Maybe we should start doubting our anxiety… : Bridge statements

Hello amazing people of our community! How are you all doing?

Recently, I was watching a video by a licensed marriage and family therapist named Kati Morton. The video had the title How to stop hating yourself! (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qlNroX7saHs ) , which immediately caught my attention, as there have been times when I feel like I was hostile towards myself and I didnt genuinely like who I was…

This video was about Bridge Statements and how they can help us recognize our worth and appreciate ourselves a bit more. These statements bridge the gap between some really negative, frustrating, disappointing and maybe kind of irrational thoughts we may have and some positive, more optimistic ones. As I was watching the video, I couldnt help but think how well these statements would work for people who suffer from anxiety.

More often than not, our anxiety can make us think negatively. For example, it may give us the impression that we arent good enough, that we arent capable of achieving our goals or that we are going to fail terribly. Anxiety can also make us doubt our self-worth, believe that we are ungifted, that other people dont like us at all and many more…

Many people suggest using positive affirmations as a way to battle the negative thoughts that come with anxiety. While positive affirmations can be an effective tool for many, some people may still find them unhelpful .

Bridge Statements are an alternative way to self-talk against negative, unwanted thoughts..

When using such a statement, we include phrases like There is a chance that… or Maybe you are wrong when it comes to … or What if…, doubting what our anxiety tries to make us think its true. For example, if our anxiety tells us that we are annoying and thats why people dont like us, we can start repeating on a daily basis statements like: Maybe there is a chance I am not as annoying as I think or What if there are people who actually like hanging out with me?. Lets imagine another scenario: Our anxiety has tricked us into thinking that we are going to mess up that presentation we have to do at school/ at work. Instead of lying to ourselves and saying something we dont believe at all in an effort to calm down ( You are going to do great/ amazing, for example), we can use a Bridge Statement (What if things go alright and you dont mess up?, for instance)— no matter which approach we try, the ultimate goal is to counter our negative thoughts with something that gives us hope.

We can try repeating these statements often during the day and even in front of a mirror!

Personally, Ive found it really helpful as an idea, as it is a powerful tool to ease my anxiety and start applying reason to my thoughts slowly and steadily.

If you decide to try it, feel free to let us know how it went!

Can you think of any examples of using Bridge Statements? Share some below!

* Lots of positive vibes for all of you! *

-Dream