When we’re anxious, our thoughts tend to focus on all the bad things that might happen.
We start to imagine the worst and worry! Sometimes this can be helpful because it helps us prepare to deal with the scary situation. However, sometimes all these anxious thoughts just paralyze us and make us want to run away or hide.
To identify your worrisome thoughts, ask yourself:
- What am I thinking right now?
- What am I worried will happen?
- What bad things do I expect to happen?
- “What if I fail the exam?”
- “What if I say something stupid?”
- “What if they laugh at me?”
- “What if the needle really hurts?”
- “What if I touch something gross and get sick?”
- “What if I crash the car?”