Within the past year, I would have days when I would leave work and suddenly have a random worry.
I would worry about different things like:
Did I leave the water on in the sink? Did I turn the AC off? Did I turn my lights off in the classroom? Did I clock out?
Then lately, it has turned into:
“Did that _____ get picked up and go home?”
These random worries typically happen whenever I just got into my car getting ready to leave or just leaving the parking lot.
And I spend the entire 20-25 min drive home panicking.
Then I would go home, do my usual routine and then those random worries would appear when I’m about to fall asleep….then of course I can’t sleep.
What I started to do was get a notebook and write down all the worries that I have. Every single detail.
Just to calm down my worries swirling around my head.
Physically writing down my worries helps ease my worries.
Then last week, two very stressful days at work occurred that resulted in a panic attack.
I had a very particular worry that extremely bothered me to the point of texting Crisis Text Line.
And I couldn’t decipher which memories were real or if it was just anxiety.
Then I changed my format in writing my worries:
- Write down what happened, every detail
- Write what I’m worried about
- Write down the Worst Case Scenario if the worry was true.
- Facts: Take a step back and look at what really happened. Do not include statements of what anxiety is telling me AKA Facts that you saw and argue against your anxious thoughts.
- (Optional) In one case, state other similar situations and the results of the situation
- (Optional) If the worry is true and not anxiety, write down the next steps and take full responsibility
I feel like anxiety is always filled with thoughts running around your head Once you get them to stop and take a step back to really inspect what occurred and why you’re feeling anxious, it will help with those late night thoughts ruining your sleep.
-Mel
hello melmel 