Bad Memory Triggers

[mvillarreal]

Hi, all. I'm back to school in St. Louis again. While I've been doing okay and haven't been too anxious or down in the dumps, I have noticed some mild anxiety because last year, I had a major existential crises that led me into a deep depression. I'm just hoping I can get past that and learn not to associate being at my school in St. Louis with what happened.

[pam4him]

So sorry you had to go through that. Some anxiety is normal as school starts back. Try to look for positive things around you to associate with being at school - friends you'll get to see again, some classes or events you really enjoy, etc. Something you might try is to get up 15 minutes earlier and try this morning routine - 5 minutes of stretching to wake your body, 5 minutes of meditation (there are some apps to help with this), and lastly 5 minutes of free journaling - just write what is on your mind, whatever that is. This helps to clear your mind, get some thoughts out of your head, and helps give the day a positive start. Should something happen, perhaps consider visiting with the school counselor. And of course, we are here to support you. You got this! Prayers for peace and wisdom.

[mvillarreal in reply to pam4him]

Do you know of any strategies that helps you be more relaxed about deep existential thoughts? Being back at school is triggering that for me, and it's very hard for me not to stay up all night obsessively researching the questions that plague me because of the triggers.

[pam4him in reply to mvillarreal]

A few - cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), medication, and self-care approaches that focus on finding meaning may also be helpful. CBT follows can follow this outline: Exploring, analyzing and challenging the irrational and negative beliefs behind the existential anxiety

; Gradually replacing these beliefs with reasonable and positive ones; Exploring the experiences that caused the development of these beliefs; Assigning tasks you can try outside of therapy to gradually reduce existential anxiety and improve coping skills. Finding meaning or purpose for our life can be difficult, but start by making a list of when you feel the best, paying particular attention to what activity supports the good feelings. It may be your calling to do that thing. There are also a couple of apps you could check out: Calm, Headspace and Simple Habit. Continued prayers.

[mvillarreal in reply to pam4him]

What about the fear of hell? That's something that plagues me, even though (and maybe especially because) I'm a universalist. There's a part of me, though, that's really worried I'm wrong and that some people might suffer for eternity.

[pam4him in reply to mvillarreal]

If I may, let me start with a question for you. Why are you a universalist? What drew you to this? This will help me know where to go with the conversation. I truly want to understand what you believe before going deeper.

[mvillarreal in reply to pam4him]

I'm a universalist for a couple reasons:

1. Torture is wrong. We know this intuitively. If people are outraged by finite torture, then how could an omnipotent, omnibenevolent God torture people for eternity? If hell exists, then God is either not omnibenevolent or not absolutely omnipotent (which is what I worry might be the case).

2. Most of the near-death experiences I have read have affirmed universal salvation. The evidence points to this then: if the afterlife is real, then it does not consist of eternal damnation.

[pam4him in reply to mvillarreal]

Just wanted you to know I am doing a little research before responding. I want to put some thoughts together before responding further, but I am not ignoring you. I'll try to get back to you soon. I appreciate your openness to discussing this further.