Davit

I in no way inferred from your explanation that you were calling me a fool. I was just trying to say that saying this to yourself, is to me kind of a negative thought. But I can definitely see how things can get misinterpreted especially when feeling are involved.

Dizzy

Davit

From your post, I noticed that you said that I am a fool for believing the core belief, I hope this is not what you actually say, and is your way just to reinforce to me about core beliefs. I am trying to remain positive and if I would say that I am a fool for believing in negative core beliefs it becomes a negative thought to me because, I am blaming myself for developing them. I the support group I go to one of the problems anxious people have if that they always tiring to be perfectionist or at least this is so in my case. The author of the book says to take the average view and not put yourself down for making mistakes. This is something that I always did, but I am not doing it as much as I used to, so I don’t put myself down for have a negative core belief I accept that I have it and accept that it part of the human condition and I am trying to change my core belief. One other thing that I have been considering trying, is rather than trying to get rid of an core belief it may be smarter to create I opposite and positive one instead of trying to get rid of the false and negative one. I think this suggestion works for people like you and me, who are older and are tiring too change the belief, because it seems to me if I had done it when I started having problems (I.E. I would not have developed so many negative thoughts), and such a strong core belief (that comes from reinforcing it over a long time). I see the advantage to challenge your core beliefs when you are young and just starting to developed belief. I have also just come to the realization of what I am not doing and should be doing, and that is that I would challenge a negative thought or core belief but it would end there. I may even have believed 100% in the new thought, but I am not reinforcing it by saying it ever time that negative thought comes to mind. In my group, the major thing the author says is that we are probably afraid more of the sensations of fear then we are of the situation. I fact this is how I developed many of my false core beliefs because I did not realize that the sensations I was experiencing were from fear, however I don’t believe that this is the situation for everyone. So one mantra is “sensation are distressing but not dangerous”, this thought hold true for me because as I have said before I took all sensation in my body an attached a physical aliment to them, or now I see them is an impediment to working.

Dizzy

Davit

I am asking for some clarification or some more information on what you said. When you talk about coping techniques what specifically worked for you. As far as I know the coping, techniques I have available are to try to relax, box breath, and progressive relaxation. I also exercise and do yoga and try to practice mindfulness.  According to panic centre self-care activities are; Do activities you enjoy; Practice relaxation; Speak with family and friends; Exercise; Read. Aside from  what I have here, I am wondering am I missing something and if I am, is it because I am on session 4 or have you come up with other techniques that work for you because they are personal in which case I ask that you not share them. However, if you have some generic kinds I would sure be interested in knowing what they are. When you say, “instead of trying to fix one I fixed how I thought” are you referring to fixing triggers (as fixing each one) and you corrected how you thought about the triggers and how you perceived them, is this where you found all your negative perceptions. I think I found the answer when you said instead of fixing every situation you fixed how you thought about them I am assuming (a trigger is a situation). Finally, did you look for core beliefs as a staging ground because it seems to me if you fix a core belief where quite a few negative automatic thoughts come from then you have addressed all the negative thoughts by dealing with one big one? Happily awaiting your answer and do not over tax yourself when you get a chance I would like to know what you think. I think we may have stayed away from the original thread a little but I would appreciate hearing your responses anyway.

Dizzy

I have gone through session 1 to 3 taking a week or more with the sessions. I also have been to CBT and challenged negative beliefs, according to therapist he said, “That he never had any one finish the book or know so much about anxiety and panic attacks”. These are his words. I did not believe them I did believe him about finishing the book but not knowing about panic attacks and anxiety. The reason I did not believe him as he set the goals for me to achieve from our sessions. My most important goal was to stop having attacks. His goal was to return to work and ignore all the symptoms I had, and if I did have any anxiety that I was to use breathing technique to stop all sensations. I noticed that in Panic Centre you set your own goals, which allows you to have a sense of accomplishment. After he set the goals for me, I was unable to stop panic attacks and breathe away any sensation. However, in a support group I go to the general mantra is, “The rate of recovery is in direct proportion to the amount of discomfort you are willing to bear and to function normally while bearing it”. The only knowledge you need for this is to realize that the symptoms you have are distressing but not dangerous and they come from anxiety. I think one of my problems is I have so many negative thoughts that I challenge them right away and then never revisit them. I have considered going over my journal, sifting though, finding all the negative thought challenged, and putting them on a separate piece of paper. Perhaps some of negative thoughts are just the same theme but said in a different way. When I was at the CBT therapist, I had identified my negative core beliefs. However as I keep coming across new thoughts I think my negative core beliefs are changing not because I got rid of it but because I had the wrong one to begin with. About the pain when going of the medication it returned, but I mediated all the tension away and with the tension gone, the pain went with it. I think one of my core beliefs or negative thinking problems are in the past as I have said I would blame all my problems on one thing or another usually with a physically manifestation. In other words, I was picking up twigs when I had a log in my eye. Therefore, now that I have finally realized, at least to some extent that my problems are fear based I pay too much attention to my confusion. My therapist said, “You give it to much power to your confusion by paying attention to it”. I agree with him, however since I have just recently noticed that my problem is fear based I seem fascinated with how screwed up I am from it. I have Google all sorts of things such as a learning disability are disguised by anxiety. That when I lost my hearing and developed vertigo if you Google it says, that this can be a major source of panic attack. I have also Google that I constantly have sever tinnitus in one ear and some in another and I think they said that people with this condition are 70 percentage more likely to develop depression. Finally I my support group another mantra labels people like me as intellectual tiring to find a reason for everything when you should take an average view of life and not find fault with everything that happens. Davit, you are write that I probably have to accept my disability I have even said this to some else, interesting how I can give advice but cannot take it home with me.

dizzy