Hmm, those are all good points... I did cbt for very intense anxiety starting about 13 years ago. I used books by a doctor named Claire Weekes. Her work was really helpful to me because she explained a lot of the nuts and bolts of what was going on in my mind and body when I felt anxiety.

You know, it's weird, I don't think I really named the emotions at the time, it was more of just knowing I felt terrible and learning how to relax through it- Dr. Weekes did a good job of explaining that. The funny thing is that the things I'm dealing with now involve me not being able to name emotions... So go figure.... I've been using info from codependent no more where emotions are lumped under a basic four- mad, sad, glad or scared, as a way to begin figuring that out.

As far as the what is versus what if, I worried a lot about things that might happen. So let's say that I was worried about an appliance breaking and not being able to afford to repair or replace it, I could get very upset about that and even a little obsessive. But the appliance wasn't broken that was a what if. No matter what happened I wouldn't have to deal with that until it was a what is. Does that make any sense? Sorry if that's a lame example.

I know from experience that these things are a lot easier said than done. What I learned from Dr Weekes was to use a technique where you don't fight instead you give into the anxiety and let it run its course. As strange as it sounds once you let the anxiety run its course you've sort of taught yourself how to process it. And yes you have to do it many many times but it gets better over time. I really recommend any of her books if you can get your hands on them. Just understanding the medical explanation of what my brain and body were doing when I felt this way made a huge difference.