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I found the weirdest solution to anxiety

Kelculator

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Firstly, I'm aware this is not a permanent fix. But desperate time calls for desperate measure.
I'm unsure if everyone can do this, but remember when you had those imaginary friends, as a kid? Now, hear me out-- Have you ever had this "voice" (not audible) in your head comforting you when you are having a bad day? It would say something along the line of "Yeah I know, it's awful. I can't believe that happened, you must feel horrible, yeah?"
So I realized I have channeled this inner voice into an "imaginary friend". And you know sometimes when you work on hobbies or just general stuff, you have this voice in your head to give you advice or directions? I made that an imaginary friend too.
So, in a nutshell, I put two of my inner voices into personas. And it has worked surprisingly well.
The "comforting" inner voice acts as a mentor, that tells me what chores I should really do, and reassures me with rational thoughts.
The creative part helps me through projects and gives me ideas, like a work buddy.
I am aware that they are not real, and in fact the "mentoring" friend is very supportive and tells me I have done a good job reassuring myself, since she is part of me too.
It is surprisingly to see this has been the most productive time I have been in a very long while, and I am even in a very stressful situation right now.
Having them makes me, personally, feel like I'm not alone. And it feels great to have someone (even if it is technically me) advice me on what to do, and give me pep talks.
They never give me dangerous or negative ideas.
I have always had a wild imagination, so this is an excellent outlet in my experience.
Let me know your opinion on this.
 

He Man

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..And it feels great to have someone (even if it is technically me)..
Let me know your opinion on this.
It's good to hear you're experiencing a helpful treatment.. I think bcuz anxiety is a subjective condition, it does require different, unique treatments for each individual..
I'm a big believer in the benefit of inner dialog. And who knows, maybe it's not just you talking to yourself. It could also be a caring God hearing prayer & providing you guidance ("mentoring") & an inner peace.
 

triceps

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Hi Kelculator. Whatever helps our mental disorders should be applauded. Thusfar my imaginary thinking has only created more anxiety. It's just great that you've been able to channel your thinking in such a creative and productive way.
 

Robinsca

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Sounds like the "friend method". I had a therapist mention something similar.
 

Melanie RN

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I'm just the opposite! My inner voice is NOT my friend. It helps try to convince me that I actually am dying! How do we quiet it?
 

Melanie RN

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Hi Kelculator. Whatever helps our mental disorders should be applauded. Thusfar my imaginary thinking has only created more anxiety. It's just great that you've been able to channel your thinking in such a creative and productive way.
Same here triceps... my inner voice makes it worse :(
 

Rosy

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If anyone finds out how to quite that inner voice, please let me know also. Like today my inner voice keeps telling me something other than anxiety is wrong. I know it is not true but it won't shut up. lol
 

Melanie RN

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As crazy as this sounds - we just have to remember that by letting "it" speak, "it" has power over us. We have to take back control. It's like feeding the beast - LOL Gahhhh! So crazy isn't it? I'm so glad there are others who understand!
 

Rosy

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There are many of us who understand. lol You are right. We give it power by listening to it. I actually have arguments with myself. lol
 

Hurt&Hopeful

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I do, too! It helps to argue with it out loud sometimes. LOL It would look so crazy to anyone who doesn't know me and is watching, but at this point my husband knows me well enough to chime in at times, which is funny. I'll say, "You are perfectly safe. You got this." And I'll hear from the other room... "That's right!"
 

Rosy

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I do, too! It helps to argue with it out loud sometimes. LOL It would look so crazy to anyone who doesn't know me and is watching, but at this point my husband knows me well enough to chime in at times, which is funny. I'll say, "You are perfectly safe. You got this." And I'll hear from the other room... "That's right!"
Now there is another things our husbands have in common. My husband chimes in with "You give em hell honey". lol
 

Hurt&Hopeful

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Now there is another things our husbands have in common. My husband chimes in with "You give em hell honey". lol
OH MY WORD, the more I hear about your husband, the more I love him. hahaha That's AWESOME. That's just a good man right there. My husband really struggled with all of this at first - he is insanely competent in everything he does, and very confident. Never doubts himself, or me. And he is one of those people that doesn't just always think he's right - he usually IS right, and it makes me crazy. LOL He worked very hard for everything he has in life, and that's just how he sees the world - you attack problems and just get over it. There is nothing that can't be solved with hard work and determination. So when we were first married and I would struggle with anxiety, or especially depression, it's like there was no category for that in his brain. He wasn't intentionally cruel about it, but it was really hard for a long time. Over the years, he's learned so much, and has a much deeper understanding of it. He works with drug addicts, so a lot of the training he has had to go through has opened his eyes to the less "conscious" parts of our brains - the parts that make us anxious when we don't know why, for example. So I'm really grateful for that, and it warms my heart when he joins in on my silly little affirmations and stuff. He's a good man, too....sometimes it takes time... (in his defense, he was 25 when he married me....)
 

Rosy

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Well, My husband is English and well I wouldn't say straight laced but proper. lol lol So he didn't understand my anxiety much either. Not much rattled him so to speak. He has become more emotional the older he gets. I think we are lucky to have them. I hope you have a good night. I hope I do too. Say hi to your husband for me. I like the sound of him. lol
 

Kelculator

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I'm just the opposite! My inner voice is NOT my friend. It helps try to convince me that I actually am dying! How do we quiet it?
Sorry for the late reply! I have the same thing as well, and I supposed the good news is that you view your anxiety as something that comes from a different identity, so it can actually be used to your own benefit. For example, it would be easier to tell inner voice "yeah whatever you say old man", rather than confronting yourself on being anxious. I don't know much about making the voices more positive or inventing new ones, but that's my take on that.
 

Rue

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it sounds interesting, but doesn't sound like something that would work for me. the combinaton of anxiety and depression has left my brain in a weird always-bad-ness. if i were to do that, i would probably just somehow bully myself into believing that the other side of me is not real because why would someone want to be there for me and then i would just scare myself into being scared of it and thinking that it's a monster. yup. a 14 year old whos still scared of monsters :cool:

it definitely sounds like something that could work though. i'm happy that you found something that works for you.
 
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