Posted by tom_traubert on November 28, 2004, at 11:03:32
In reply to Re: Meds for Obsessional Thoughts, posted by TommyIsland on November 28, 2004, at 1:33:26
The book does give advice, but not how to "change" your thought patterns, because trying to change the thoughts is a big part of the problem. The goal is to identify the thoughts as being irrational and OCD only, and not reacting to them, which is very difficult because as you know, the thoughts don't exist by themselves. They bring a visceral sense of dread, an anxiety and panic that compels you to try and figure everything out, because if you don't, you feel like you're going to die or have a panic attack or "go crazy."
The problem with talking about this with anyone who has not experienced it firsthand is that they will tell you, "ok, so big deal, so don't worry about it, it's just thoughts" which is invalidating and infuriating. They don't know the anxiety which hits you out of nowhere, they don't know the vise grips around your stomach, they don't know that it's not just the thoughts but the fact that they don't leave you any room to think about anything else. Which is why the structure of panic and anxiety has to be looked at also. Most nervous people will think of a million other things to do than look at their anxiety up close, I know it was like that with me. To just look at it without trying to find the magic solution, the magic unresolved anger from the past, the one thing they could've done differently---NO, you must look at what anxiety is, and not just its sypmtoms. For, this, an excellent book is "Don't Panic." Another book that deals with it in more depth (don't let the name turn you off, you don't need to have a phobia to read this book, it's got great great stuff in it) is "The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook"
tt
poster:tom_traubert
thread:420388
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20041128/msgs/421266.html