150: I'm anxious but don't have any negative thoughts. What can I do?

Feeling Good Podcast | TEAM-CBT - The New Mood Therapy

David Burns, MD

Clinical, Therapy, Anxiety, Psychotherapy, Depression, Health & Fitness, Cognitive, Mentalhealth, Mental Health, Behavior, Education, Self-improvement, Psychology, Relationships, Addiction, Happiness, Personalgrowth

4.4 • 856 Ratings

🗓️ 22 July 2019

⏱️ 39 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

What can you do when you can’t identify your negative thoughts?

Is it really true that our feelings always result from negative thoughts?

How can I get over my public speaking anxiety?

Rubens, a faithful and enthusiastic Feeling Good Podcast fan, sent me an email with a terrific question that has both practical and theoretical implications. He wrote:

Dear Mr. David,

I've read "Feeling Good" and I'm reading "When Panic Attacks" now. Both have and are helping me immensely.

However, the one thing I have never understood is that my anxieties and worries often don't come as a thought. For instance, I have an academic presentation tomorrow, and I'm suffering from much anxiety because of that. But the symptoms did not appear because I thought in my mind the sentence "you are going to fail!". In my case, it is usually silent. I just remember that I have a presentation tomorrow, then I immediately feel worried. My chest hurts before any thought. How do I counter-argument my thoughts, if I have none?

Thank you for replying, Mr. David!

In today's podcast, Rhonda and I address this question and explain what to do when you can't pinpoint your negative thoughts. There are two really good methods.

We will also demonstrate how to deal with some of the negative thoughts that typically trigger public speaking anxiety. The cure involves changing the way you think, and changing the way you communicate with the people in your audience. If you've ever struggled with public speaking anxiety, this podcast may be helpful for you!

Thank you again, Rubens, for your excellent question!

David D. Burns, MD / Rhonda Barovsky, PsyD

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	Hello and welcome to the Feeling Good podcast, where you can learn powerful techniques to change the way you feel.
0:16.3	I am your host, Rhonda Borovsky, and joining me here in the Murrieta studio is Dr. David Burns.
0:22.6	Dr. David Burns is a pioneer in the development of cognitive behavioral therapy and the creator of the new team therapy.
0:29.6	He is the author of Feeling Good, which has sold over 5 million copies in the United States and has been translated into over 30 languages. David is currently
0:39.0	an emeritus adjunct professor of clinical psychiatry at Stanford University School of Medicine.
0:44.8	Hi, everyone. Welcome to episode 150. Hi, David. Hello, Rhonda. So today we're going to do a podcast that was sparked by a listener who sent you an email.
1:01.3	Is that correct?
1:02.1	Yeah.
1:02.3	He sent you an email.
1:03.2	And his name, which is not his real name, but the name that we're calling him is Rubens.
1:07.4	I think that's probably his real name.
1:09.3	Oh, that's his real name.
1:10.2	Yeah, the one who was having a problem with compulsive shoplifting Robbins.
1:15.6	Where's you from?
1:16.6	No, this Rubens is his real name, but it's just a cool, interesting question.
1:23.6	Okay.
1:24.6	And here is his question.
1:26.6	Here's his email mean. I've read Feeling Good and I'm reading when panic attacks now. Both have and are helping me immensely. However, the one thing I've never understood is that my anxieties and worries don't come as a thought. For instance, I have an academic presentation tomorrow, and I'm suffering from
1:45.3	much anxiety because of that. But the symptoms do not appear because I thought in my mind the
1:51.0	sentence, you are going to fail, or I am going to fail. In my case, it is usually silent. I just
1:58.0	remember that I have a presentation tomorrow, then I immediately feel worried.
2:02.0	My chest hurts before any thought. How do I counter-argument my thoughts if I have none?
	...

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