Cognitive negative thoughts--not smart, not focused

[Sylvia]

Since I have had plans to begin school this Spring session---I think often am I smart enough....I used to be so much smarter...

I have really begun noticing my lack of focus and cocentration. I was far smarter and focused pre-CFS, but I wonder if anyone can speak to doing Stop technique on these thoughts about the MIND and if as you improved energy wise you also got "smarter"?

Any thoughts?

[CS1]

YOu definately need to do your STOP STOP STOP on that negative thought..

Im starting to think that we really need somehting to keep us motivated whilst doing this programme....the easiest thing I can think of is to watch the DVDs as much as possible.



Regards
CS

[niaholt]

Sylvia,
I had this very conversation yesterday as I am coming out of a hole and said "what will I do with myself" ...not still ready to leave home tho. . Now I have many projects I want to commence and finish, but in the back of my mind I think the word "failure" is happening. Like something is saying...."what is the use of you starting something you will have to pull out when you crash yet again, waste your money, get too excited about it, then have to feel disappoinment."

At the moment I have a kind of survival strategy happening, inactive life laying around reading. What can you do when you have no energy and gasp for air from one chair to another sometimes? So I do computer stuff......now I am addicted to the computer.....cant leave it alone. It has become the friend I dont have out there that would go with me for coffee.....it is the substitute for real life. So today I am starting to do STOPS on this...get myself motivated to say "YES"I can take on new ventures and me a success with them. Plus ban myself from the computer for certain times of the day

[Gattone]

Exactly the same problems nia, especially for the computer, if i go outside i'm really spaced out after staring for such long time on the pc.I think these are real issues not only negative thoughts, waht ashok says about this? he doesn't reply on this forum?

[Sylvia]

You are right CS1, I really need to do the Stop Stop Stop on these thoughts.

It is funny how crafty the Amygdala is : ) " Oh, so you aren't really checking your body so much anymore, but now that you think you are physically energized enough for school, I notice that you have some confidence issues, such as are you smart enough? And that whenever there is the slightest mental gaff you notice it and worry. How wonderful, keep it up. Soon I will have you monitoring your thoughts for defective thinking all the time just like I did physically..."

Ok, I don't truly think of my amygdala as some malicious entity, I was just using it for illustrative purposes.

I don't think Ashok need come to the forum at all about this. He does cover the mental, just doesn't spend as much time on it as the physical.

And what I have gathered of late, is how important it is to VARY the whole system. So now my 6th step end is visualized completely differently. It is NOT incorporating physical wellness, but SMARTS, and CONFIDENCE. So a thought about thought gets that new STOP and a thought about physical gets my usual STOP treatment.

Oh, and I say BodyMind

Cool huh?

[ldg]

When doing the visualisation, I imagine myself not only well but feeling confident and successful, calm and relaxed.

[CS1]

When I do the STOPS , I imaging the:

colours
feelings
smells
sounds
and emotions


Im becoming more intutitve and do my STOPs on any negative feelings I seems to be having also!

Ido alot of observations - my futureselfobserving me and my symptoms!


Regards
CS