View Full Version : how to "postpone worry"
My therapist is really trying to have me do this as a strategy. When I'm in the depths of my anxiety, it is impossible for me to do this, as the thoughts just come into my head whether I like them to or not. I just don't understand how this is a valid therapeutic intervention and am havign a really hard time.
My therapist is really trying to have me do this as a strategy. When I'm in the depths of my anxiety, it is impossible for me to do this, as the thoughts just come into my head whether I like them to or not. I just don't understand how this is a valid therapeutic intervention and am havign a really hard time.
POSTPONE WORRY ??????????? How do you do that , tell your therapist to postpone your appointments thats a lot easier?:wacko:
That's like trying to postpone going to bog after a boozy night followed by a vindaloo :scared15:
Maybe your therapist means postpone acting out or responding to your anxiety - eg, Googling :shrug:
snowghost57
20-09-17, 11:09
Focus on the now. Challenge you thinking, are they valid thoughts? Are you being rational or emotional? I don't procrastinate anymore either, if I worry or fear something I tackle it head on. If there is nothing I can do about it right now then I will deal with when I can. Maybe that is what she meant?
pinkpiglet
20-09-17, 11:55
I kind of get where your therapist is coming from here! I never had a therapist, all self help! Ive managed to control my anxiety very well for the last 8 years but its back and yesterday I had a meeting that I couldn't get out of, and I didn't really want to, as I cant let anxiety ground me again. I talked myself out of feeling anxious which we all know is so bloody hard if not impossible at times but I made provisions so that after the meeting I could go home and hide away for the rest of the day. I managed to get through the meeting unscathed (looking around a primary school and meeting the staff and children!) I kept telling myself to stay calm, stay calm, you can go home and lose it after this, you just need to focus, distract, concentrate... then in 1 hour you can release it! It must have worked because I was able to get through the meeting and actually took in what I was been told and my anxiety didn't distract me enough to make a show of me :D and the truth is, I spent all afternoon completely exhausted and spent the day on the couch with my 10 year old who is off school poorly.
Maybe your therapist doesn't expect everything to work that he/she suggests but they are tried and proven tactics that we have to try. No one can fight anxiety for us, we have to give everything a go!! Try it and see xx
MyNameIsTerry
20-09-17, 17:12
It might be the worry period technique where you spend one hour a day focusing on your worries only. If I could do that I would be very happy with 23 blissful hours! But with constant anxiety it's not something I could achieve. Some can.
Either that or inserting a break between obsession & compulsion which is resisting in an exposure way.
The therapist should be explaining it though or else there's no point them mentioning it.
Probably achievable for the mild to moderate bracket of anxiety sufferers.
Glad I'm not crazy. I'm so frustrated because my last therapists wpuld tell me to do this and I literally went to a new one because I felt he was unhelpful. Maybe I'll have to stop this guy too, I feel so helpless because I'm worried now but can't not think about it
MyNameIsTerry
21-09-17, 02:03
It depends what they mean though. And what techniques do you use to postpone with? If it's about inserting things like waiting periods then they need to say what you could do in that time to help. If it's about the worry period technique, they need to explain how to use that hour...the rest of the day is then over to you to try to find a way not to worry (good luck!)
If therapists can't adapt to patient need and just trot out the same techniques, they may not be very well trained.
He says to say I will worry in two hours because I can't do anything in those two hours about whatever worry. He says I should distract myself. This is my second therapist and I told him I hate this strategy so I'm also frustrated by the therapaetic relationship in general because I really trust this new one.
I feel for you! I have also struggled with this technique. When you're deep down inside that pit, it takes a lot of practice to even start to make the technique work at all.
Now that my anxiety is much much better, I am able to postpone. The way I do it is I make an appointment with myself - I set aside time - in which I plan to write about my worries and do something about them. I remind myself that this present moment is not the time that I will be able to find a solution for my worries - the upcoming appointment with myself is the time where I will be in the right mood to make a difference, and any extra focusing on the thoughts is just going to make me unhappy and drain my energy unnecessarily. (That last bit is the hardest bit when I'm already in the pit!)
The therapeutic relationship - that is something that you can talk about directly with your therapist. Mine is very comfortable doing that. I reckon they have training on how to talk about it perhaps? Just because one technique they suggested didn't work, that doesn't mean that nothing else they say will help. Different techniques work for different people. Regardless of what kind of therapy you have, you will find what works for you. Keep practicing. Different things will work at different times in your life, too.
Best of luck!
MyNameIsTerry
21-09-17, 06:02
He says to say I will worry in two hours because I can't do anything in those two hours about whatever worry. He says I should distract myself. This is my second therapist and I told him I hate this strategy so I'm also frustrated by the therapaetic relationship in general because I really trust this new one.
These will explain it for you:
http://www.cci.health.wa.gov.au/docs/ACF3D66.pdf
http://www.cci.health.wa.gov.au/docs/WS-Postpone%20your%20Worry.pdf
If 2 hours isn't achievable what else does he suggest? Exposure doesn't have to be set, it can be worked through a series of smaller steps too.
Kathryn313
21-09-17, 06:19
He says to say I will worry in two hours because I can't do anything in those two hours about whatever worry. He says I should distract myself. This is my second therapist and I told him I hate this strategy so I'm also frustrated by the therapaetic relationship in general because I really trust this new one.
Could you ask them why they think this is important and to work with you on making it more manageable? Distraction techniques I was given were things like, count all the red things you can see or look for road signs, anything to re-engage your logic mind.
What intervention do you envisage working?
Regrettably there is no one magic intervention that will work straight off the bat,
Do they have some other techniques to try and you could maybe come back to this another day.
Best wishes and good luck
It depends what they mean though. And what techniques do you use to postpone with? If it's about inserting things like waiting periods then they need to say what you could do in that time to help. If it's about the worry period technique, they need to explain how to use that hour...the rest of the day is then over to you to try to find a way not to worry (good luck!)
If therapists can't adapt to patient need and just trot out the same techniques, they may not be very well trained.
I am confused: wacko::wacko::wacko:
MyNameIsTerry
22-09-17, 01:57
I am confused: wacko::wacko::wacko:
Don't worry about it! :yesyes:
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