Taming the Mental Monster

Hello everyone! I am really excited to be a part of the SOVA blog. As someone who has been experiencing anxiety for the past 5 years, writing is an outlet for me. It is SO powerful. So, here we go!

 

Anxiety breeds in the waters of endless thoughts and fears. They prowl around in our minds like an invasive species. The longer the thoughts inhabit our mind, the scarier they can become. We begin to fear our thoughts. They sometimes transform into monsters that we think we have no control over. We start to live as if we are the prey of our thoughts. I’m here to tell you (from experience and 2 and a half years of therapy) that we DO have control over our thoughts!

 

You have the power to tame worries and anxieties. Two ways to do so is to bring them out of your head by:

 

1. Writing them down: When I feel really anxious, I go to my “feelings journal” and write out exactly how I’m feeling. For example, “Right now, I am feeling super anxious but I don’t know why. Today seemed like a good day on the outside but my heart is pounding out of my chest.”

2. Telling them to someone: Call up a friend when your thoughts are really loud. Friends have an outside perspective and can speak the truth into any lies.

 

So, remember to listen to your thoughts, write and/or speak them, and they will be at rest (at least for a little bit!).