[Deleted]
- Date posted
- 3y
AnonymousAnonymous
- Date posted
- 3y
I think, overthinking it is only gonna stress you out more. Trust me, this is all I tend to do. Forget the little nuances of trying to control everything even in your recovery. Just start by simply noticing the thought, agreeing with it, or letting it be by saying, “sure or maybe”, then immediately do what you WANT to do. Over time you’ll be able to recognize what you’re doing because you value it and what you’re doing because you want to escape your fear. The goal is to never escape your fear. Be in it. But then your therapist says you have to enjoy your life. Then yes still do those things you enjoy. If they become escapes from your fears, then do them when you want to. Not when you want to escape a thought or fear.
AnonymousAnonymous
- Date posted
- 3y
@Anonymous I hope this makes sense. An example is I love playing video games. When I had an obsessive fear setback I started playing games every night to immediately escape or cope. Not knowing this was only reinforcing the fear. So I started relaxing in other ways that were more scaring because they were less engaging. Like watching tv or talking with the wife. My brain and thoughts and feelings were screaming not to do it!!! So I did it, got through it, and now those are normal sources of relaxation again. Think of it as taking your life back from fear/ocd one thing at a time. You feel anxiety saying don’t do this activity for many reasons, you can’t do it, it’s too scary/hard, only this certain other thing or activity will take a at your fear, Then you do that activity your brain says don’t. Then sometimes your brain even takes things that used to be coping mechanisms and makes them scary or anxiety inducing activities, then guess what you do those things. It’s funny how we can bounce around from being anxious doing one thing to another. It’s all just an attempt to control our anxiety and thoughts.
Dee CDee C
- Date posted
- 3y
I’m not an expert but for me, ruminating requires a lot of time in my head trying to figure it out. Acknowledging the thoughts is just that. However I won’t entertain it but rather view it in a nonjudgmental way and them float on like clouds in the sky. A good/bad distraction is avoidance. Choosing to sit with the discomfort (thought/feeling) is facing the fear and knowing I can handle it. Hope this helps & didn’t confuse you.
Dee CDee C
- Date posted
- 3y
Exactly. You may not like the feelings but you don’t have to sit there worrying/wondering about them either. You can choose to go about your day. In my journey I learned feelings are not facts. It’s like going to the ER thinking you’re having a heart attack and after all the tests come back negative, the doctors tell you that you’ve had a panic attack.
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