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Focusing and fear

Wings313 said "What baffles me sometimes is the amount of depression, anxiety and fear I can have in response to very benign symptoms."

This is me also. I have observed many times in myself that I wake up in the morning thinking of and noticing a symptom. Then I become fearful of it. By that time, I have convinced myself that my whole day is ruined because I had the curse to wake up with that symptom. It consumes me totally. I am miserable.

But the times I can become aware of what is happening to me, that I am literally being taken over by this unfortunate state, I can become aware that I have another option. That is to take command of my attention and focus it where I want. I can either become completely taken in by this obsessive amplification of a harmless symptom or I can enjoy my life that day. It all depends on how well I can command my attention to focus on that which serves me well or let my mind run the show and take me mentally to a dark and desolate place.
I find it helpful to talk back to my brain and remind it that there doesn't need to be pain. That makes a big difference. I might have to do it off and on for a while, but it helps reduce symptoms, and my mind will eventually move on.
 
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