Those dreaded “what if’s” ….


Today I would like to look at trying to cope with the constant anticipation that around every corner there will be some form of impending doom. Those “what if” scenarios that are a constant companion to anyone with any form of an emotional/mental health condition for whatever reason. For me they are usually around my heart health issues . But generally “what if' scenarios often become a harmful cycle of catastrophizing that can trap you in a spiral of worst-case outcomes and a feeling of impending doom.

Anyone suffering with their mental health knows that a sudden thought can become an intrusive image and before you know it, that fleeting mental event has become a full-blown obsession that hijacks our attention and we start to ruminate constantly and overthink everything. 

There's a plethora of information available on how to handle these feelings, and I am more than happy to leave that guidance to the professionals. But I would like to share a few things that help me. I am no expert so these are just my own contributions. They may not be for you and that is absolutely fine. You know what will work best for you.

There is a great site on YouTube run by Martin Burridge. He is a former physiotherapist and has a site called the Anxiety Attic. It's well worth a look and offers advice on so many different mental health and anxiety topics. 

Another You Tube site for anyone with a heart health condition is one by Dr Sanjay Gupta. His advice is down to earth and easy to understand and very relatable. 

A good forum I am glad I joined is Healthunlocked. It is a social network where people can connect with others who have similar medical conditions both physical and emotional, you can share experiences, get support, and find information. I find it invaluable. 

Lastly for me is keeping a journal where I can capture all my perceptions, symptoms and feelings. Writing is a powerful way for me to release all the thoughts and emotions swirling around inside me. It also helps me to pull together questions I want to ask when I go to my various appointments. 

My break in the clouds moment today goes back to when our daughter was getting married. Being involved in arranging everything was a lovely experience.

My hubby and I were very excited at the anticipation of sending out the invitations and it was very satisfying when we had them all addressed and stamped and ready to go. Now, at that time my mother in law was staying with us so we decided to post them en-route to a day out we were having with her. We found a postbox nearby and with relish popped them all in the postbox. I turned to my hubby with a grin and said “ there we go, all done, I can't wait to start getting some RSVP’s”. To which my mother in law replied “ah, but it is a very warm day, what if the sun shining on the postbox makes it burst into flames, then they will all burn and you won't get any replies". To say we were too stunned to reply would be an understatement! (Imagine 2 people just stood on a pavement, opening and closing their mouths with nothing coming out 😯😳) I am pleased to say, this of course did not happen and lots of replies did in fact come through our letterbox ☺️. As “what if” scenarios go - I think that one is a doozy and it does make us laugh even now. But it does go to show the bizarre ways our minds can take us at times. I hope this gives you a chuckle too and maybe helps you the next time you have an incredible “what if” moment. Thank you for reading and a virtual hug to you all. 
Look out for a new entry in a few days ☺️

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