How to Challenge Anxious Thoughts by an Online Anxiety Therapist in Colchester, CT

It is 12:30 AM and you are struggling to fall asleep.  Anxiety has kicked in and your mind is racing about anything and everything.  You are going over your to-do list for the week and it feels unmanageable.  Your chest pounds and your mind feels like it is racing a mile a minute.  The words “what if, could have, should have, and ought to”  enter your mind. You try to tell yourself to calm down, but the anxiety only feels worse.  You are fairly certain you will not fall asleep tonight and you have set yourself up for an even more anxious day at work. 

Anxiety, worry, and racing thoughts are an uncomfortable feeling and are overwhelming.  There can be some relief though.  When you pick out your anxious thoughts and start to challenge them, the worry and anxiety around them can start to feel smaller and smaller.  Here are 4 ways to challenge anxious thoughts:

1.        Do I have evidence that this thought is true?  Many times, thoughts just randomly occur.  Thoughts are not necessarily true?  For example, you may have a thought that a friend is mad at you.  This thought may be based on a feeling.  Do you have proof that your friend is mad at you?  Did the friend tell you they are upset with you?

2.       If my friend came to me with a similar worry, what advice would I give them?  You are an amazing person and you give awesome advice to your friends.  If you would say it to a friend, say it to yourself. 

3.       Are you 100% sure that (insert worry here) will happen?  More often than not you do not have proof that the particular worry will 100% occur. 

4.       Is my worry certain to happen or is it a possibility that it will happen?  You may be responding to worry as if the worry is certain to happen or certain to be terrible.  The worry or even may be possible to happen, but not certain.

5.       If what I am worrying about an inconvenience or a horror?  Anxiety does a great job of allowing you to respond to stress and worry as if it is a horror, the worst ever.  Typically, what you may worry or stress about is about a hassle or an inconvenience.  It might be uncomfortable and not great, but not the worst thing ever.  You can manage and get through an inconvenience.

If you are struggling with anxiety, panic attacks, or stress, anxiety therapy and CBT therapy may be helpful.  Counselors for anxiety are trained in helping you identify and challenge anxious thoughts. In addition, anxiety therapists help you learn new coping skills.  Currently, Azalea Counseling & Wellness, LLC is offering online mental health counseling which you can participate in anywhere in CT.  For more information on online therapy, click here.  To read more on anxiety therapy, click here.  Click here to learn more about panic attack treatment.  To  read more on individual therapy, click here.  Call or email today, for a free 15-minute phone consultation to see if we are a good fit.

Azalea Counseling & Wellness, LLC provides individual counseling for adults in Colchester, CT and it’s neighboring communities including Amston, Andover, Bozrah, Columbia, East Haddam, East Hampton, East Lyme, Hebron, Lebanon, Marlborough, Montville, Moodus, Portland, Salem, and Westchester.