Psycho-Babble Medication Thread 738353

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'What if's' replaced with 'I can't wait 'till's'

Posted by cgd092 on March 4, 2007, at 19:23:13

I'm in the middle of an "epsiode" of anxiety/depression, and I developed a little coping technique I thought I'd share:

Anxiety makes my mind race with "what if's," and they are all terrifying. What if I get trapped? What if I get stuck where I don't want to live? What if I have to get a job I hate? What if my kids hate school? What if I get old and ugly? What if I pick the wrong thing for dinner? What if my current discontent really means my marriage is doomed?" You know the thoughts; they just keep coming and they FEEL so painful.

I am trying replacing, instantly, any "what if" thought that pops into my mind, with "I can't wait until..." Instead of "what if our next house is the wrong choice of places to live," I force myself to change it to, "I can't wait to pick out the wall pain colors." If I think, "What if this boredom I feel right now never goes away," I change it to, "I can't wait until I find something new and fun to do." Similarly, "What if I grow old and ugly," I change it to, "I can't wait to not care so much about looks and to be a mentor and wear snazzy older lady clothes and travel."

Can anyone think of their own personal demon "what ifs" and how we could change them to "I can't wait 'till's?

Re: 'What if's' replaced with 'I can't wait 'till's' » cgd092

Posted by Phillipa on March 5, 2007, at 10:27:51

In reply to 'What if's' replaced with 'I can't wait 'till's', posted by cgd092 on March 4, 2007, at 19:23:13

Well I've reached the what if point of getting older and the I can't wait it not working as I don't like to look in the mirror. You do care. Love Phillipa

Re: 'What if's' replaced with 'I can't wait 'till'

Posted by Declan on March 5, 2007, at 15:01:24

In reply to 'What if's' replaced with 'I can't wait 'till's', posted by cgd092 on March 4, 2007, at 19:23:13

Sometimes (but not all the time) you can replace 'what if' with 'so what'.

And that can get you out of the jam.

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