What if...

[n1ck13]

Finding myself playing the 'what if' game again :/

[alankay]

That's part of the struggle I think most of us deal with. You need to try and see that as a voice which just generates "bad ideas" and needs to be countered(with good ideas) and/or ignored for the most part. Try to develop a positive voice that says "what if all goes pretty well, it probably will"............"I need to do my best to ignore negative thoughts as they are usually false or overblown". Alankay

[dazza]

That's part of the struggle I think most of us deal with. You need to try and see that as a voice which just generates "bad ideas" and needs to be countered(with good ideas) and/or ignored for the most part. Try to develop a positive voice that says "what if all goes pretty well, it probably will"............"I need to do my best to ignore negative thoughts as they are usually false or overblown". Alankay

Good advice... however...

The word "TRY" is probably the most commonly occuring on this forum.

TRY and do this, TRY and do that... TRY to change your underpants while keeping your trousers on (it hurts but it's possible)

I'm not knocking it, there isn't much else one can say really.

However, I must add that during my worst period of anxiety --> panic, I could NOT reverse the process of panic once it started, no matter how hard I TRIED.

Panic, at it's worst, is a brutal force. It is ALL posessing / engulfing / controling and there is usually only ONE outcome.

Knowing this, might ironically give some comfort.

Know the beast... know it's powers... but also know it is mortal and doesn't last forever.

[AceParadox]

Indeed, it does not last forever. I haven't felt a bit of anxiety in a month. No panic, no worries, no nothing. Holding onto hope, powering through the tough times with the help of this forum, and staying positive paid off once again.

Yeah the what if game is the most common part of it, and it's hard to just try not to think of bad things. The best thing you can do there is immediatly distract yourself with something else. Start doing math in your head. "What if the world is ending... I mean 34+18-10 go go go. Errr uhhh. Ummm... I'm hungry time to go make a complicated dinner."

"What if my pillow is ---er Time to learn a new language, hmmm Korean yes! Easy!"

Keep positive.

[n1ck13]

Thanks for your advice guys.. I've tried the mental distraction thing, sometimes when it's really bad I just can't fool myself, my mind knows what I'm trying to do lol and then I have this thing I have to repeat in my head over and over and over and if I don't boy does that set off my anxiety or if I say it wrong or worry about saying it wrong.. The worse part is I know how stupid this is and I can rationalize it but I still find myself saying it!

[funkstarsista]

what if...something wonderful happened
what if...you are loved
what if...you are safe
what if...you made a special difference to the world
Use your imagination to picture the outcome you want vs the one you don't want
Get out of your head by taking action - do something - set a small goal and achieve it today, it doesn't matter how small
Call a friend, go for a run, write a blog - taking action builds self confidence
Here is a good link for you, it is about Worry / GAD
http://www.cci.health.wa.gov.au/resources/infopax.cfm?Info_ID=46
All the best
x

[dazza]

I'm sorry, but I don't buy this fluffy stuff.

Panic, by definition, is PANIC...

They say (and I agree) that a panic attack is as real a fear as being hunted by, say, a Lioness (I won't say Lion, coz the males are lazy feckers who don't hunt & just sit around lickin' their knackers all day [sounds good, right guys?])

Say this scenario was true. There's you, standing in the middle of an African plain... and you know there's a Lioness crouching behind some grass nearby.
What would you do? a/ PANIC or b/ talk the situation down, do a couple of belly breathing exercises and take a RENNIE to settle your stomach?

It's the exact same thing when panic attacks hit their peak. The fear, or rather the fear response is identical.

[jhunter89]

**pounces**

[AceParadox]

And notify how J's pic is a lion ;]
Roar.

[dazza]

You know, if by definition a panic attack is brought on by fear, then the way to beat anxiety / panic is NOT to try and fight the fear, but remove the threat which provokes it.

Given my above example of the crouching Lioness (hidden dragon?), then to remove this threat would mean throwing the beast a chunk of meat. Taking it's attention away from you while you seek refuge.

This is EXACTLY how cognetive therapy works. It homes in on your fear(s) / anxieties and removes it/them.

[funkstarsista]

It's all in your head...there is no real external threat at all, so what you are telling yourself does matter, hence the popularity of cognitive behavioural therapy for people like us :)