Skip to main content

Changing beliefs


Met with the counselor today.  She was extremely helpful, we started on Cognitive Behavior Training and it was so helpful.  For those who don't know about 10+ years ago I was driving in a severe rain storm and was probably driving a little too fast, when a semi truck passed me in the fast lane and for whatever reason a sheet of water came down and slammed into my car and made me do a 180 on the road, my car stopped literally an inch from oncoming traffic.  SCARY.  Ever since them I have had extreme anxiety driving in the rain if I see semis.   Right after it happened I literally would pull off the side of the road if I saw a semi-truck coming up behind me.  I have done a little better recently with it.  My counselor made me realize that I have some PTSD regarding that incident.  I had an incident last week with Rob, we were driving in the rain, it was pounding down and I got a little anxious about it, and had to take an anxiety pill.  Well today my counselor helped me work through it and change my thought processes about it. She said this helps with Anxiety, Depression and more.

It goes hand in hand with what I have been reading in the "Feeling Good Handbook" by David Burns.  Having my counselor go over it and draw it out for me really helped make it more clear to me.

A=Act or Trigger
B= Beliefs (irrational)
C= Consequence (behavioral and emotional
D= Dispute (reframing thoughts)

For example
A-  My trigger was riding in a car during the rain storm
B-  My irrational beliefs were that because we were driving in a rainstorm, a semi was going to push us off the road
C-  My emotional consequence was a panic attack
D-  The Reframe: The car is safe, it is very unlikely to happen as I have passed hundreds of semis in the rain and being pushed off the road hasn't happened again.


She told me to use my fears as wisdom.  For example one of my biggest fears is, I am afraid that Rob will die of a heart attack (have had many dreams about it), she recommended that I take a CPR class so I am better prepared when and if it does happen.  I am a big 'what iffer' and I know it drives Rob crazy, she told me to come up with solutions for my what if's.  Such as we can eat healthier, exercise, take meds or supplements to reduce his risks of dying of a heart attack.  I can enjoy every day and make memories with him that I will always remember and cherish.

She said that it's important to acknowledge my feelings/emotions then shift the thought process.  She gave me a couple of handouts, one is a Daily Mood Log where I can record my feelings and work through them.  I take my negative thoughts and realize the distortion I am telling myself them change them to positive thoughts.

I am proud to say that it was raining on my way home from my appointment and I used what I learn and NO stress, no anxiety and I passed multiple semi-trucks.  Woot Woot!

This article talks about Cognitive Restructuring (has a mood log in there) as well as the 10  Cognitive Distortions.
http://www.mun.ca/rmhp/professionals/4StepsCognitiveRestructuring.PDF

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Saturday 9: Good Morning, Heartache

Trying another new thing called Saturday 9, it can be found here:  http://samanthasaturday9.blogspot.com 1) Do you come up with your brightest ideas early in the morning or late at night?   I would say that I am most creative later in the evenings 2) Are you more likely to feel romantic at night or in the morning?  Depends on the day :-), but usually at night 3) Do you shower in the morning, after work or before bed?   I shower in the mornings, it helps wake me up 4) Billie Holiday was just 44 when she died. Is there an artist whose early demise surprised and saddened you?   Not an artist but Heath Ledger's death really shocked me and took me by surprise.  He is one of my all time favorite actors. 5) Billie was known as "Lady Day." Do you have a cool nickname? (If not, feel free to give yourself one right now.)   No cool nicknames, as a kid I was "Woodie or Fruitcake".....don't ask LOL 6) When was the last time you had the blues?   ...
16 comments
Read more

Who Are you?

Sunday stealing  Who Are you? Part 7 – It is Over!  Part 7: Self Image 84. Describe the routine of a normal day for you:   I wake up at 6:00am, take a shower, get ready for the day, then I go downstairs and feed the critters, and make breakfast for hubby and I.  We usually leave the house by about 7:30ish and I drop my husband off at work.  Then I work (I'm a Pet Groomer) until about 3:30 or 4:00ish then I leave for home and go get my hubby from work.  Then I come home and make dinner, feed the critters, work on cleaning the house a little and we usually head to bed about 8:30ish or 9:00. 85. What is your greatest strength as a person?   I am a very compassionate and have a big heart 86. What is your greatest weakness?   Interrupting people when they are talking 87. Are you going to run for President in 2016?   Nope, I don't care about politics all that much 88. Are you generally self-contained? No, I do like to talk, except t...
8 comments
Read more

🌿 CBD and Hormones: What Every Woman Should Know

  Posted in The Wellness Den | June 14, 2025 Let’s be real: being a woman comes with a lot of hormonal ups and downs. Mood swings. Fatigue. Bloating. Brain fog. Anxiety. Sleep issues. And don’t even get me started on the perimenopause rollercoaster. Whether you’re in your 20s or late 40s (like me!), hormones influence everything —your energy, mood, digestion, skin, cycle, and emotional balance. But here’s something most women don’t hear enough: CBD can help. Not as a magic pill or miracle cure—but as a powerful tool that supports your body’s natural rhythms and helps bring balance when everything feels off. 💛 What Happens When Hormones Are Out of Whack? When estrogen, progesterone, cortisol, or thyroid hormones get thrown off, you may feel: Anxious or irritable Wired but tired Struggling with sleep or concentration Sluggish digestion or metabolism Cravings, mood dips, and PMS from another planet Sound familiar? Now enter: your Endocannabino...
Post a Comment
Read more