Meltdown
17-04-12, 07:50
I have been undergoing something of a relapse over the last 6 months, which has taken me back to where I was in 2006/7 in terms of paniic/anxiety etc
I was been considering my options, including asking for more CBT, increasing my dose of proprananol (as advised by my doctor) - when suddenly the reason for my relapse hit me!
Over a period of time, without even noticing, I have crept back into a negative type or thought-pattern I call "catastrophising"!
I suddenly noticed that I plan any new situation, any new event which takes me out of my comfort zone, before hand in my head, and imagine it going wrong in every way possible, with me having a panic attack, collapsing, being unable to move, etc...
Now I realise that all I have to do is to rehearse these situations in my head, but to imagine everything going RIGHT, and with me being strong, and confident. Easy isn't it?! ( Except that we all know that it isn't!)
But it is the expectation and fear of disaster which eventually becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy, which fuels the panic cycle! I am going to try to re-train my brain to leave these negative thought patterns behind, and see what happens!
I was been considering my options, including asking for more CBT, increasing my dose of proprananol (as advised by my doctor) - when suddenly the reason for my relapse hit me!
Over a period of time, without even noticing, I have crept back into a negative type or thought-pattern I call "catastrophising"!
I suddenly noticed that I plan any new situation, any new event which takes me out of my comfort zone, before hand in my head, and imagine it going wrong in every way possible, with me having a panic attack, collapsing, being unable to move, etc...
Now I realise that all I have to do is to rehearse these situations in my head, but to imagine everything going RIGHT, and with me being strong, and confident. Easy isn't it?! ( Except that we all know that it isn't!)
But it is the expectation and fear of disaster which eventually becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy, which fuels the panic cycle! I am going to try to re-train my brain to leave these negative thought patterns behind, and see what happens!