RE: Re: Exam stress and insomnia

[Guest guest]

Aww, I meant it to be more of a hug than a slap. And I didn't think you were whining at all--just sharing what's on your mind. Love your honesty. Good luck with that exam. I bet you'll nail it!

Helena

Re: Exam stress and insomnia

Heh, thanks Helena, that's the third virtual slap I've got today - I must be whining on overdrive! And thanks for sharing that about your friend. I don't know what to say. What an inspiring person. As always, you help more than I can adequately express.Tom > > > > > > Hi everyone, > > > > > > I've been very quiet/preoccupied recently but I've got a problem (that now I come to write about it seems rather trivial). I've got an exam in developmental psychology (part of a part-time degree) in 10 days, and due to my depression earlier in the year I'm badly unprepared for it. The anxiety isn't really a problem during the day but it's keeping me awake at night (it's nearly 4 am here), which impacts on the amount of cramming I can do! > > > > > > As far as I can tell my thoughts are "I'm bound to fail!" and "That means I'm a failure and a total loser". Oddly enough the fact I've done well on continuous assessment makes the fear worse (maybe since I've set the bar very high for myself?) I could always get a letter from my doctor and defer the exam to next year, but that feels like a shameful defeat too. > > > > > > I'm finding it very hard to defuse from these thoughts and accept the anxiety to a point where I can get some sleep. 10mg of temazepam doesn't help, and I don't want to take any more due to my fear of getting addicted. I'm exercising, meditating, and apart from a temporary fall last weekend, keeping on the wagon. > > > > > > So yeah, not really a huge problem in the scheme of things, but if anyone has any bright ideas on how to move forward I'd really appreciate it. > > > > > > thanks! > > > Tom > > > > >>

[Guest guest]

Totally awesome, Tom! Now that's ACT in action.

Helena

Re: Exam stress and insomnia

Hi Lou, thanks for the VARK model, I might try to mention that in passing for extra marks. =) And good luck with the Community Development - sounds awesome, and something the world needs a lot more of.Getting back to ACT.. last night I was lying in bed, unable to sleep again, when I decided to look at my anxiety a bit more closely. And it seems my two main thoughts are:- "I MUST excel in this exam"- "but I'm CERTAIN to fail"An unhelpful little pair! And I suspect I apply them to a lot of other situations in life. So as an experiment, I tried saying these two thoughts to myself, over and over again, and watching what happened to the anxiety. At first it increased, but then I started to defuse from the thoughts, and see how limited a perspective it was, and then I fell asleep.Unfortunately I woke up again a couple of hours later, mind buzzing again, so I tried reading for a while. And suddenly found myself crying, with the realisation that "I MUST EXCEL" and "I'M CERTAIN TO FAIL" were not really evil, they were just scared and defensive and didn't know any better. So I told them they were welcome to stay, so long as they didn't make too much noise.I ended up with 7-8 hours sleep, and feel pretty good today. Getting the hang of ACT at last, I think!all the best,Tom> > > >> > > > Hi everyone,> > > > > > > > I've been very quiet/preoccupied recently but I've got a problem (that now I come to write about it seems rather trivial). I've got an exam in developmental psychology (part of a part-time degree) in 10 days, and due to my depression earlier in the year I'm badly unprepared for it. The anxiety isn't really a problem during the day but it's keeping me awake at night (it's nearly 4 am here), which impacts on the amount of cramming I can do!> > > > > > > > As far as I can tell my thoughts are "I'm bound to fail!" and "That means I'm a failure and a total loser". Oddly enough the fact I've done well on continuous assessment makes the fear worse (maybe since I've set the bar very high for myself?) I could always get a letter from my doctor and defer the exam to next year, but that feels like a shameful defeat too.> > > > > > > > I'm finding it very hard to defuse from these thoughts and accept the anxiety to a point where I can get some sleep. 10mg of temazepam doesn't help, and I don't want to take any more due to my fear of getting addicted. I'm exercising, meditating, and apart from a temporary fall last weekend, keeping on the wagon.> > > > > > > > So yeah, not really a huge problem in the scheme of things, but if anyone has any bright ideas on how to move forward I'd really appreciate it. > > > > > > > > thanks!> > > > Tom> > > >> > >> >>

[Guest guest]

That’s awesome! Those small moments will add up to something in

the end.

Peace -john

P.

Forsyth, Ph.D.

Associate

Professor of Psychology

Director,

Anxiety Disorders Research Program

University at

Albany, SUNY

Department of

Psychology

Social Sciences

399

1400 Washington

Avenue

Albany, NY

12222

Ph:

Fax:

email:

forsyth@...

Lab Web Page:

Anxiety Disorders Research Program

Blogs:

Mindfulness & Acceptance for Anxiety

Peace of Mind at Psychology

Today

Dr. Forsyth on Amazon.com

Our Clinical Trials Evaluating ACT for Anxiety:

Visit ACTforAnxiety.com

From:

ACT_for_the_Public [mailto:ACT_for_the_Public ] On

Behalf Of banoffibear

Sent: Monday, October 11, 2010 11:58 AM

To: ACT_for_the_Public

Subject: Re: Exam stress and insomnia

I'm happy to have something positive to share,

! And I wouldn't, without , , Russ and everyone here who makes

this group so awesome. Sincere thanks to you all.

I'll share another odd thing that happened to me at the weekend. I was walking

by myself along by the river, feeling exhausted and worried and lonely and

hateful, when it occurred to be that those feelings said nothing at all

meaningful about my life as it actually was. Of course, for anyone who's done

CBT or ACT or mindfulness for a while, this is hardly a new concept. But this

time it was more than a thought, it was obviously and simply true. Once I saw

that, my whole perspective switched so that instead of my suffering suffusing

my being and making the whole world dismal, it became something quite small and

light that I just carried around.

Realising this was like an electric shock down my spine, followed by a feeling

of exhilaration so strong I felt I was being pulled up into the air. And I

started grinning like a lunatic. I thought, " well, this is cool! But it

won't last " and of course it didn't. Ingrained habits fight back. But at

least I know I saw things that way for a few minutes.

take it easy!

Tom

>

> Thanks for sharing that with us. I so identify with that. All that

rigidity, " must " , " certain " . It is so easy to see that as

evil and fight it!!!! You gave me a great lesson in acceptance, like the

unlikable aunt that comes to visit that tells us about in GOOYM. Bill

often reminds me of that analogy, because we certainly don't want to be so hard

on ourselves but it doesn't help to struggle with it either. Continue to be

kind to yourself as you prepare for the exam. I've gotten great lessons here in

the last few hours from you and !!!!

>

[Guest guest]

That's great! I have had moments like that, not often, but enough to keep me hanging in there. Thanks for sharing that one.cheersKateI'm happy to have something positive to share, ! And I wouldn't, without , , Russ and everyone here who makes this group so awesome. Sincere thanks to you all.I'll share another odd thing that happened to me at the weekend. I was walking by myself along by the river, feeling exhausted and worried and lonely and hateful, when it occurred to be that those feelings said nothing at all meaningful about my life as it actually was. Of course, for anyone who's done CBT or ACT or mindfulness for a while, this is hardly a new concept. But this time it was more than a thought, it was obviously and simply true. Once I saw that, my whole perspective switched so that instead of my suffering suffusing my being and making the whole world dismal, it became something quite small and light that I just carried around.Realising this was like an electric shock down my spine, followed by a feeling of exhilaration so strong I felt I was being pulled up into the air. And I started grinning like a lunatic. I thought, "well, this is cool! But it won't last" and of course it didn't. Ingrained habits fight back. But at least I know I saw things that way for a few minutes.take it easy!Tom>> Thanks for sharing that with us. I so identify with that. All that rigidity, "must", "certain". It is so easy to see that as evil and fight it!!!! You gave me a great lesson in acceptance, like the unlikable aunt that comes to visit that tells us about in GOOYM. Bill often reminds me of that analogy, because we certainly don't want to be so hard on ourselves but it doesn't help to struggle with it either. Continue to be kind to yourself as you prepare for the exam. I've gotten great lessons here in the last few hours from you and !!!!>