Down the Rabbit Hole

[Trish23]

I suffer with periods of generalized anxiety. I monitor my thoughts all my waking hours and it starts out where I can let it go then they(the thoughts) start to win. Then my sleeping and going out etc starts to suffer. I try so hard to use the tools my old therapist gave me such as acknowledging it’s there and then saying you don’t get control of me, using the word nope, imagine I am Swiss cheese and let the thoughts flow through which helps sometimes but I just want the thought monitoring to stop. These periods get so intense that I get depressed and my poor husband has to try to put up with me. I have a great life and don’t want anxiety to steal more of it. I would welcome any suggestions.

[Trish23]

I beat myself up because I have no reason for my anxiety. But the thing your therapist told you to say is good. This comes and goes and I can’t figure out why. If I could convince myself to relax it goes away but it is so uncomfortable.

[fauxartist]

Rumination is a tough cookie to deal with when your trying to get some sleep. There are all kinds of suggestions like meditation, relaxing music, eye covers with lavender in them....tried it all.....my brain is just too busy, and I don't have a switch to just turn it off.

What works for me is white noise....I know most people have their own thing, but mine has always been putting on my headphones and listening to one of my documentaries on a painter, or something similar, I don't have to watch it, it's like someone reading a story, and eventually I go to sleep. I have always had insomnia...