4 ms·

>practical tools for coping and alleviating symptoms Can you share some of those or are they rather personal?

wruza 3y ago
I don’t remember everything from my sessions, but in case of my severe anxiety we used text logs of (date, emotion, situation, initial thought) and my “I/they must” attitudes. Eventually we found a set of automatic (unconscious) thoughts that led to the symptoms. Once I started to root them out, anxiety reduced and panic attacks stopped completely. Collecting this info was a homework because you can’t do it right in a session. The final homework was to consciously break “I/they must” attitudes. Specifically, I intendedly was several times (1) late for something, (2) went somewhere completely unprepared. As you may have guessed, I had two separate anxieties of being late or unprepared (among others). Ofc it’s not that I’m always late or unprepared now. But my own pathological anxiety feedback loop is no more in these cases. These methods aren’t secret and every <insert type of psychotherapy here> book describes them in detail. You don’t even need to go to a therapist to use them, like you don’t need a programmer to use scandisk or memtest. But detecting inconsistencies in yourself is much easier when you talk to a different person.
scns 3y ago
In addtion to sibling three simple ones and a book recommendation: Observe your thoughts. Replace B/W "all or nothing" thoughts with logically correct ones. Wear a rubber band around your arm. Every time you have counter productive thoughts, snap it lightly. Their frequency will go down. The Happiness Trap by Russ Harris. It is about the very effective Acceptance and Commitment Therapy.
- SamPatt 3y ago
  I second the Happiness Trap.
NoZebra120vClip 3y ago
I don't know your reasons for asking, but we are not therapists, we don't know you, and I implore you not to try anything in your free time without direction and guidance from a professional who's charged with your care.
bckr 3y ago
I practiced visualizations as a way of coping with overpowering emotions. For example anger as fire which can then be extinguished, controlled

I don’t remember everything from my sessions, but in case of my severe anxiety we used text logs of (date, emotion, situation, initial thought) and my “I/they must” attitudes. Eventually we found a set of automatic (unconscious) thoughts that led to the symptoms. Once I started to root them out, anxiety reduced and panic attacks stopped completely. Collecting this info was a homework because you can’t do it right in a session. The final homework was to consciously break “I/they must” attitudes. Specifically, I intendedly was several times (1) late for something, (2) went somewhere completely unprepared. As you may have guessed, I had two separate anxieties of being late or unprepared (among others). Ofc it’s not that I’m always late or unprepared now. But my own pathological anxiety feedback loop is no more in these cases. These methods aren’t secret and every <insert type of psychotherapy here> book describes them in detail. You don’t even need to go to a therapist to use them, like you don’t need a programmer to use scandisk or memtest. But detecting inconsistencies in yourself is much easier when you talk to a different person.

scns 3y ago

In addtion to sibling three simple ones and a book recommendation: Observe your thoughts. Replace B/W "all or nothing" thoughts with logically correct ones. Wear a rubber band around your arm. Every time you have counter productive thoughts, snap it lightly. Their frequency will go down. The Happiness Trap by Russ Harris. It is about the very effective Acceptance and Commitment Therapy.

SamPatt 3y ago
I second the Happiness Trap.

NoZebra120vClip 3y ago

I don't know your reasons for asking, but we are not therapists, we don't know you, and I implore you not to try anything in your free time without direction and guidance from a professional who's charged with your care.

bckr 3y ago

I practiced visualizations as a way of coping with overpowering emotions. For example anger as fire which can then be extinguished, controlled