When we find some form of control/comfort (pt 4 MORD) for our panic ‘scramble’ (pt 3 MORD - following negative thoughts) we enter ‘the protection zone’ – our ‘safe haven’ for our predicament. However, this protection zone soon becomes ‘repetitive’, as we are trying to control/avoid a negative with a positive that’s already passed – in turn, making a ‘bigger issue’ of the momentary situation we felt ‘uncomfortable’ with.

This happened to me in the past when I tried to ‘answer’ my stress with the ‘word’ relax, for example. I would ‘end up’ constantly saying this in my head (see Ch 1 and pt 4 MORD – repetitive ‘coping’ behaviours/actions), as I was trying to fight to ‘hold on/analyse/question doubt’ a positive thought that had ‘been and gone’. I wasn’t controlling ‘in the moment’, it was, actually, consciously ‘after’ the moment, such was my ‘desire’ for complete control.

..Ref some of my ‘Advice Column’ sufferers (over-controllers first!) “it was like a deliberate act. I was always (and I now realise ‘consciously’) ‘telling’ myself how to cope in my head – I realise now that I didn’t ‘need to do’ this, as any thought that I was trying to ‘consciously’ control – had actually just gone – so subtle, but I am really starting to understand this and the tension has gone. I found, especially when things really 'meant' something to me, my temptation was at its' greatest”… “and it didn’t mean that having that thought to ‘relax’ was wrong – you are right that ‘when it comes to you’ – you just don’t have to fight to hold on to it or question it”

..“I understand my repetitive behaviour now, as I was always trying to consciously force the positives, almost like a one-stop pigeon hole for every negative situation”

“I’d be ‘consciously’ thinking about/questioning/analysing everything I was doing – it was almost like a running commentary inside my head, no wonder I felt like I was living in a bubble”

"Hi Will, Thanks for replying, that has helped a lot as i worried about the 'false urge' the panic caused when i investigated and obsessed over thoughts. 
I am learning every day to accept myself and my thoughts, i think a lot of anxiety and obsessive thoughts are caused by the illness been brushed under the carpet. Nobody really feels like its acceptable to think or feel this way, when clearly it is. There are no limits to what our mind can come up with, i once read somewhere that film and script writers are a great example of this. They think and create stories about murder etc.. so these thoughts are perfectly acceptable.  Anxiety sufferers simply overstep the line of investigating these thoughts and not having the confidence to trust themself.
I know now that anxiety will not dominate my life anymore, this specific query was the last thing keeping me in the vicious cycle. Thankyou for confirming this for me :)"
If you would like to add these emails to any of your future journals or books then feel free to do so. The issue i asked about is rarely talked about as people feel they are going mad, which is really sad as a lot of suffering can be avoided through knowledge. Thanks again Candie

Hi Will,
...I have been reading your book again today, the first time i read it i wasnt aware i was forcing myself back into thoughts... so i didnt understand how my thoughts were secondary.  When i read what you are saying in your book it is like i could of wrote some of the examples myself.  I have felt a lot of relief today reminding myself that there is no need to fight something that has already been dealt with... so i have been able to stop myself from fighting back into these thoughts.
 
I have only suffered for a year because of this habit, so i am optimistic that it shouldnt take me too long to get the hang of things- although i do have patience! Only for the past 5 months have i been a fighter, before this i was a flighter and i must say it is far worse being a fighter! 
Thanks D 

 “A reminder ‘not to’ interfere with what’s been and gone – Will....and I don’t need to throw up any more is something I’ll take…..”(see also ‘Promoting the ‘Subconscious Habit’ -  ‘Habitualisation’ Ch 6).

"Half way through my food, my thoughts turned "I can't do this", "I can't finish this sandwich", "I am going to be sick", "people will laugh at me", "people will think I'm weird", "this old school person will have to finish the sandwich for me". All these thoughts in a nano second (or three). But then my natural cut-offs kicked in, I said "I can do this", "don't fight (or flight from) the panic" and slowly I carried on eating, talked to friends and listened. Before I knew it I had eaten it all........ I so much see how relying on medication or reviewing thought processes were not giving me the confidence that I can recover with my natural ability -- we all can do this (ref Rob's 'Flighter' Case Study - Ch 5)"

...Remember we are consciously trying to control or run away from things we have ‘already, subconsciously dealt with’ – that is our problem and what stops us moving forward on to our next thoughts and flowing through life.

Anything ‘not in the subconscious flow’ is forced

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