HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Self-Talk

Support Forums
>
Anxiety & Panic Disorders
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 5/16/2013 12:06 PM (GMT 0)
I talk to myself in my head, this inner voice the majority of the day. Lately I'm trying to self-talk positive only things and brush off the negative and the fantastical what ifs and scenarios that I draw up in my head. I have my therapy appt tomorrow so I keep running scenario conversations with my therapist in my head. They pop out of absolute nowhere and are so annoying! I have no idea what's going to happen at my appointment tomorrow but I insist on coming up with scenarios and fortune-telling what I might say or not say or how things are going to go.

When I purposefully try to quiet down and zone to complete silence I get uncomfortable. I perceive the silence in my head as something I'm not used to, and then I start getting anxiety about how much self-talk is too much and am I really normal? I try to remind myself I there is no such thing as normal but I got stuck ruminating at the end of the day. I question the silence in my head when it's there. It is a good thing, but I'm just not used to it.

So ..... how much self-talk do you do? How do you get out of your head space?
Posted 5/16/2013 12:42 PM (GMT 0)
I feel like i'm talking to myself in my head most of the time. The only time it really bothers me is during anxiety attacks, and it seems very "loud" and "demanding" if that makes sense.
The only time I have no self-talk is when I'm playing video games or very concentrated on something else!

I know what you mean about the silence too.. it just seems weird, although I should like it.
Posted 5/16/2013 1:48 PM (GMT 0)
Gotta tell you I wish I could turn everything of, silence would be a blessing, I live in a 24/7 world of my
fantasies, scenarios, real talk, and when asleep I dream constantly, Dr's didn't believe me and I had a sleep
study at VA, I wake up 10/15 times a night, go back to sleep start the dream cycle over again. Rare occasion
when near collapse normally in day light, its like the battery died, I can be in car, couch, chair, family just
leaves me alone I may be out 1/3 hrs, (no dreams) its wonderful but don't happen often enough.

Larry ***
Posted 5/16/2013 3:30 PM (GMT 0)
Joshua,

It is said that highly intelligent and really creative people are most often the ones plagued by anxiety...

This is the positive/negative, yin/yang aspect of life...we have some amazing gifts...and we have some vulnerabilities!

The chatter that happens in our brains is the by product of a lot of healthy, firing neurons. Of course after a while, we just wish that it would give it a rest already...but I would rather have a lot of thoughts all tumbling and whizzing about in my cortexs than to not have enough...

Meditation and calming techniques should give you relief in a manner that is twofold:

You will not only need to quiet your thoughts for the time that you are meditating, but as you practice being still (body and mind) you will become more accustomed to allowing the quiet moments to not unnerve you when they happen.

The stillness will become part of your daily habit, and a more natural state of being for you.

Another thing that you can try is journaling. Putting your thoughts down in words forces us to rein things in and be more structured in our thinking. It is hard to keep up a 'stream of consciousness' type of process, when we have to slow down enough to get it out and onto paper.:)

I often find that I connect with my thoughts on a deeper level when I do this as well. It helps me to get out of my head, and I often find revelations that were previously flying around too fast in my thoughts to catch!

I wish you the best with this...and as always the best way to deal with anxiety issues such as this is to not focus on them and give them anymore power!

I hope that you have a great session tomorrow!

S.C.
Posted 5/16/2013 10:15 PM (GMT 0)
I do a TON of self talk. I am constantly calming myself down and trying to prevent and anxiety/panic attack. Its a healthy thing really. Everyone has internal dialogue. I wouldn't let it bother you.
Posted 5/17/2013 12:32 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you all for your support and reassurance! Today I took a day off work to go to see my therapist and to a prenatal appointment with my wife. My therapist is this magical therapy creature from therapist heaven. Ever since I left his office I've been smooth sailing all day. I saw my doctor after and turned down the SSRIs. She gave me some Xanax just in case tho....The prenatal appointment was amazing too! It was the first time I saw my baby .... An amazing and dare I say wonderful life-altering event!

I'm so in the present without my "normal" voice, I've been bumbling around and forgetful. I guess some amount of internal voice is a good thing. ;)


If there was an anxiety-sufferers hog heaven then I'm in it today....
Posted 5/17/2013 2:27 PM (GMT 0)
Yeah!!! So many postive things in your post! :):):)

I am so happy for you, and hope that your good feelings continue.

Congratulations on seeing your little one...so exciting!

Keep up the good work, you are really doing great!:)

S.C.
Posted 5/17/2013 11:02 PM (GMT 0)
I do the self talk to...constintly telling myself to stay in the moment, keep calm, breath, it is ok. It is like a full time job sometimes. hang in there. Your not alone.
Posted 5/18/2013 5:12 AM (GMT 0)
Joshua88
I hope You realize that your input is Fantastic for the people here, you have such a level headed approach
to using the tools to combat anxiety, also the way you present ideas is very useful. "keep it up".

Larry ***
Posted 5/18/2013 10:43 AM (GMT 0)
Larry

Much appreciate your kind words of encouragement. This place is healing for me a place to come and understand, commune if you will, with people just like me and you. I feel not alone but part of a group of warriors almost, we are doing what we need to do to stand down the anxiety and fears. I can only say I am very happy to have found this little corner of the Internet where I can truly learn, listen, talk, heal, bull****, about anxiety and panic.

I see your words every day to me and others and it lifts me. Thank you so much for it!
Posted 5/18/2013 11:22 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks for sharing Joshua...I struggle with not knowing how to deal with self-talk, too. I know the negative thoughts are harmful but I always worry that if I ignore them, I'll forget something important. I think that's a common belief with anxiety -- that those thoughts are useful. I haven't been able to convince myself that they are not yet!
Posted 5/18/2013 2:03 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you Joshua I too have the self talks in my head. This helps.
Ed
Posted 5/18/2013 11:29 PM (GMT 0)
I do positive self-talk all the time. t is something that me and my therapist talk about. I make a constant choice to do it.
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply