Eliminating Negative Self-Talk?

[mcx]

I've had social anxiety and dysthymia for as long as I can remember, but something that happened a few weeks ago gave me some new perspective: For about a week my self-conciousness and negative self-talk went away. Usually I feel like I'm a step away from life (over) thinking and analyzing everything, being extremely conscious of myself as a person interacting in the world. But for this week that stopped. Not that I was cured of social anxiety completely for that week, but I did things that I normally wouldn't (or did things without being anxious about them) all while being very conscious that I normally would not do these things. And when I would be awkward or do something I would otherwise be embarrassed of I would be aware of being awkward or doing something embarrassing, but that thought would vanish immediately instead of the usually cycles negative self-talk that would reinforce my anxiety and often lead to depression.

So why did this happen to me for that week? I was sick. I had viral pink eye and I'm not sure exactly what virus it was or if it was something else. I suspect my body was just too busy or too tired fighting the virus too have the resources for negative self-talk or anxiety. I'm thinking this because I have felt a similar way in a few instances when I've been really tired. I don't drink so I can't make a comparison to drunkenness.

So basically where I'm at now is thinking I need to focus on stopping that negative self-talk. Since I've gotten better (from the virus) my anxiety and depression have returned. I have tried extra hard to stop (negative) self-talk, but I haven't been particularly successful. I find exercise helps a bit, but as soon as I stop exercising it stops helping pretty much immediately.

I'm wondering, as for me it seems that negative self-talk (and maybe just self-talk and self-consciousness in general) is to a large extent physiologically based, if there are specific medications that target this. I've tried some SSRIs, but they weren't really effective.

Anyway, I just figured I'd throw that it and see if anyone has had any similar experiences or whatever.

 

[Budoaiki]

Hi mcx,

You mentioned ssri's and I wonder if you have or are seeing a therapist?

You mentioned the physiological affect of stress on your immune system so you understand the importance of the mind body connection. Which leads me mention that these types of medications are most affective with CBT to supplement treatment as I understand it so if you have not already done that then that is something i'd suggest looking into.

As far as over contemplating things i can relate. Meditation can help to clear the clutter when over whelmed along with montra's and moodra's. Exploratative writing can also help to find triggers and decipher behavioral patterns that can cause and/or contribute to Anxiety and dysthymia.

 

[Daniel E.]

I'm wondering, as for me it seems that negative self-talk (and maybe just self-talk and self-consciousness in general) is to a large extent physiologically based, if there are specific medications that target this. I've tried some SSRIs, but they weren't really effective.

In addition to SSRIs/SNRIs, I have liked Buspar for anxiety and Wellbutrin for depression, especially since they have less potential for sexual side effects compared to SSRIs.

Regarding exercise, my psychiatrist motivates me to exercise even more. He says he does a lot of circuit training (like an hour for the days he exercises) and even demonstrated some of the exercises he does like burpees.

 

[eva]

I hesitate to really actively suggest this to others, but using comedy and humour to get over and manage negative self-talk has been a really big help for me.

Just little things like self-deprecating humour or making jokes based on my own flaws or mistakes. It's been a way that I've turned negative feelings or experiences into positive ones, and it also helps me depersonalize when faced with critique from people or other difficult situations.

I can be very harsh on myself, so I try to counter-balance it by trying to remind myself how silly a lot of my negative self-talk sounds.