[dwfieldjr]

Can anyone tell me how exactly to let it all go and not to let it bother me. People tell me that all the time.

[detachedangst]

That's a joke right? People who say that have no idea what it's like to have anxiety.
I have a safe person I talk to who understands a little and tries with the rest.

[Sober Man]

Originally Posted by dwfieldjr

Can anyone tell me how exactly to let it all go and not to let it bother me. People tell me that all the time.

In actuality it isn't difficult. The difficult part is learning how to do it. It really is as simple as changing the way you think. When you start feeling the anxiety, try and remove the negative thought and replace it with a positive thought instead. This will take time but if you do it enough it will become habit forming and you will burn the bridges that link thoughts to anxiety and you will build new highways that automatically link thoughts to positive outcomes. I struggle with this myself but it has worked a great deal for me. Accepting yourself is key.

[dwfieldjr]

Thanks sober man

[healingme4me]

Originally Posted by dwfieldjr

Can anyone tell me how exactly to let it all go and not to let it bother me. People tell me that all the time.

Depends on what it is that's bothering you, imo. If it's something that requires you sticking up for yourself., how is ignoring and not addressing it, going to go away, through thinking it out of your system.

It depends. More specifics may be necessary to understand what is troubling about letting something slide off your back...

[Hellion]

Originally Posted by Sober Man

In actuality it isn't difficult. The difficult part is learning how to do it. It really is as simple as changing the way you think. When you start feeling the anxiety, try and remove the negative thought and replace it with a positive thought instead. This will take time but if you do it enough it will become habit forming and you will burn the bridges that link thoughts to anxiety and you will build new highways that automatically link thoughts to positive outcomes. I struggle with this myself but it has worked a great deal for me. Accepting yourself is key.

I have tried to do that when there is a negative thought that specifically causes the anxiety...and it doesn't seem to work. The trying to think of something positive doesn't stop the physical aspects of anxiety in my experience. Also sort of hard to think positive thoughts when you're going into a panic since that is a little more up-front in the mind.

Also what if there isn't a negative thought preceding the anxiety? Like you just start feeling anxious for no definable reason? positive thinking doesn't really help that either because if it randomly comes on then it could mean its either anxiety or there actually is something wrong...also there simply isn't a negative thought to replace with a positive one.

Maybe for you its not that difficult...

[Sober Man]

Originally Posted by Hellion

I have tried to do that when there is a negative thought that specifically causes the anxiety...and it doesn't seem to work. The trying to think of something positive doesn't stop the physical aspects of anxiety in my experience. Also sort of hard to think positive thoughts when you're going into a panic since that is a little more up-front in the mind.

Also what if there isn't a negative thought preceding the anxiety? Like you just start feeling anxious for no definable reason? positive thinking doesn't really help that either because if it randomly comes on then it could mean its either anxiety or there actually is something wrong...also there simply isn't a negative thought to replace with a positive one.

Maybe for you its not that difficult...

There is always a negative thought associated with anxiety. You may not realize it but it's certainly there. Anxiety is also habit forming so breaking the negative thought habit will break the habitual anxiety. I struggle with this myself but it is the only way to overcome it. There is nothing wrong with you at all. Anxiety resides in all of our brains and people like us just need to learn how break the cycle. It's a difficult road but very possible. One more thing, anxiety and hungers are often confused with each other. Many times I think I'm feeling anxiety and actually just hungry. Just a thought that's helped me in the past.

[IchbinkeinTeufel]

When anxiety is doing a number on me there's only one thing I get hungry for, and that's Propranolol, not a sandwich.

I see what you mean by the "thought" always being there, at least, it was once there, but is now conditioned or habituated; this probably applies to me, at times.

[dwfieldjr]

Thank u sober man. I agree with changing the thoughts to positive ones. Its hard but with practice I believe it can be done.

Thanks all for your input.

[Hellion]

Originally Posted by Sober Man

There is always a negative thought associated with anxiety. You may not realize it but it's certainly there. Anxiety is also habit forming so breaking the negative thought habit will break the habitual anxiety. I struggle with this myself but it is the only way to overcome it. There is nothing wrong with you at all. Anxiety resides in all of our brains and people like us just need to learn how break the cycle. It's a difficult road but very possible. One more thing, anxiety and hungers are often confused with each other. Many times I think I'm feeling anxiety and actually just hungry. Just a thought that's helped me in the past.

I don't know sometimes I have noticed a negative thought, other times there is no specific thought at all...might be overwhelmed/stressed but don't know exactly why. I also am on the autism spectrum so sensory imput can overwhelm me more than other people which also adds to my anxiety. Also if one cannot figure out what the negative thought is how would they change it?

Just not sure anxiety is as simple as 'a negative thought habit' that can be solved by simply changing the negative thought pattern...depression is closer to that and even that is a lot more complicated at least in my case. Either way what I am getting at is anxiety still effects me even if I am thinking more positively though I have to admit my situation in life is not amazing so there is only room for so much positivity before it starts becoming a phony attempt at lying to myself about my situation being better than it is.

Also I get irritable when I'm hungry, it is a similar feeling to anxiety and can certainly contribute to it so sometimes eating something helps settle my mind....though much of the time anxiety gets in the way of me eating since it screws with my digestion/appetite. I also have ptsd in addition to regular anxiety....but yeah not so sure I agree nothings wrong with me if that where the case why am I going to therapy, attempting meds and considering other forms of treatment?

But if it works for you that's good, I just have not had any luck though the ptsd kind of complicates things so my experience is probably a bit different than people who just have Generalized Anxiety disorder it gets confusing since both are anxiety disorders. Certainly do not want to deter anyone from trying to look at things in a positive manner as that can be helpful, though too much in the wrong situations might not be the best thing.

[Mustkeepjob32]

I wish I could learn to let it go. This is a good thread though.

[dwfieldjr]

I meant to thank everybody for replying