Focusing on blood pressure

For anyone out there like me who focuses on one thing like your blood pressure, heart rate, etc.  i went to my therapist last night - she was soooo helpful and sweet.  she told me i am focusing on those things because i feel like i can control them.  or at least try to.  this keeps my mind off the real things bothering me.  my son who went to live with grandma, i miss him so much.  i am not a person who cries easily.  i started talking about him and started crying which means it is bothering me more than i knew!  then i felt shakey the whole time i was there.  she said it's completely  normal to feel this way talking about what is making me anxious and it brings out the anxiety.  anyway, makes sense.  if you have ever heard of the book written by Dr. John Sarno I think - he believes all of our bodily symptoms are in fact symptoms of internal rage we have but don't deal with. 

 

Hi H.N., I too am glad to hear that your session went well! The rituals of checking b.p. and h.r. are indeed an attempt to control our situations, and it is hard to give up the things that make us feel safe, I know! The irony though is that in the long run, this actually feeds the anxiety rather than releiving it. I remember my therapist asking me to give up my 'safety nets' and I was mortified! It is a progress, have patience with yourself and work with your therapist to do what you can. Baby steps are good:)
I am glad that you are able to get some of the hurt and anger out as well. I have similar feelings with my oldest as we've talked about before. Parenting a young adult is uncharted territory for me, and is about to be my undoing! We will hang in there together, eh? ;)
Keep up the good work!
Scaredy Cat