The only thing stopping me from ending GAD for good

[Tando]

I'm very rational and have good self-talk and end my GAD very easily, but whenever I go online and read about someone struggling with it for years I get anxious thinking mine will come back often and never go away like theirs. Am I just once again thinking more on the negative side of things and letting my thoughts dictate my reality? Thanks :)

[Greenman50]

Yes

I would suggest not to read them posts maybe your fuelling your anxiety ?

[Tando]

Yes

I would suggest not to read them posts maybe your fuelling your anxiety ?

Yeah you're right, the more I read about and focus on anxiety the longer it stays because it's all I focus on. As soon I am genuinely distracted for about an hour all of my symptoms disappear, but I'm addicted to looking stuff up because anxiety is so weird lol.

[Fishmanpa]

I believe there's much to be said about not only reading other related posts but posting them. For some, posting their fears or worries actually gives them life and prolongs the worry. Sometimes but not as often, it may help to alleviate the fear.

Think about this... you post about a worry or fear or feeling and then sit and wait for a response or go and read other posts or Google which increases your anxiety. All that time you're focusing on your problem as opposed to doing pro-active things like distraction, exercise, mindfulness exercises etc.

That's why a journal is such a good tool. Write out your thoughts, wait a couple of hours, read the post again and see how you feel. If you're in therapy, use the tools you've been taught. Many times, people post in the midst of an anxiety attack and often times after a period of time they realize the irrationality of their post.

Positive thoughts

[arislie]

good information for me