Stress Center Peer Support

My family and friends are always telling me how blessed I am and how much I have going on for me, and deep down I know that. I just got a new part-time job offer and am going back to school this fall tuition-free. Despite this, I can only focus on the negative of obsessively worrying about my health and having physical and mental strain as I carry around all this weight of worry with me on a daily basis. I really don't get why I'm doing this, it's so frustrating .

I'm the same way. I am so positive about everything else but me and my ability to handle things. When I was in high school I even won a "positive attitude" award from the whole school. Ha. I am positive about things unless it has to do with my health and the health of those I love. I don't know how to change this yet. I really hope that he program will help with that some. I try to be thankful and thank God daily for everything but then I get that stupid voice in my head that says, "oh yeah, well what if..."

yes, yes. i so get this, too.

i've been through the program -- and it helps -- a lot.

people's jaws dropped with surprise when they heard i was diagnosed with depression. "not you!"

Perfect, congrats on the school and work opportunities. The skills will guide you in managing and appreciating those things that are good for you.

Hello perfect.

You can have everything in it's place and great things happening and still have negative thinking that causes anxiety. Most anxiety sufferers are high achievers and perfectionists, that get's things done Those qualities in us can cause anxiety.

Hello Shaky.

It's possible to be very positive with some things and very negative with others. When we have negative thoughts about health, the world doesn't see that as negative, They only see that you're concerned about yourself and your loved ones. But it is the negative thoughts that makes us worry about our health. It's okay to be concerned, but worrying is not good. Worrying is a useless emotion, and we can't change a thing by worrying.

I really liked the suggestion in session 9 about turning the skills we use to create worry into skills for problem solving and positive outcomes. It makes perfect sense. We are all so creative in imagining worse case scenarios that we already have the ability to create positive ones- we just need to re direct it. Why this is difficult is beyond me, and it does take a lot of work.