tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4636072180687067092.post6013528449220810667..comments2023-10-22T03:02:15.844-07:00Comments on Mood-Disordered Mama: Stories from little worriersCARRIEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13137602199313584768noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4636072180687067092.post-62370717090117226572014-08-28T18:27:50.220-07:002014-08-28T18:27:50.220-07:00Wow. I can relate to G more deeply than I wish I ...Wow. I can relate to G more deeply than I wish I could. I don't know if that kind of instant-runaway-imagination has been a part of your anxiety struggles, but it definitely has always been a part of mine, until very recently. This summer I learned something that might help G, if not now, then sometime down the road. I learned that my wonderful imagination is a gift, but I have allowed it to be hijacked by my fear, rather than controlling it for my own benefit. So now, after some practice, I can catch myself "writing" a scary script in my mind and stop myself -- almost by saying "STOP" in my head very loudly, if that makes any sense. Then I use my imagination purposely for something good, like picturing a dream vacation, or thinking of a favorite Bible story or scene from a novel and making it come alive in my mind. (If I was super creative, I'd come up with original stories to tell my kids at bedtime, but...I'm not.) I've actually taught Audrey to do this when she's lying in bed at night having scary thoughts, and she said it has worked for her somewhat. Since she's not that much older than G, maybe it would work for him now, or soon.<br /><br />I realize my fear issues aren't the same exactly as what you're describing with him coming up with an alarming scenario in the scene from his school playground, but since I rarely have decent advice to share with anyone, I was excited that I might be able to help a bit. So I shared, for what it's worth. Kerihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05544930173539144894noreply@blogger.com