I smiled when I read that, a real smile. Is it true? I might look like the Joker from Batman if I fake a smile. :)
Agua,
I used to follow up "stop the thought" with, you're better than this. At some point that fell away. I'll have to think up some gentle phrases while I try to go to sleep.
Did you know it is impossible to smile with your whole face and have a panic attack. The two are opposites. You might try to fake it but it will be stiff.
I learned something on meditation classes, that we can not talk to our mind using phrases like yours "stop the thought", is an authoritarion way to speak. We don´t like people talk to us in bad manners, our mind is the same. You have to talk gentle with yourself. I think is a good time to take note off all these thoughts to solve them later, or in another day.
One thing that completely change my state of mind to the good way is dancing classes like salsa, kizomba. It´s impossible to practise dancing classes with a problem in our head, it´s not imediatly but after may be 20 minuts my mind are fully relaxed and with all problems forgoted.
Try to change the worry to concern. You do this by taking one and finding a "single" solution for it and then moving on to the next. Even if it is a poor solution. Make it final.
See what happens is if you have a good imagination your memory will give you so many solutions you just can't pick the right one. This is worry and it goes round and round comparing. This is similar to how you get a song out of your head. To do that you pick a less irritating one to play. Do this with worry, pick a solution and then find something less negative to worry about and so on till it stops. Throw in a few happy thoughts and if you slide back tell yourself you already have a solution, don't compare.
Concern is noting a problem and having one solution with possibly a back up, worry is having too many solutions to the point it seems there is no solution.
This works for me. If you can multi task you will find it hard to stop worry with just distractions. I know because I have a good memory and a better imagination and I can multi task. Worry has become a thing of the past for me but I still get annoying songs stuck in my head.
Davit
PS With driving concern makes it possible and is positive, worry makes it hard and is negative. Same with anything Agoraphobic.
Yesterday, while sitting on porch, I realized how I was thinking. It was just there-mind chatter. Most of it was negative worry thoughts and was causing me anxiety. I did belly breathing for a while and then realized the worry thoughts were back. I am under a bit more stress than the previous weeks, but took note throughout the day as I did chores, the negative worry thoughts were there, going non-stop. I tried to distract myself with music, it worked for a short time, but again the thoughts were just there. I challenged the thoughts when I could logically take note of one or two. But there were so many, and so random. Maybe this is part of the process, recognizing it, and finding a solution.
It started again this morning shortly after I got up. I was using the phrase "stop the thought" and redirect my attention to something positive, but that works for a few minutes then it's back again. I tried to do my yoga nidra, but the thoughts even interrupted my concentration. Maybe, it's because I'm giving it attention knowing the thoughts are there.
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