Self help resource for sufferers of Panic, Anxiety and Depression.
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Within these pages you will find articles, reviews & resources concentrating on self help for Sufferers of Anxiety, OCD, Depression & Panic Attack Disorders
It’s reasonable to assume that if you suffer from extreme worry and anxiety that you will see the world differently to many of those around you, seeing many things in life as a lot more threatening than they are in reality.
Examples of this may be that you may overestimate the chances that events will turn out badly, you will always assume the worst will happen, or will treat any negative reports as if they were stone cold facts. It’s also possible that you feel your ability to cope with the issues life can throw at us as lacking, and will fall at the first hurdle if their are any signals that point to trouble ahead. These thoughts however are not rational. The constant harbouring of negative thoughts and attitudes is known as ‘Cognitive Distortion’.
These cognitive distortions are not an easy habit to break, in spite of the fact that they are seldom based on reality. After a long period of time, these can become hidden deep in or subconscious and run on autopilot, to the point where we are not even aware that we are acting in this way or feeling this negativity. They become a part of the norm. The first step to control and confront these habits of a lifetime and the anxiety and worry that this behaviour creates, is to re- adapt your though patterns and train your brain.
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Challenge Cognitive Distortion
Start this by trying to ascertain where the frightening thoughts or anxieties are coming from. Try to work out exactly what it is that is bothering or worrying you about a certain situation. Then rather than view these thoughts as fact, instead treat them as possibilities which you are simply investigating. As you dig deeper and start to analise your fears and anxieties, you will start to develop a more balanced view of the situation under scrutiny.
Question your anxious thoughts and stop the worry :
Cognitive Distortions will result in Worry and Anxiety
Taking a view on situations accepting no grey areas or middle ground. Anything short of complete perfection is viewed as a failure.
Just because you experience one bad situation, you expect this to be the case forever. “I didn’t get picked for the Team, so I’ll never get to play Football again”
By only concentrating on the negative variables and in turn pushing the positive to one side. Focusing on what didn’t go right rather than all the aspects that went well.
Producing disclaimers as to why the positive aspects do not count (“Everybody congratulated my on the party, but really it was all down to luck and those who attended”)
Taking everything presented in a negative view, even without evidence to back it up. You can read minds (“I can tell that underneath it all they really don’t like me”) or have a crystal ball (“I am sure this is all going to go wrong”)
Always assuming and expecting the very worst to happen (“The Captain has warned us thinks are going to get choppy. We’re all going to drown!”)
Having the firm belief that because you feel a certain way, that this is reflected in reality (“I’m really scared now, that must mean I am really going to get hurt”)
Keeping yourself tied to a list of what you can and cannot do. Coming down hard on yourself if you stray from your very own self imposed rules.
Blaming yourself for others shortcomings or events out of your remit and control (“It’s my fault my sister broke her leg. I should have insisted she didn’t climb that tree”)
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