Technique Use: To Calm Anxiety and Social Anxiety by Questioning your Thoughts
Questioning thoughts provided (and still provides) excellent help for me because it simply takes away the power of anxiety and cancels out any imminent panic attacks.
We all know that general anxiety and panic attacks persist because of the thoughts we constantly keep in our mind, making them so real when most of the time they’re all just false.
In 2010 I came across a book called “Happy for no Reason” by Marci Shimoff and Carol
Kline, where I learned all about the next technique. The original technique is in “The Work” authored by Byron Katie.
People who suffer from general anxiety and panic attacks have negative thoughts that contribute to anxiety. It’s a self-feeding cycle:
“I’m going to have an attack if I go there”
“I’m making a fool of myself”
“I’m a boring person to be with”
“I’m going to mess everything up”
Questioning your thoughts is something that I found to be extremely effective in reducing the symptoms of anxiety and social anxiety disorder and it is done by training your mind to question every negative thought when it arrives, or when you keep dwelling upon it. All it basically consists of is evaluating how true the thought is, and then invalidating it by disapproving of it’s veracity
Fortunately, we now know that our mind tells us lies and frequently tries to block out any positive thoughts during a panic attack, and creates a feeling of truth over persistent thoughts.
Here’s What You Can Do:
Identify the automated negative thought that is on your mind.
Example 1:
For example if you have the feeling that “If I leave the house, something terrible is going to happen to me”.
The first step is to question yourself:
How true is this?
“Very true, I can even feel the fear now”
Be true and honest in your answer
The second step is to analyze the situation and effects from a logical and ration point of view. Ask yourself:
How do I know that this is absolutely true?
“Only because I can feel it”
Take the power away from your belief. Make it small.
What would happen if I didn’t believe in this?
“I’d go outside to my friends house”
Give your response a positive meaning.
The third step is to Turn your initial response around and think about what your life would be if you didn’t have that thought. To secure the positive response, think of three examples that support your opposite reply. You can even look around you.
Example 2:
Let’s take a look at another example:
“Everyone is looking at me because I look stupid”
How true is this?
“So true, I just know it”
How do I know that this is absolutely true?
“I can see them staring at me through the corner of my eye”
Turn around your response
“Through the corner of my eye I cannot have a clear view of this truth”. So you look around see the people walking past and you listen to the conversations of the people around you. They are talking about random stuff, and don’t even notice you are there. And you also notice that it’s a really beautiful day and smile.
It is important that you don’t use “but” or “maybe” as that is mental procrastination. If you want to get the thoughts out, then you’ll have to work on evaluating the truth in them so that you really feel the positive truth about those thoughts.
If you don’t get a positive outcome by doing this, then start over with another underlying thought until you reach the current one again. Remember, one thought leads to the other.
Through this logical evaluation of your negative thoughts, you can gradually replace them with more realistic and positive ways of looking at social situations that trigger your anxiety.
New Pathways
When you learn to question your thoughts, you should also keep up the positive work and feel the truth. Creating these new beliefs will create new neurological paths that will reduce your tendency to persist on negative thoughts. It will cause your feelings to change, and annihilate your primitive alarm system, and set you free from a miserable life.
Another great way to keep in the high is to register your positive moments with more intensity. When you see or experience something great, then take at least 30 seconds to think about how positive that situation is to you taking easy long breaths and absorbing it all in. You can even bring out those positive thoughts during this exercise to override your negativity and worry.
Take a look at the anxiety and panic cure guide that I recommend you use. Is is truly transformational and has worked wonders for me.
If you have any questions please send them to me (info-at-mypaniccure.com) or leave your comment below. It’s of great value to other readers.
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