Countering irrational thoughts

[DiamondSea]

These are a couple exercises that have helped me deal with my MANY irrational thoughts.

Write the thought down on a piece of paper. Now write everything irrational about the thought directly below it. Carry it with you and look at it when you are dealing with the irrational thought.

Instead of using a negative basis for dealing with your anxious thoughts, put them in a more positive light. Some examples are

Instead of
"I do not have a brain tumor"
Say
"My brain in just fine"

Instead of
"I am not going to die"
Say to yourself
"I am going to live"


Notice how the positive reassurances do not even include the fear(s) itself in them. Not associating the fears with your coping mechanisms makes coping a whole lot easier. I hope this helps

[Robbed]

Thoughts such as those which you mentioned are pretty easy to deal with, as are unpleasant obsessive thoughts such as hurting people, etc. Even if you are in the midst of having a bad obsessive thought such as the aforementioned harming thoughts, there is always the knowledge at some level that the thought is just completely irrational. The harder thoughts to deal with are those which have some truth to them, such as thoughts about being a loser or that nobody likes you. Trying to say, for instance, that you are NOT a loser when the facts indicate otherwise is not so easy, and just seems unbelievable. And just the mere fact that you have to tell yourself that you are NOT a loser sends a subconscious message that you are (otherwise you would not have to tell yourself that you are not). As for dealing with these kinds of thoughts, well, I'm still trying to figure THAT one out.

[Ryan21]

These are a couple exercises that have helped me deal with my MANY irrational thoughts.

Write the thought down on a piece of paper. Now write everything irrational about the thought directly below it. Carry it with you and look at it when you are dealing with the irrational thought.

Instead of using a negative basis for dealing with your anxious thoughts, put them in a more positive light. Some examples are

Instead of
"I do not have a brain tumor"
Say
"My brain in just fine"

Instead of
"I am not going to die"
Say to yourself
"I am going to live"


Notice how the positive reassurances do not even include the fear(s) itself in them. Not associating the fears with your coping mechanisms makes coping a whole lot easier. I hope this helps

I think this is excellent advice. Also something I read is to actually challenge the fear. For example, if you think that your heart is beating fast, tell it to beat even faster... if you welcome the fear it will actually go away. It can seem scary at first but it is a proven fact that anxiety can not hurt anyone.
At times anxiety is difficult because it can fool us into think things are real. "I'm having a heart attack", "I'm dying", " I have cancer or a brain tumor" "I am suffering from exhaustion"

Of course these can seem very plausible but the truth is that they aren't and it is just the anxiety making us feel that way.

[ArykaLinn]

I think this is excellent advice. Also something I read is to actually challenge the fear. For example, if you think that your heart is beating fast, tell it to beat even faster... if you welcome the fear it will actually go away. It can seem scary at first but it is a proven fact that anxiety can not hurt anyone.
At times anxiety is difficult because it can fool us into think things are real. "I'm having a heart attack", "I'm dying", " I have cancer or a brain tumor" "I am suffering from exhaustion"

Of course these can seem very plausible but the truth is that they aren't and it is just the anxiety making us feel that way.

That's really weird, I've never read that before, but sometimes I get really pissed off b/c I feel anxiety is running my life. I have a little mini-breakdown, and basically "tell" my anxiety "You know what? Go ahead, f*&^*ing kill me, see if I give a sh*t." And usually it goes away...

But unfortunately I have to be really fed up for that to work. lol

[Ryan21]

That's really weird, I've never read that before, but sometimes I get really pissed off b/c I feel anxiety is running my life. I have a little mini-breakdown, and basically "tell" my anxiety "You know what? Go ahead, f*&^*ing kill me, see if I give a sh*t." And usually it goes away...

But unfortunately I have to be really fed up for that to work. lol

Yea it's strange but it's basically a way of telling your anxiety that you can't be bothered. If you try to intensify the irrational emotions you are having, you won't be able to. Anxiety is just your body trying to protect itself, but if you try to beg for more scary thoughts and say "yes I want to have a breakdown, bring it on", it can't deliver.
You see when you are having anxiety your mind tries to find things that are a threat and if there isn't any real threat (such as someone trying to hurt you...or bracing yourself for a car crash) then your mind will just keep looking until it has something that it thinks is a threat. So your mind starts thinking "oh I must be dieing" or "I must have something wrong with me". Your mind looks internally but the truth is that there is nothing there to fear.
Sometimes you just have to look at yourself and say "you know what? I'm a strong person and my body is just fine. And If anxiety wants to come up on me today then thats fine, gimme your best shot... I can take it. None of my fears are real." With anxiety nothing is as it seems. Remember that.