Severe Anxiety

I know exactly what you mean. I wish I knew I had an anxiety disorder when I was 18, it would've made things a lot easier than discovering at 26. I've tried the deep breaths and thinking positively but my "what-ifs" always seem to overpower my thoughts. When I started seeing a counselor AND trying to overcome the "what-ifs" that really made a difference. I learned to recognize when I'm having an attack and counting down from 10 helps. I imaging my anxiety (being most powerful at 10 and gone at 1) decreasing as I count down. I may not always make it to a 1 but I can at least get it down from severe attack-mode at 10 down to at least a 3. I think with more practice I can learn to get it down to a 1 but I feel better at a 1 versus a 10.

I hope this helps and I hope talking to someone helps you as much as it is helping me. I'm still working through it and still having attacks but I'm better than I was months ago.

I get the same thing... all kinds of negative, scary thoughts that I can't seem to stop. I try deep breathing and try to focus my attention on other things. If I'm at home I fuss over my dog and play with him to distract myself. If I'm not at home, I try positive self-talk like "You're stronger than this" and "You can beat this". It really does help. I hope it helps you too.

Kat

1. When the thoughts and feelings come around, find yourself in a comfortable chair. Sit up and start to breath.

2. Find where the feeling resides and in the direction that it spins (take your time to really notice the spin).

3. Imagine yourself pulling out that feeling from inside of you and holding it in front of you, visualizing the spin, color, and speed.

4. Now stop it, reverse the spin, change the color (a comforting color) and make it spin faster in the opposite direction.

5. Now visulize yourself (through your own eyes), standing behind you that is holding the feeling, which is now spinning in the opposite direction.

6. Now add another 'you' seeing yourself, looking at yourself. In total there are 3 you's, but the now and present you is looking at the other 2.

7. Make sure you have the feeling spin as fast as it can, and see it changing colors (which should be a comforting color to you). Now see the first you put the feeling back inside of you, as you enter the second you.

8. The last step is to go back the the first you.

This is a simple technique that will help you tremendously.

Just remember, deal with the feeling first, and then work on controlling the visuals.

Let me know how this works out for you and I'm sure it will be a fantastic experience.

Be Well

Ben

Krissy