I'm learning mindfulness right now so I'm still trying it out but it's helping so far to just bring myself back to the present moment, where I am at at that moment. Or I tell myself, That's in the future and RIGHT NOW everything is fine! I am well in this moment and i'll be well in the next moment...and moments are all we ever really have! Because the past is just a memory and the future hasn't arrived and it's but a figment of our imagination. Because when has what you've thought of in your mind ever followed through exactly as you pictured it? Even as something simple as going to the grocery store. All we have are moments and being in every moment of our lives is really living, because with our anxiety and the thoughts they only take us out of the moments we do have to make decisions and feel the joy of our lives. I hope this helps & hope you are well!

@ Bella....Wow, I'm still trying to wrap my mind around what you said, but found it very enlightening.
............the best I could come up with was too much coffee, to stay awake from the clonazepam which I took because the coffee was triggering more anxiety. How crazy is that?

Well you know that you do this and not you have to take the steps to counter attack this. 1. Eliminate "what if" from your thing and also "should 've. . Once you hear your mind start tell yourself you are not going there. It doesn't do any good.
2. Challenge the thought. Turn the negative in a more positive or something that you can handle. For example -you get the thought I will never make it through this event, day, car ride, whatever because of my anxiety. Challenge it. By changing it to , I know what to do to calm myself, I have the tools, I will get through this day because today is really no different then yesterday -I didn't have anxiousness fall from the sky yesterday and it is not going to happen today. I can handle it if I do start to get anxious , I will take care of it. I know to breath-I didn't lose that tools since yesterday. I will slow down my day-it worked before. I will do what has worked before and I will be fine. i AM A BIT MORE CAPABLE TODAY THAN YESTERDAY.
You don't have to go there. You really can tell yourself. I don't have to go there. period. and don't.

Work on building yourself esteem. However you want. Whatever works for you. Do good for yourself. It wiull change your mood and thoughts!.
You will get stronger and have more and more self confidence, and tools to live with or without this anxiety. Even with this anxiety disorder you have the capabilities to heal yourself, you can get yourself calm, ................

I am trying to do the same. Some days I can just simply tell myself "you are not going to let this crazy thought ruin your day!" and it will work. But other days, I just can not seem to get my mind off of the terrible thought that is making me anxious. I am doing much better than I was about a month ago but this take TIME. I am seeing a therapist to try and help me geet positive thoughts in my mind.

'What if' thinking is similar to other cognitive thought processes that often have no logistical merit. The pattern, while it may vary, goes something like this. If "X" occurs, then the probability of "Y" occuring is "Z"...and if "Y" does indeed occur than..........so on and so on. The problem with this thought process is that those who are anxious/ depressed tend to think the worst is much more likely to occur than is realistic. We also tend to inflat the severity of the situation- kind of like the old saying "making a mountain out of a mole hill." A psychologist in the 70's, by the name of Aaron T. Beck, dubbed this phenomenon as "maladaptive thinking".

Because of substance abuse issues I do not take benzo's and have had no such luck with antidepressants. In addition to behavior changes I have heavily relied on cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) for treatment of my anxiety. I hate it- it requires a lot of work and it takes time (a long time) to becomes aware of and change cognitive patterns. However, it is rewarding- not just in treating anxiety but gaining a better outlook on life, reducing stress, and becoming more in-tune with oneself.

Best Wishes,
Andrew

"The mind is a terrible thing...(to waste)" lol

It's not a matter of disconnecting (then you think nothing) as much as it is replacing one set of neuro-net processes with another. When my higher intellect is creating fear, I react by digging deep into operating on pure animal instinct, an animal who wants to push through fear and do what is necessary to accomplish whatever it is that I'm trying to accomplish, and have fun, fun in the sense of being a sexually charged being with a good sense of humor. Beats the "woe is me" doldrums and fears of inadequacy. It's a constant struggle, of course, but the "me" that I want to win has a tendency of rising above the "woe is me" crap.