Can anyone tell me, how to stop Obessive Thoughts? For the last month or so I have terrible thoughts of being alone? Fear of something bad happening to me at night (when I go to bed) Fear of staying in my house alone? (I do live alone)I use to wake up with Panic Attacks in the middle of the night so I know that scared me bad. Obessing on how I feel all of the time? The What if's come out. Any suggestions?

I'm afraid to go anywhere without knowing if someone will be at my parent's house? I'm at a loss..

I feel so bad for you having so much fear lately. I don't think I have the answers you seek, but I can tell you how I've been feeling.

I have been waking up for about 2 weeks from horrible nightmares. I wake up to full alert, being afraid to move or being afraid that someone is in the house. Afraid something is wrong with my son in the other room and afraid to check.

I am now beginning to be able to lay there taking deep breaths. I talk to myself calmly and think about the fears I am feeling. I keep saying to myself "there is no one in this house - the dog would let you know" and "there is no one in the closet - get up and look if you have to." And I check on my son - can't help it, he means so much to me. So after 2 weeks of this, I am realizing there are underlying fears that I think are caused by changes in my life. And I am becoming successful at going right back to sleep.

I know this isn't right on cue with what you are feeling, but I hope it helps you.

Helen

Hi Helen

Thank you for your reply. You're not too far off with your response. I'm doing a little bit better. I was just wondering if anyone had any kind of suggestions. I do breath and talk to myself calmly, but other than that I think I get scared from the anticipatory part thats all.
Again thanks for trying to help.

Monroe,

JOURNAL, write down all your scary thoughts, even if they are broken. You will come to see they really aren't rational and don't make a lot of sense.
And that's just it...
YOU CAN'T MAKE SENSE OUT OF NONSENSE!!!
Next, you replace all these thoughts with truthful, positive statements. And next what I did was just decided to STOP it! I kept telling myself what Carolyn says...If you find yourself running around in a circle...just jump out!

Read my posts from before...I don't have ANY of those thoughts anymore. So it works!!

Take care of yourself and as you get a hold on your anxiety, this will pass, it's only a distraction! Work on the issues that really bother you!
If you have the program skip to lesson 10 for more info. I know they don't like us to skip around, but I have no idea why they put that lesson as 10, it should be sooner because it is one of the worst symptoms and keeps alot of us scared. They are the experts though, but take a peek to get you through and then resume your normal schedule.

Chantal

[This message has been edited by Chantal (edited 02-16-2001).]