cpe1978
03-10-13, 21:30
Hi All,
I have just got back from a CBT session and I am planning on taking a break from this forum for a while. Anyway I wanted to post a final thought based on something I discussed with my therapist.
I wonder how much of people's health anxiety is linked to a lack of tolerance if uncertainty?
If we think about a worrisome situation there are two components to it. Firstly our ability to prevent it happening and secondly our ability to live with the idea that it might and that we can do little about it. HA is really difficult in this regard as no matter how hard we try we cannot control the outcome of disease or similar (well to a degree we can lead a healthy lifestyle which mitigates many).
So we are left with tolerance of uncertainty. When we chase tests and diagnosis in spite of medical reassurance I wonder whether we are delaying an inevitable step in recovery, learning to live with uncertainty and instead focusing all our efforts on controlling our destiny.
So this week and next I am planning to play with uncertainty and create situations that generally are uncomfortable. Number one, after tonight I won't log onto here until Sunday night. Number two I am not going to physically probe myself until Saturday night. Both of these things whilst sounding trivial when written down will be tough.
In summary though I wonder whether or not a critical part of getting better is working on the things we can control and accepting a little more of those we can't.
See you soon people and thanks for all the support so far.
Chris xx
I have just got back from a CBT session and I am planning on taking a break from this forum for a while. Anyway I wanted to post a final thought based on something I discussed with my therapist.
I wonder how much of people's health anxiety is linked to a lack of tolerance if uncertainty?
If we think about a worrisome situation there are two components to it. Firstly our ability to prevent it happening and secondly our ability to live with the idea that it might and that we can do little about it. HA is really difficult in this regard as no matter how hard we try we cannot control the outcome of disease or similar (well to a degree we can lead a healthy lifestyle which mitigates many).
So we are left with tolerance of uncertainty. When we chase tests and diagnosis in spite of medical reassurance I wonder whether we are delaying an inevitable step in recovery, learning to live with uncertainty and instead focusing all our efforts on controlling our destiny.
So this week and next I am planning to play with uncertainty and create situations that generally are uncomfortable. Number one, after tonight I won't log onto here until Sunday night. Number two I am not going to physically probe myself until Saturday night. Both of these things whilst sounding trivial when written down will be tough.
In summary though I wonder whether or not a critical part of getting better is working on the things we can control and accepting a little more of those we can't.
See you soon people and thanks for all the support so far.
Chris xx