Helpful Reassurance

Yesterday at CBT I was given a sheet of paper. On it were a list of sentences and short paragraphs that I am able to read every time I panic. They are statements of "Helpful Reassurance".

Every time I panic, instead of going online and checking or asking other people to tell me I'm fine and list all the reasons why, I am supposed to read this sheet. The idea is to replace all my unhealthy compulsions with healthier phrases I can use.

So I thought I would type them up on here for other people to do the same. It's hard work but my psychologist is hopeful this technique will ease my anxiety no end.

1. These thoughts are generated at random.

2. They are meaningless in terms of having them does not increase the chance of the event or action happening.

3. Intrusive thoughts do not say anything about us as people. They do not reflect our secret wishes or desires.

4. The amount of anxiety caused by a thought does not increase the likelihood that it is true. A thought can cause us a great deal of emotional distress without their beig the slightest chance of it being true.

5. No matter how awful the consequences of something would be , the severity of the consequence is completely separate from th chances of the event occuring. For example, thoughts of taking a fatal overdoes while sleeping may be thinking about an awful consequence and may cause you to feel anxiety but neither of these factors increases the chance of you carrying out the action.

6. No matter how frequently you experience a thought it does not increase the chances of it being true. Trying to supress a thought, additional stimulus in the environment becoming triggers for thoughts through association and general stress can all increase the frequency of the thought. None of these things increase the chance of the event happening.

7. Your aim is not to not have these thoughts. Trying not to have a thought is impossible and made more difficult by trying to supress it. Your aim is to be able to have these thoughts and recognise them for what they are; intrusive thoughts. You do not have to do anything about them and they are meaningless.

I hope these help some of you.