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You can recover with A.I.M.'s Twelve Tools
(for a detailed explanation of each tool, we ask that you attend a meeting)

1.  BELIEF - Anything you want to accomplish happens much easier when you believe that you can do it. Recovery does not easily occur without Belief.  The group will believe that you can recover, until you come to believe it for yourself.  It will occur, IF practicing all of AIM's 12 tools.
2.  RELAXATION AND MEDITATION - This is a method to relieve tension without medication.  It includes diaphragmatic breathing and complete muscle relaxation.  Anxious people are chest breathers, and so learning to breathe "into your stomach" is of much help.  Relaxing all of your muscles is important, too.  A lot of tension is held in the neck and shoulder areas.  Many people find that using a relaxation tape is helpful.  Whatever you choose to do, make it something "Do-able".
3.   SELF TALK- Look at the negative things that you say to yourself during the course of a day.  Write them down in a notebook.  How can you change anything if you don't realize that you are doing it?  Once you know what your negative messages are, you are ready to turn them into positive.
4.  AFFIRMATIONS - Affirmations are positive thoughts said and repeated with the feeling of the wish fulfilled.  When you write these positive thoughts, in the present tense, 15 times a day, for 21 consecutive days, you can change a thought pattern.  Start with one affirmation, but not more than two.  May seem a little hum drum, but it really, really works.   

5.  VISUALIZATION WITH IMAGE BOOKS - Method to visualize a new you!  Place pictures into a photo album (taken from a magazine) of things you would like to do and/or become.  Then, have a marriage between thinking and feeling, everyday.  Include positive affirmations with the pictures.  Work with the book everyday.
6.  GOAL SETTING - Writing down ways to stretch your comfort zone.
7.  EXPOSURE/ACTION - Do it Now!

8.  COMMUNICATION - Reach out for help in many ways...  The important thing is to vent... feelings.
9.  SUPPORT - Getting support from the group and, more importantly, giving it back.
10.  EXERCISE - Move your muscles!!!  Not only does this help with anxiety, but depression, also.
11.  HUMOR - Humor is healing, especially when we take ourselves so seriously, day in and day out.  Stay on the sunny side of the street!
12.  SPIRITUAL STEP PROCEDURE - Making something other than fear your Higher Power.  There are 12 steps to this procedure, ranging from admitting you need help to spreading the word of recovery!
Borrowed, but adapted to anxiety, from Alcoholics Anonymous.  There are 12 steps within this program.  They are:
1.  We admit that all of our efforts to control anxiety have not worked.  We need help.
2.  We came to slowly reach out for that glimmer of hope that tells us we are stronger than we think.  My Higher Power (whatever that means to you) can assist me in restoring my peace of mind.
3.  We make a decision to make recovery our highest priority.  When that decision wavers, we need only turn to our Higher Power for assistance.
4.  We take a look at what is standing in our way for recovery...We are ready to look at this aspect of our lives so recovery will become closer.
5.  We have used every trick in the book to protect ourselves from our fears and have inadvertently hurt others.  We share this secret with at least one other person.
6.  We are ready to be free of our fears, becoming open and honest about them.  In doing so, another step has been taken to break the stigma attached to this disorder.
7.  These behaviors may have been long ingrained, but it matters not.  We seek help from our Higher Power to make the necessary changes for their permanent removal.
8.  We make a list of all the people that have been affected because of my fears.  All of us were doing the best that we could.  I am ready to let these angry feelings go.
9.  We decide to tell these people of our experiences unless it proves wiser to keep it quiet.
10.  We see setbacks as learning opportunities and commit to continue to stretch my comfort zone.  Recovery is my first priority.
11.  We will reflect on changes that still need to be made.  My Higher Power will assist us with these changes.
12.  Spread the word!  Recovery, if practicing these principles, is inevitable!

Also, we obtain guest speakers from time to time, to share their expertise on various topics, we go on field trips, (which help to expand your comfort zone) and most importantly, we offer support, not only to the A.I.M. member, but to their significant others.  Besides the support which can be obtained from the meetings, we also have a 24 hr. hot-line(248-547-0400) and an Inspirational line, if you just want to hear another voice..  "You alone can do it, but sometimes you can't do it alone".
The group meetings are open to all, even if you're just "nervous and jerky".  You never should feel "trapped" at a meeting because you are free to get up and walk around at any time  Written literature is given at every meeting, but in order to obtain the literature, you must attend the meeting.  This gets you out of the house and motivates to risk feeling anxious.  Although at your first meeting, you may share some of the symptoms you may be feeling, after that it is felt that swapping symptoms is non-productive.  We want to remain solution oriented.  Medication is a favorite topic, however, we ask that you leave that solely between you and your doctor, not the members of the group.  We can, however, advise that you do not use alcohol or illegal drugs along with your medications.  Please let your doctor know if you might be pregnant.  Caffeine has been proven to trigger panic attacks, so it is also advised that you refrain from anything which contains caffeine.

Education is very important.  We encourage our members to become S.M.E.'s (Subject Matter Experts).  Know everything there is to know about anxiety,  and in that way you can take the fear out of symptoms.  Not only is education important for the anxious person, but for the public.  This is another one of our goals, to educate the general public in order to destigmatize anxiety disorders and let everyone know that effective treatment does exist.

SYMPTOM SWAPPING - Symptoms are something that members are allowed to talk about at their first meeting.  Most of them need to know that they are not alone, but after that we want to remain solution oriented.

We are associated with many professionals which lend their support to A.I.M., but we are a self-help organization.  As a non-profit, 501(c)3 organization, licensed to solicit charitable donations by the Attorney General.  We are empowered to solicit donations in order to survive.  The money pays for our office rent, supplies, telephone, postage, materials, and etc.

A.I.M. was started by Mary Ann Gogoleski back in 1983, after having this debilitating condition for twenty years. A major tool that helped in her recovery was support, thus the first  A.I.M. meeting began on March 7th.  Twenty people attended!!!   Today, our support people handles calls from all over the country.

Please contact the office for a detailed explanation of each tool.  AIM
1719 Crooks
Royal Oak, MI  48067
or e-mail
anny@ameritech.net