Overcoming Unwanted Intrusive Thoughts _ a CBT-Based Guide to Getting Over Frightening, Obsessive, or Disturbing Thoughts. ( PDFDrive )

20 Overcoming Unwanted Intrusive Thoughts
counterproductive for my anxiety. I found myself looking at
YouTube videos about suicide to make sure I would never do
anything like that. That was a great mistake.
Here is how Worried and False Comfort might react to a personal
tragedy. Notice how their dialogue just continues to increase
distress.
Worried Voice: Dad just died of a heart attack. He was only sixtythree.
That could be us. Look how out of breath we
are. That could be a sign.
False Comfort: We just went to the cardiologist. She said everything
is fine.
Worried Voice: But things can happen suddenly. Look at that
runner who died while he was in a race.
False Comfort: We can’t be going to the doctor all the time. She
already thinks we are hypochondriacs. Let’s just
take our pulse and blood pressure at home every
day. We feel better when it is okay.
Worried Voice: How can we be sure the machine is working right?
I think maybe several times a day.
False Comfort: Don’t be silly! Of course it is working. Okay, let’s do
it twice a day.
Worried Voice: Don’t just humor me. This is important, we could
die.
False Comfort: You just need to trust things will be okay.
Worried Voice: There must be a reason I keep thinking about
death. I can’t just trust anyone. What if I have a
sixth sense?
Highly upsetting, shocking, or dramatic events can raise the
level of anxiety and even seem to change the probabilities of