Can someone help me with countering my thoughts..

[sunnier]

hi everyone,
i am struggling with countering my thoughts, i was hoping someone could help me out with this.

thanks

[bhamlaxy]

I try and have a small list of facts that I know to be true ready to spout out if I start to feel anxious. Here are some examples.

1) There is nothing physically wrong with me. My body's fight or flight system is just falsely activated.
2) Panic attacks cannot hurt me. They have never hurt anybody. It is only my bodies self defense system. It may be extremely uncomfortable but it will go away.
3) I have been through this many times. It will pass and I will feel better.
4) There is nothing to fear but fear itself.

[mommy.n]

I am going to copy that list & use it, thanks.
Any other tips from anyone else?

sunnier- what kind of thoughts if u don't mind me asking

[sunnier]

no mommy not at all,

if i hear something bad happen to someonelse's child, than i start getting anxious, that could happen to my kids, or if they are sick, i blow it up thinking they may have something worse, i guess you could say i am bit of a hypocondriac as well

thoughts of death and what will happen to us when we die, gets me anxious, as i do believe in a heaven and a hell.

negative thoughts about my siblings, and how they treat me.

how do you counter thoughts like that??

[Mike36]

Have you tried writing these thoughts down and then writing down more realistic alternatives? Or have you tried a self help book like "mind over mood" which uses a good format for doing this.

[sunnier]

yes i have in the past mike, need to start it up again, wher can i get that book, and how does it help ?

[gem]

Amazon will have all the books

[Mike36]

Mind over mood is basically Cbt in book form. You need to do more of the work yourself as there's no therapist to guide you through it but there are very good sections on challenging negative thoughts by writing them down and examining evidence forehand against them. It takes a few try's to get the hang of it but once you do it can be very useful. You can get it off Amazon it's by Greenburger and Padesky.