In my last post, I wrote about reframing and defusing from thoughts. Sometimes, that strategy is not enough. We do our best to reframe or defuse from a thought, to let the thought come and go, but still cannot get an anxious or intrusive thought out of our minds.
Another strategy that I often talk about with patients is the "ok, and then-what" strategy. Maybe your thought is I have way too much to do and not enough hours in the day, then you walk through the steps. Ok, what if you don't have enough hours in the day, then what? Then I won't get everything done. And ok, what if you can't get everything done? Then I will be stressed, I won't be able to sleep. And ok, what if you are stressed and can't sleep? Well, I would probably manage that, and maybe find a way to reduce my commitments in the future.
I have often found that this strategy takes the scaries out of it. The goal is to take it from some big thing to okay, I can deal with this if it happens. I will be fine. I will get through it and manage.
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