Worst that can happen

[IntheLabyrinth]

When I used to see my psychologist, she was big on what is the worse that can happen. For example, what is the worse that can happen if you meet a new person, and your heart decides to beat at 1000 times per minute, your face starts sweating profusely, and you can't think of anything to say. Has using this strategy alleviated some of the anxiety for you?

 

[FallenFeathers]

I found c.b.t very helpful in a lot of regards. But this exact thing is where I clashed with my therapist. Not being able to form a coherent sentence, showing obvious signs of distress people DO pick up and even comment on demoralizes me like mad, because as an adult I feel I should be able to buy say a pack of smokes without having a similar reaction to what you might get if a grizzly bear was trying to munch your face off lol.

 

[bcsr]

Yep. I use it all the time, I've mentioned that in certain threads here before. I use "what's the worst that can happen" along with "just do it" as my strategies for dealing with social anxiety.

 

[JohnnAY]

Nope hasn't worked for me because the worst always happens. It's hard to function when Niagara Falls is pouring down your forehead and armpits.

 

[IntheLabyrinth]

Yep. I use it all the time, I've mentioned that in certain threads here before. I use "what's the worst that can happen" along with "just do it" as my strategies for dealing with social anxiety.

Do you constantly remind yourself or just when you are about to be in an anxiety provoking situation? What is the answer you usually come up when you ask youself what's the worse that can happen?

I really want it to work for me.

 

[Saga]

Nope. It's so fxcking annoying, though, because I can sit for a few hours before I go to a social situation where I'll be meeting new people and thinking over all this. I go through it logically in my brain, and write stuff down and everything. -_-' It doesn't change a thing. I'm still as awkward as ever. -sigh-

 

[ImNotMyIllness]

I generally have the same outlook. After a while, I get sick of not doing what I need to od to make things happen. I say' "screw it, I'm doing this, let the cards fall where they may". If only, I could do this earlier and not be so avoidant. I swear, I feel like I'm always a day late to the party.

 

[IntheLabyrinth]

Nope. It's so fxcking annoying, though, because I can sit for a few hours before I go to a social situation where I'll be meeting new people and thinking over all this. I go through it logically in my brain, and write stuff down and everything. -_-' It doesn't change a thing. I'm still as awkward as ever. -sigh-

I feel ya. It sounds so good in theory though.

 

[IntheLabyrinth]

I wish I could just be brainwashed to not be afraid like the guy from " A Clockwork Orange" was to not be violent. Just watch a video and you're cured. Why isn't anyone working on that?

 

[KiaKaha]

You could lose your job, become homeless and starve to death.

 

[LazyHermitCrab]

I think i'm already an expert on figuring out what the worst that can happen is. Hey if it works for you sweet

 

[bcsr]

Do you constantly remind yourself or just when you are about to be in an anxiety provoking situation? What is the answer you usually come up when you ask youself what's the worse that can happen?

I really want it to work for me.

I don't have to think about it anymore, but at first I always reminded myself of that before-hand. The answer I come up with is that I'll be no worse off than I was before. It'll just be one bad experience... big deal.

 

[Kiwong]

Being called names, people screaming in your ear. Seeing the hostility in their eyes and hearing it in their words, when all you are feeling inside is fear. Being pushed away, treated as different and viewed with suspicion wherever you go. They are some of the things have happened to me. That is traumatic.

 

[IntheLabyrinth]

I don't have to think about it anymore, but at first I always reminded myself of that before-hand. The answer I come up with is that I'll be no worse off than I was before. It'll just be one bad experience... big deal.

That is a really good way to think about it. Thank you!

 

[IntheLabyrinth]

Being called names, people screaming in your ear. Seeing the hostility in their eyes and hearing it in their words, when all you are feeling inside is fear. Being pushed away, treated as different and viewed with suspicion wherever you go. They are some of the things have happened to me. That is traumatic.

Well, those certainly would be the worse that could possibly happen. I don't think having thoughts of something that bad would actually help decrease the anxiety.

 

[Kiwong]

Well, those certainly would be the worse that could possibly happen. I don't think having thoughts of something that bad would actually help decrease the anxiety.

That's right, each time the worst that can happen to you happens again and again, it makes it harder to bounce back. Perhaps some posters on this forum will undertand the fear I go through to face up to those people and situations again. At its worst, not being able to eat or sleep for a week, it was that bad for me. I was determined not give in, to not be driven away, to not run away, but it took its toll.

 

[IntheLabyrinth]

That's right, each time the worst that can happen to you happens again and again, it makes it harder to bounce back. Perhaps some posters on this forum will undertand the fear I go through to face up to those people and situations again. At its worst, not being able to eat or sleep for a week, it was that bad for me. I was determined not give in, to not be driven away, to not run away, but it took its toll.

I am sorry it's that bad for you. That sounds awful. We can all empathize with you. I think people like us are the most courageous people around. It's amazing we go on facing these situations on a daily basis knowing the fear that inevitably happens.

 

[Hellhound]

Every single time I've said "what's the worse that can happen?", the worse that could've happened, happened. I just stopped thinking that for fear.

 

[Kiwong]

I am sorry it's that bad for you. That sounds awful. We can all empathize with you. I think people like us are the most courageous people around. It's amazing we go on facing these situations on a daily basis knowing the fear that inevitably happens.

Yes, we are courageous aren't we, Inthelabyrinth.

 

[GhoulsNightOut]

When I used to see my psychologist, she was big on what is the worse that can happen. For example, what is the worse that can happen if you meet a new person, and your heart decides to beat at 1000 times per minute, your face starts sweating profusely, and you can't think of anything to say. Has using this strategy alleviated some of the anxiety for you?

Using that question did help me with most situations because I always felt silly about my answers afterwards. I had catastrophized those situations as if they would kill me. My answer was almost always appearing nervous or stupid and getting laughed at for it. Well if they laugh then they're jerks. Would you laugh at someone who appears nervous? (It's happened to me before, btw). And being nervous doesn't say anything about my competence or intelligence, so having that little discussion with myself would help push me through the terror and get s*** done.

Most of the time....