Which of us did not lie at night without sleep, unable to stop thinking about something negative? And in the afternoon, during the performance of ordinary tasks, anxiety may not go anywhere. What to do then?
This sticky feeling of fear is especially unpleasant and unbearable because it is incredibly difficult to get rid of it. It is like a fire that only flares up more when you blow into the flame. So our attempts to stop thinking about the bad lead only to an increase in these thoughts, and, accordingly, an increase in anxiety.
Here are 7 actions that will help him win:
1.Do not resist fear
Fear is not you, not your personality, but only emotion. And for some reason she is needed. Resistance and attention to fear nourishes it, so first you need to reduce the level of its importance. It is most important.
2.Evaluate it
Imagine that there is a scale where 0 is “not at all scary”, and 10 is “terrifying fear”. The appearance of some measure will help you study your reaction and make out the fear of the components: “What scares me in this story at 6 out of 10? How many points would I have arranged? It would look like this fear if I was afraid only by 2-3 points? What can I do to come to this level?”
3.Imagine fear realized
Take the worst scenario: that the worst can happen if your fear is realized? Most often, people come to the conclusion that the outcome in this situation can be unpleasant, painful, but not worth such excitement
. It is even better if you bring this idea of extreme fear to the absurdity, presenting the most unrealistic options for events. It will become funny, humor will dilute the fright, and the tension will subside.
4.Look at fear from the other side
Try to understand the benefits that he may carry and accept it. For example, fear often works to preserve our safety. But look carefully: sometimes fear does not commit, namely what the good “causes”. For example, if you are afraid to remain alone, this fear can give a partner’s search a special tension and contribute to failure. Therefore, it is worth accepting his good motives, but try to approach the issue calmly and rationally.
5.Write a letter to fear
Describe to him your feelings and thank for the benefit that they just found in him. I am sure while you write a letter, gratitude will increase many times. But thank him from a pure heart, because fear feels insincerity. And after you can politely ask him to weaken a vice and give you a little freedom. Maybe you will want to write a response letter on behalf of fear – here an even deeper job will begin.
6.Draw your fear
At this stage, an obsessive fear, most likely, will cease to bother you, but if this has not happened yet, draw it as you represent it.
Let it be unpleasant, with tentacles and a terrible skewed mouth. After that, try to make it dull, pale, blurry – wipe its contours with an eraser, let it gradually merge with a white sheet and its power is weakening. And it can also be portrayed quite cute: “white and fluffy”, he no longer claims to be a nightmare.
7. Do not avoid it
The reaction to any stimulus has the ability to fade away: you cannot be constantly afraid of heights if you settled in a skyscraper. Therefore, try to find yourself in the situations that you are afraid. Go to them, step by step tracking your reactions. Although you are scared, you must remember: you have a choice of how to react now. You can immerse yourself in a state of temporary stress and stress and compete with fear or even refuse to worry.
Do not forget that you are alone, and take care of yourself not only in moments of panic, but throughout your life. Support for safe space inside yourself and avoid crossing new alarming states with previous fears. Treat yourself carefully, and then no external circumstances will deprive you of a state of calm and trust in the world.