If you’re not anxious

[Greendino90]

Hi

I’m having a really bad day. Well, bad week. My thoughts are consumed by worrying, catastrophising and general negativity. I always have an underlying anxious feeling so I don’t think my patterns of thinking are ever entirely normal.

if you’re not anxious, what does your pattern of thinking/ internal dialogue look like?

I’m just curious (and looking for distraction)

I'm sorry you are having a bad week. Have you found anything that helps with the anxiety?

I am not anxious. I have positive thoughts for the most part, it's hard to say what my internal dialogue is like though without it being in response to a particular circumstance. I don't worry, unless something is very very wrong (which may be a close family member in hospital or something at that level).

I don’t consider that I’m anxious on a day to day basis, but am anxious about certain situations. Eg dentist.

Can you investigate what you are anxious about, and make plans to reduce the fear. Eg, I was anxious about a funeral. I looked up the venue, found out it looked okay, and gave myself permission to leave during the service if I felt overwhelmed. It reduced the overall anxiety

Gave you spoken to the gp?

A certain amount of anxiety is normal in life.
Accepting that helps.

But overwhelming where you can't do anything you find a different inner voice. You can get a lot done in a day, relatively speaking, it's about taking control of your mind and refusing to let it ruin this one life you have.

Reading a novel, if just for 20 minutes to begin with takes you elsewhere which is a start.

Thinking back to times when you spent hours thinking the worse that never happened, and think what a waste of time that was.

Everyone gets anxious.
But if it's constant and extreme go and talk to your GP.

I very rarely get anxious.

Usually I'm just thinking where do I have to go next, what am I up to now, where are the kids, what needs doing?

Now and again I'll see someone and think I like that jacket/their haircut.

In terms of a job interview (the only time I really feel anxious tbh) I just think well the worst that can happen is I don't get the job, but I've already got a job so it's not the end of the world.

I used to be very anxious but sorted it with meditation and managing what I think about.

Now I can spot when I start to catastrophise and have techniques to nip it in the bud.

My thought patterns and internal dialogue are generally much healthier now. I need to be aware because if I don’t keep up the work I spiral.