We anxious people are creative—maybe too creative. Our minds dream up all sorts of doomsday scenarios that terrorize us for hours on end. But ultimately how many of these horrible situations have actually occurred in your life? Of all my obsessions, ruminations, constant thoughts, and worries, I’m not sure that any of consequence have ever come to fruition.
I particularly like what Abraham A. Low, MD, had to say on this:
"Unable to resist its suggestions, the patient becomes the victim of his imagination. An incessant stream of insecurity suggestions is poured forth with rapid-fire velocity, leading to a continuous succession of wrong opinions, conclusions and decisions."(1)
Sound familiar?
So the past few days when I have felt anxious over one of my “predictions” I have told myself that my overactive imagination is at work. I’ve found it comforting to label my worries this way. It isn’t a cure-all, but it does bring a little relief—and any amount of inner peace is welcome.
Reference
1. Low AA. Mental Health Through Will-Training. Glencoe, Ill.: Willett Publishing Co.; 1997;38.
4 comments:
They're trying to get people to call it "Recovery International" now. :)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recovery_International
Personally, I'm on the fence about the name change.
Ah, thanks for clarifying, Craig. I was a bit confused by all the different names.
You're absolutely right about the anxiety sufferer's hyper-active imagination. But why, why is it so hard to imagine happy scenarios?
Good point, Robert. It's hard because we've trained our brains to think otherwise.
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