Do you worry?

Are you a worrier? Do you often find yourself plagued by negative thoughts and anxiety? Have you ever had genuine panic attacks?

We all probably feel anxious occasionally, but its the frequency and severity of these thoughts that is the difference between just being concerned, and a full blown panic attack, according to an article I have just read. This makes sense to me.

About 15 years ago, I had a spate of panic attacks and it was the most horrible feeling ever. It was a particularly distressing time of my life, but I came through it and am probably stronger for the experience.

The article offers 5 pieces of advice to help when you're worrying and getting in a state:

1. Distract yourself. It doesn't matter if its cleaning, gardening, watching a film or anything that keeps your mind on other things for a while.
2. Break a Sweat Exercise burns off excess Adrenaline and produces anxiety-busting endorphins.
3. Be Grateful. Writing down 3 things you are grateful for everyday, will help steer your mind into a more positive mode.
4. Breathe. Concengtrate on breathing in for the count of 7, and then exhaling for the count of 11. This stops the Cortisol racing round your system and will relax you.
5. Get the last word. This technique aims to let your brain see a positive to every negative. Write down your worries, then answer back positively, like you would to a friend who had the same dilemma.



I thought these 5 things were good advice. Next time I get in a flap about something I might give it a try.

Re: Do you worry?

There are hints all through life about the power of the mind but it's not something the powers that be are actively educating people about. The world has been artificially geared for people to cease being self-sufficient in all areas of life and instead to be DEPENDENT on other people.

This insidious system pervades all areas.

Instead of simple practical survival (being able to feed oneself) we are conditioned to expect others to provide our food.

Instead of learning how to heal ourselves we are conditioned to expect others to tend and care for us and to use medicines.

And so it goes on to the extent that we now are conditioned to not even think for ourselves and instead to put trust and faith in doctrines and religions which don't stand up to rational investigation.

The mind is a very powerful thing. It is connected to our body. It can do many things if it is in control. One of the things it can do is encourage self-healing. Your body of its own accord is a great healing/self-repairing machine provided you allow it to do its thing and not put obstacles in the way. When you get a cold/virus and your nose gets blocked up, it's happening for a reason. Your body is doing it for a reason. Thus taking artificial substances like decongestants is simply fighting your body, setting it back in its progress and just extending the time it will take for your body to heal.

Similarly when you get a fever your body is raising your body temperature for a reason (ostensibly to prevent nasty organisms from being able to replicate). So taking pills to bring your temperature down is again fighting yourself and for some people such as the elderly I believe this can seriously exacerbate their condition.

The more we understand who we are (Temet Nosce) and that we inhabit clever bodies and we have a powerful mind which is conscious at all times, working away even when we are asleep, the more we learn that we can achieve far more than we thought we could using nothing but the power of thought itself.

People talk about PMA (Positive Mental Attitude) but for me that's one of those cringe worthy sound bites that doesn't really get to the nub of the matter.

Being "artificially" positive doesn't achieve much imo. Understanding who and what we are and that we can achieve more than we realised through thought alone, is a skill to be learned.

No need for panic attacks imo. You are effectively, God in your world. Remove the shackles of the dependencies you have on other things, many of which were not your fault, you were simply pre-conditioned that you needed those dependencies. Instead, take back control of your life and know yourself.

Re: Do you worry?

I agree with your thinking to a point, Realist.
However, its all very well to suggest people 'take back control of your life' plus all the marvellous things the mind can do, but that takes knowledge and training, and learning a different way of life almost. Can you any advice on exactly how this is supposed to be achieved?

Where this has been practiced since birth, this wouldn't be a problem, but it certainly would when people of our age have had a whole life time of discipline of a different kind. I would go so far to say the average person wouldnt even know where to begin.

Tell me what you do if you have a really horrid, feverish cold.
Do you take a couple of paracetamol or whatever and go to bed, or do you sit around feeling worse and worse, coughing and sneezing and spreading your germs to everyone within a half mile radius while you 'think yourself better'?
What about the unfortunate people for whom it could be dangerous to get a severe cold? People with existing health problems, asthma, bronchitis, cancer etc. Do you think they should abandon all medication and 'think themselves well.'?
I do believe we can cure ourselves of more than we think we can, BUT it takes a different kind of knowledge altogether, and how do they learn this?

People who can't cope, often feel lost and afraid, so seek help from someone who they hope knows more than them to make them better.
With the best brain in the world, I doubt we are
capable of curing every ailment ourselves. If you fell and broke your leg, would you attempt to 'think' it mended and
better? Or would you get yourself off to hospital and get it sorted?

Re: Do you worry?

I used to have paralyzing panic attacks while driving. Sorry Realist it is NOT something you can will away. Mine was stress with a chemical imbalance. I take two pills daily now and one at night and it's a whole new world. I still have more stressors than I need, but I can sort them out now. Before it was like this big ball of everything trying to run me over. Panic attacks are a horror you can't even explain to someone who has never had them.

Re: Do you worry?

Good advice Mups ,number one is what i use a lot of ,nine times out of ten it will work .

Re: Do you worry?

When I was ill I had panic attacks..No amount of positive thought was going to help they were caused by a medical problem and not one my body could heal by itself either.
Only medical intervention solved the problem and then the panic attacks went.

Nowadays when Im having a miserable day I just go walk the dogs somewhere quiet... That really helps bust the negativity.

Re: Do you worry?

Don't have panic attacks but am a worrier, especially now with big changes at work

Re: Do you worry?

Good advice for some, it depends on what is the cause. Clinical depression can be so bad that this kind of advice will just not get through to the sufferer.

If your brain chemicals are out of whack, a few words will not bring you back, perhaps later on this may be addressed.

Has anyone had experience of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. ?

Re: Do you worry?

Originally Posted by Nom ->

Good advice for some, it depends on what is the cause. Clinical depression can be so bad that this kind of advice will just not get through to the sufferer.

That is true, but I would imagine the advice given is more for the perpetual 'worrier' than someone with much deeper problems that need expert help.

I do think its worth trying to what we can for ourselves first though, before we rush off for medication.

From pieces you have posted previously, you are the last one to rush off for outside help. ()

Re: Do you worry?

I never used to be, but have become so
Its good advice above ...........