I feel when I get a thought I can’t talk myself out of it unless I have proof like a voice memo, a video or a dash cam recording. How do you guys talk yourselves through your thoughts. Whatever they may be?
the first thing i do is take two short breaths through my nose and out through the mouth, as a reminder to breathe (plus it helps regulate your nervous system) and then i ask myself to explain what i’m thinking as if i’m teaching a child a new lesson…it helps you understand what you’re feeling and how to counter it…(i hope this helps a little) :)
@victor_m Thank you! I used to be able to walk myself through what happened but it doesn’t seem to help anymore. My anxiety gets through the roof
I think that a big part of this question can be “what would I do differently if the thought was true?” For me at least, that’s the part that feels scary and overwhelming, especially if it’s a really challenging thought. Here’s what I do: 1. I write down on paper the thought or worry that I’m having, and how I would respond in the absolute worst case scenario if it was true. Then I write down what I would do if the thought was not true. 2. next, I pretend that I am in a meeting with a coworker that just gave a very bad suggestion, and I say to myself (the worst case scenario thought): “ thank you so much for your input, but that does not align with the goals of our project” 3. Then, even though it’s really really hard I do what I would do without that thought/worry. This can be really challenging, and I find listening to a podcast, an audiobook or music helps me drown out my worried thoughts. Sometimes it also helps me to chew gum or a mint, just so I have other sensory input other than pure worry
As in checking to see if a thought is present
What's a piece of advice you give when someone has constantly intrusive thoughts and ruminations that won't stop? Interested to see what you tell others.....more on this when I see some replies!!!
Hey everyone, I just wanted to share something I’ve been struggling with, especially around making decisions. It’s really hard for me to feel confident in the choices I make, even when I know what the right thing is. I constantly find myself needing validation from others—whether it’s about something small or something really important. For example, at my job, I might know exactly what I’m doing and have done it right a bunch of times, but I still feel the need to double-check with someone or ask if it’s okay. It’s like this fear kicks in, and I start imagining worst-case scenarios—like what if I mess up and someone gets hurt, and then I get blamed or even end up in jail or prison. I know that sounds extreme, but these thoughts just come automatically, and they feel so real in the moment. This has been going on for maybe a year or two now. Even outside of work, the same thing happens. Like recently, I’ve been trying to figure out a gym schedule—my girlfriend wants to go with me, and I’m trying to plan the times and make it all work. But instead of just choosing what works best for me, I overthink it. I go back and forth in my head, and I ask other people what they think, even though deep down I know this is something I should be deciding for myself. It’s my life, but I still need that reassurance from others, and I don’t really know why. It’s exhausting to always doubt myself and to feel like one wrong choice could lead to something terrible. I’m trying to work through it, but I just wanted to put it out there and see if anyone else deals with this or has advice. Thanks for reading.
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