Re: Confusing thoughts while still awake

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Re: Confusing thoughts while still awake

Posted by LadyNightOwl on September 30, 2002 at 18:58:34:
In Reply to: Confusing thoughts while still awake posted by PDT on September 30, 2002 at 10:22:50:
I have had similiar experiences, also during times of stress, since I was ten...maybe younger. In my case, the "confusing thoughts" are downright disturbing--thoughts about my own death of the death of loved ones, thoughts about war, disaster, and even the end of the world. I used to have panic attacks at night brought on by these uncontrollable thoughts, where I would start sweating, hyperventilating, and sometimes I would sit bolt upright in bed or get up entirely in order to shake the feeling. In high school, I went through a period where I was having these attacks almost every night. Realizing that they were linked to stress was the key to recovery for me. Getting rid of the disturbing thoughts wasn't what I had to do--they were merely a warning that I was under more stress than I was aware of or consciously dealing with. The thoughts are the symptom, not the problem. As for dealing with the problem...in my case, I found that keeping a diary helps immensely. I don't write in it every day--not even every week or every month. But whenever I start having those panic attacks, I sit down and start writing and I don't stop until I've figured out what's bothering me and how I'm going to cope with it.
Hope this helps!
-LadyNightOwl

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