Positive Thinking for Agoraphobia:
Do you know what to think?
Positive thinking for agoraphobia
might take some time mastering but I want to encourage you to be patient
with yourself as you learn, especially since
negative thinking is usually very dominant
in those suffering with agoraphobia. It's hard to know exactly what to say to
yourself when you are challenging your agoraphobia.
After practicing the methods taught in positive thinking, you may still
be wondering what you should be saying to yourself during your practice
sessions.
Many of you would agree that when challenging your agoraphobia and coming
up against those dreadful panic sensations, that it's extremely difficult to
have long, drawn out, logical, conversations with yourself.
For the most part, learning how to have these conversations with yourself
is good practice, however, during practice opportunities it is better to have
quick, short, truthful, answers to the most common negative thoughts that
you have.
The purpose for learning and doing the work as expressed in the
positive thoughts
section is to get you into the habit of finding answers for yourself. It's
important to note that almost any answer you have when doing the work can be
translated into a shorter response. By practicing those questions, you are
preparing yourself ahead of time.
What does your self talk sound like? It's very important to find out what your most common negative thoughts
are when you are anxious. If you are not sure, it may help to take time each
day to write down your random thoughts. By writing down your random
thoughts, you may find specific thoughts that repeat themselves that you
were not aware of before.
Once you have a list of the most common negative, self-defeating thoughts
are, you will be more able to find positive replacements. Don't be afraid to
write them down. It helps to have a notebook when working through positive
thinking.
Some examples of what you might say to yourself when practicing your
positive thinking for agoraphobia.
These feelings will not hurt me.
They are only anxiety symptoms and nothing
more.
These feelings are distressing but not
dangerous.
I can feel these feelings anywhere, nothing bad
ever happens.
It is not the place but how I am feeling inside
that I don't like.
I am in control.
No matter where I am, I am my own safe person.
I don't have to run home to feel better.
I can stay still, allow the feelings to come
and go on their own.
Panic never lasts.
I am strong, I am calm.
I can resist the urge to leave. I will wait for
the feeling to pass.
I can relax and float through this.
If I panic, it's okay.
Your list might end up looking something like this or you might have
different quick responses based on your particular negative thoughts. No
matter what, your list will be customized to you and your needs. You can
even write down these quick responses on an index card and take them with
you wherever you go.
It will take some time to adopt these new thoughts. It's important to
repeat these new thoughts whenever possible. It's best to repeat them as
soon as you get a negative thought, but even if you don't, repeating them to
yourself is good practice and burns them into your memory.
Recommended Reading
The Agoraphobia Workbook: A Comprehensive Program to End Your Fear of Symptom Attacks
by C. Alec Pollard
Return from Positive Thinking for Agoraphobia to Agoraphobia Symptoms
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