Barrier 5
Vivid
Imagination
COMMON
INDICATORS
- Thoughts:
- "I can see
it now . . ."
- Feelings:
- Frequently
feeling an intense eruption of
emotion.
- Actions:
- Daydreaming,
dwelling on upsetting events,
putting yourself in other
people's circumstances.
GENERAL
INFORMATION
Imagination
has many facets. Most everyone enjoys
gazing up at beautiful clouds,
visualizing vivid, imaginative shapes and
scenes. Imagination can also create
frightening monsters out of shadows on a
bedroom wall. Imagination can picture the
happy reunion of a loved one coming home
for the evening . . . or burning to death
in a fiery automobile accident. How you
use your imagination is completely up to
you. You create your own movies. One
client remarked, "I didn't realize
the pictures I view in my mind are
multiple choice." If you have
developed the habit of using imagination
in a negative way, it will take time and
practice to get it under control.
STEPS TO
REMOVING THE BARRIER
- Think of times
you have used imagination in
healthy, constructive ways such
as relaxing; visualizing a goal;
enjoying a book, movie, or music.
Also, be aware of times you
currently use your imagination in
a healthy way.
- Warning:
Do not attempt to
eliminate the possibility
of negative imagination
by unnaturally forcing
positive thinking.
- When you find
yourself visualizing an
unpleasant event (whether real or
imagined), consider whether or
not your thinking is
constructive.
- Say
to yourself:
- "Important
decisions are best made
with 90% head and 10%
heart. Feelings don't
change facts."
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Result:
By frequently asking the above
question, your mind will
automatically become more skilled
in effectively managing the use
of imagination.
- If you wish to
calmly think about an unpleasant
event, think about it as if you
were hearing it reported on the
radio or on T.V. Say to yourself,
"Three people were killed in
the automobile accident, PERIOD.
And I refuse to create or dwell
on any mental pictures of
it." Then get busy and focus
your attention on something
constructive even though some
unpleasant emotions may linger
for awhile.
- If you tend to
become overly anxious about
possible disasters in your life
or the lives of your loved ones,
occasionally say "Yes"
to picturing the event. Imagine
not only surviving the event, but
more importantly, picture what
you will be doing as you
effectively get on with your
life.
Example:
I found myself feeling anxious
about the unlikely possibility
something horrible might happen
to our son. Late one night, as I
watched him peacefully sleeping,
I let myself imagine the worst
had happened. Just the thought of
losing him caused my eyes to well
up with tears. But I did not end
the picture there. I allowed
myself to picture what I would be
doing a few weeks after his
death. I saw myself being with my
wife, working, going to church,
even jogging. I was sad, but I
could see life going on. As a
result, I am less inclined to
imagine the worst coming to pass,
because I am confident I could
survive and life would go on.
- Review the
sources and types of information
(positive or negative) that come
into your mind each day.
Especially examine your habits
associated with T.V., radio,
newspapers, books, and magazines.
Also, think about the information
shared in your daily
conversations.
- Minimize, or in
some cases eliminate, the
upsetting or frightening
information you take into your
mind.
- When you think or
talk about a situation, notice
the words you are using. Are you
using imaginative, Hollywood
words (often upsetting) or plain,
objective, and factual words?
Examples:
Hollywood:
My daredevil husband drives like
he is in the Indianapolis 500.
Plain fact:
My husband often drives 10 to 15
miles per hour over the speed
limit.
Hollywood:
My heart is going to explode. It
is beating like a drummer in a
rock band.
Plain fact: My
heart is beating a lot faster
than usual.
Hollywood:
I can't breathe. I think I'm
going to die.
Plain fact:
I'm having difficulty breathing.
- Notice how you
feel when you use Hollywood
words. Practice substituting
plain, objective, and factual
words.
Note:
Once the physical sensations of
anxiety are triggered, however,
changing words will not cause the
body to immediately relax. The
longer you were thinking the
upsetting thoughts, the longer it
will take to feel calm again. As
you develop habits of using fewer
emotionally charged words, you
will feel less anxious in the
future.
GO
TO:
Next
barrier: Unsure
How To Prevent Or Respond To An Anxiety
Attack
Previous barrier: Basing
Personal Security On Feeling Calm
Anxiety
Chapter Overview
Copyright @ John R.
Fishbein, Ph.D. 2000 All Rights
Reserved
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