The other day I turned off my anxiety
I've had anxiety before, and I've been able to turn it off after a while.My therapist asks me what I mean by this, and I don't really know what to tell him, other than.... anxiety is like a vacuum, and I found the switch and flipped it since I got sucked all the way in. Since then, it's been turned off. I was in the middle of a negative thought, suddenly interrupted myself and thought, "Nope. Not going to think that way anymore. You tell yourself you're being a realist but you're really being a pessimist," and switched myself to a calm state. It was almost a physical feeling. I don't know why I was suddenly able to do this after eight months of trying to reason with myself not really working at all. Maybe my willpower is string enough to do so now? I don't know
Good for you @WhataDime713 -- I tend to 'talk myself down' as best I can, and can reduce my anxiety response somewhat in this way, by rationalising and walking myself through the 'disasterous/what if/worst case/gloom and doom' type of thought process, but I am not so effective as you are. I hope I will get there!
@WhataDime713
I definitely agree that being a realist is kind of just being a pessimist. Being an optimist, taking risks, looking only at the positive side of things, etc will always just "turn off" anxiety as you said. Anxiety is indeed like a vacuum.
I am glad you are looking at your anxiety this way and that you were able to stop it from taking over your life!
Best wishes, Prio.
@WhataDime713 Good for you! I wouldn't say it's about just willpower, but that you are using the skills that you have learned!
