Irrational thoughts

[Moose.]

Does anyone else get these? Sometimes out of the blue I'll think of something* and feel a massive surge of adrenaline followed by really high anxiety. I then totally focus on that thought and over think it to the worst possible scenario thus feeding the anxiety further. Sometimes, I manage to dismiss the thought but other times it totally envelopes me and it can take me a few hours to settle down again.

Anyone know what causes this? How to stop it happening? or how best to deal with it when it does happen?

(*normally a minor thing like did I pay a certain bill or what if I get stuck in traffic on the way home etc)

[Debs8a]

Yeah, its like a vicious circle. I will alarm myself when thinking of something mandane or everyday, get the adrenaline rush and anxiety and then manage to calm myself down. Next time i think of this thing, i automatically start worrying because of my previous reaction.
It isn't pleasant.

[Moose.]

Hi Debs,

That's exactly how it works for me too!! There must be a way of re-programming our minds to stop doing this(?)

[Jan A]

It is exactly the same for me, surely there is something that we can do to stop it. I should really say we know what we should do to stop it but does it work - no. It is so hard I just wish I had a switch on my back so I could flick to off when this starts to happen

Jane

[blackie]

Hiya
I have found destraction really is the best way to help brake the cycle. By ignoring the feelings you are saying they are not important. Its not easy and takes time.
Another option is to embrace the feelings and analyse it. Is there any real reason to be scared? Are you in danger? Then you can see theese feelings are not in anyway dangourous, just innoying.
Hope that helps
Blackie

[Moose.]

I guess I sort of know I should be ignoring them, but it is very hard sometimes. It's like my brain says I should be paying this all my attention, so telling it "NO! ignore it", can be impossible. Sometimes I really hate myself for this as I know, deep down it's so stupid!

I have tried thinking a thought through but that just seems to feed the anxiety. I think distraction does help, but it needs to be something that fully occupies my attention, as even a moment's laspe can allow the thought to develope further.

Ho hum, guess it's something I'm just going to have to live with for a while. I'm sure it can be conquered, but I guess it takes quite a bit of time!

[jill]

Hi Moose,

Have your tried writing the thought down, then changing the thought to a positive reasuring one?

When I was acute I found ditracting worked for awhile, but the thought kept popping back in and scaring the life out of me.

What I found helped me was, when my anxiety levels where low, (normal) and I felt fine, I would go over the scary thought, write it down, change it to something more positive and reasuring, it is hard for me to explain, unless I know what the thought is.

I know you have said you have tried thinking the thought through, you have to find the right time to do this, so it does not feed your anxiety.

Remeber thoughts like these are because are anxiety is high, we think we are in danger so we look for danger, if you can calm yourself down and reprogramme your mind, switch off the danger so to speak, the thoughts will go away.

when the thought came out of the blue, I would think, STOP and try my best to remember all the positives I had written down. I used to carry notes in my bag, just in case I could not remember. Do you know what I mean?

It takes alot of hard work and time, but it does work.

Hope this helps a little.

YOU TAKE CARE

LOVE JILLXX