Are there situations that you avoid?
Driving, getting your hair cut, enclosed or
crowded spaces?
If so, I bet your fear originated at some
point when you were in that particular situation
and felt an uncomfortable bodily sensation.
For example maybe you were in a queue and
felt your heart pound fast or your chest tighten.
From that moment on you started to then avoid
queues.
Or maybe you were stuck in traffic and had your
first panic attack. Your mind then made the
connection that driving triggers anxiety and is
to be avoided when possible.
When you fear one situation you often then develop a
fear of similar situations.
Avoidance of many situations can creep in, to the point
sometimes of not wanting to leave your home.
Did you know that this avoidance is fueled by one simple
question you keep asking yourself?
That question is...what if?
What if I drive my car on the highway and I have a panic attack?
What if I go for the dinner with friends but then want to leave?
What if faint in public, who will help me?
What if I have a panic attack and cant get home?
'What if's' have a nasty way of spiraling out of control, leaping from
one catastrophic thought to another. Before you know it one
simple 'what if' has branched into a web of frightening scenarios.
What if?...What if? And then of course what if ?
'What if' thinking is a trap that keeps you stuck and shrinks your life.
In order to counteract 'what if' thoughts you need to answer
the question quickly with a statement.
A good strong statement to use in response to a 'what if' is:
'So what! '
What if I drive my car on the highway and I have a panic attack?
So what! I'll pull over and get through it like I have done in the past.
What if I go for the dinner with friends but suddenly want to leave?
So what! I'll make an excuse and take a cab home. Not a big deal
What if faint in public, who will help me?
So what! If I faint I faint. Someone will come to help me and
in two minutes I will be conscious again.
These answers seem a bit simple but the key point here
is to quickly reply to the 'what if' question with a strong
response.
It does not really matter what you answer with as long as you
come up with something reassuring and dismissive of the anxious
'what if' thought.
Answering with 'so what' works well because it neutralize the
fear and places you back in control.
If 'so what' does not feel like the right response for you,
then come up with something similar like 'whatever' or 'oh well'.
These responses have the same effect of neutralizing the fear
and closing the 'what if' question.
BTW, don't try and stop having 'what if' thoughts.That's just not
possible. What is possible is how you answer the question.
So remember when you find yourself thinking 'what if?'
Follow it up quickly with, 'oh well, so what, whatever!
Driving, getting your hair cut, enclosed or
crowded spaces?
If so, I bet your fear originated at some
point when you were in that particular situation
and felt an uncomfortable bodily sensation.
For example maybe you were in a queue and
felt your heart pound fast or your chest tighten.
From that moment on you started to then avoid
queues.
Or maybe you were stuck in traffic and had your
first panic attack. Your mind then made the
connection that driving triggers anxiety and is
to be avoided when possible.
When you fear one situation you often then develop a
fear of similar situations.
Avoidance of many situations can creep in, to the point
sometimes of not wanting to leave your home.
Did you know that this avoidance is fueled by one simple
question you keep asking yourself?
That question is...what if?
What if I drive my car on the highway and I have a panic attack?
What if I go for the dinner with friends but then want to leave?
What if faint in public, who will help me?
What if I have a panic attack and cant get home?
'What if's' have a nasty way of spiraling out of control, leaping from
one catastrophic thought to another. Before you know it one
simple 'what if' has branched into a web of frightening scenarios.
What if?...What if? And then of course what if ?
'What if' thinking is a trap that keeps you stuck and shrinks your life.
In order to counteract 'what if' thoughts you need to answer
the question quickly with a statement.
A good strong statement to use in response to a 'what if' is:
'So what! '
What if I drive my car on the highway and I have a panic attack?
So what! I'll pull over and get through it like I have done in the past.
What if I go for the dinner with friends but suddenly want to leave?
So what! I'll make an excuse and take a cab home. Not a big deal
What if faint in public, who will help me?
So what! If I faint I faint. Someone will come to help me and
in two minutes I will be conscious again.
These answers seem a bit simple but the key point here
is to quickly reply to the 'what if' question with a strong
response.
It does not really matter what you answer with as long as you
come up with something reassuring and dismissive of the anxious
'what if' thought.
Answering with 'so what' works well because it neutralize the
fear and places you back in control.
If 'so what' does not feel like the right response for you,
then come up with something similar like 'whatever' or 'oh well'.
These responses have the same effect of neutralizing the fear
and closing the 'what if' question.
BTW, don't try and stop having 'what if' thoughts.That's just not
possible. What is possible is how you answer the question.
So remember when you find yourself thinking 'what if?'
Follow it up quickly with, 'oh well, so what, whatever!
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