that was far away... not at all considering I was an house bound social phobic. Then on the odd days I got myself to the Therapy, I realised changing behaviour is hard for non sufferers hence the same old new years resolutions we never keep to, and the multi million pound industries for losing weight and quitting smoking that fails to help so many because like losing weight and quitting smoking CBT requires a lot of motivation and commitment to change your behaviour. The NHS failed to address the fact that typical symptoms of an Anxiety Sufferer and Agoraphobic is lack of motivation, lack of commitment and an inability to keep appointments. So I developed my own plan to learn motivation and commitment, because despite what some of you might think, it is not something you have or have not, it is something you develop like any other skill with practice... So now I am running 870 miles of the rugged and hilly Wales Coastal Path, facing our classic typical weather while climbing the equivalent hills as running up Everest nearly 4 times, in the bid to set the fastest time... I want to do this to face my final demons because I have not done enough yet to totally free myself from my self imposed prison, but if I do tomorrow what I did today I will get tomorrow what I got today, running has helped me develop my motivation, commitment, keep my sanity and push my boundaries, it has got me back on my feet but I have not yet run enough to face all of my fears and this is it, one Epic challenge to take on a seriously intimidating challenge to take control of my mind and stop those pesky negative fearful reactions. When I am done I will write a book and already have met up with a publisher... because I want to help those who like me did not get help from the NHS or medication and the typical treatments, I want to help you people realise there is an alternative and I reckon I have a good concept to help you build the foundation you need to mental wellness that the NHS isn't providing, I have no doubt that CBT works, I have studied psychology but CBT is not the starting point of recovery but midway, it took me 2 years of building motivation and commitment to be mentally tough enough to seriously take on behavioural change and to complete it and not just another half arsed attempt and failing once again to keep that new years resolution, or that fitness plan, weight loss regime etc. If what I am saying makes any sense to you and you like what I have already achieved and am still striving to achieve with every fibre in my body then please pledge to help me realise my dreams of mental freedom and helping others achieve theirs; and when I say strive with every fibre I mean that literally not metaphorically, I wake up in the night thinking about my plans, preparations and to do list, wake up in the morning and answer questions and speak to more potential sponsors, film videos, spend hours editing them and posting blogs to help make my dreams a reality. However, if you can't pledge but still feel what I am saying, then just share, typically 3% of an audience will pledge, my audience is limited but with all of yours it is substantially larger... if you do not grasp anything that I have said here then that is fine... just leave me some encouragement as a humane human being and help remind people like me that there is people that care... as I have encountered plenty of insensitivity through my struggles Pledge at http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/projects/confirm/d:0.00-0-9138/ via www.crowdfunder.co.uk/wcp-870 Email: shaun.faulkner24@gmail.com "