Not since my first few months of daily blogging — almost three years ago — have I used the word “Antidotes” in a post title.
If you have a burning curiosity to read those two early “Antidotes” posts, the antidotes for that are here and here.
I find it odd that I’ve not referenced “Antidotes” more in my blog titles, since antidotes are
- so helpful for letting go of unhelpful and automatic thoughts (also called “cognitive distortions”),
- a major focus of my psychotherapy practice, and
- things we could all use, according to this online definition:
1.a medicine or other remedy for counteracting the effects of poison, disease, etc.
2.something that prevents or counteracts injurious or unwanted effects.
Yesterday, in individual and group therapy sessions, people came up with several valuable antidotes, including:
- realizing that a worst fear is often unlikely to come true, since we are consciously and unconsciously working to prevent that,
- increasing self-esteem by seeing oneself through the eyes of a beloved pet,
- letting go of internalized harsh judgments about personal appearance,
- imagining anxiety-provoking thoughts and images attached to balloons that float away,
- affirmations of self-worth, and
- realizing that traumas of the past are in the past and NOT in the here and now.
I wonder if the thirteen photos I snapped yesterday are antidotes for anything.
Here’s a possible antidote for my nervousness about trying out for The Voice in February: “singing” is the only antidote that appears twice in the lists of “What Helps” on the walls of my office.
What antidotes do you find helpful?
Here’s an all-purpose antidote for what ails us: gratitude. Thanks to all who helped me create this post and to you — of course! — for reading it.
I’ve used music as an antidote quite often, Ann, 💕 and the healing power of writing out my thoughts has been a blessing here. Thanks for your daily presence.
Your daily presence is a wonderful antidote for me, Van!
“Increasing self-esteem by seeing oneself through the eyes of a beloved pet” is so true Ann. Ever since I have my deer Chihuahua I’m more active and take more walks. My pooch is always with me, it’s as if she had a sixth sense. The legendary “loyalty” of the dog goes beyond words. The dog is also 5 years old, so she is well beyond the ‘puppy’ stage and is not chewing on anything and adapted more easily. I love all of your nighttime images, as always, your blog is my antidote.
And your loyal comments are beautiful antidotes for me, Maria.
So excited for you that you’re trying out for the VOICE- we love the show. we wondered what the audition process was- do you sing for someone and then they decide if you sing for the judges? fingers crossed.
Amy, I hope your excitement and your crossed fingers are antidotes for my nerves when I try out in February! I’ll sing for somebody in Philadelphia (which works well for me, since I was already going to be visiting my friend Jeanette in Philadelphia that weekend). If i get a call back, that will be 1 – 3 days later. People can try out in person and also by sending stuff online. This is a huge long shot, obviously, but I think the experience will be fun!
Sometimes confronting a frightening thing and becoming familiar with it can be an antidote to the fear. That’s what I thought of when you mentioned that there are thirteen photos here. Someone with triskaidekaphobia might be frightened by that but if they make a choice to look through the photos they’ll see there’s nothing to be afraid of–that it’s all just right.
I’m sometimes afraid of looking stupid if I misspell triskaidekaphobia but keeping a dictionary handy helps me overcome that.
Here’s another antidote, Chris (I hope). I can’t imagine you ever looking stupid. Thanks for bringing this wonderful fear-confrontation-familiarize antidote here, today.
Sigh. I wish JD could “get” that last bullet point. It would be lovely if that antidote were effective for him.
Wouldn’t it be lovely if antidotes could be effective for us and for those we care about?
Amen!
Your posts are an antidote for everything, Ann. When I read them I feel much better. Thanks for this antidote 🙂
Your comments are antidotes for me! ❤
Blogging is just one antidote for stagnation. Following any enthusiasm will do the job
This comment is the perfect antidote for me now, Derrick. Enthusiastic thanks.
Hello there,
My antidotes tend to involve talking with friends, yoga, chocolate, blogging, mountains, gardening, dancing, and last week I went to see “demain, le film “, a French film as its name suggests, which is the perfect antidote to the current doom and gloom state of the world. 🙂
Wonderful antidotes! Thanks for sharing them here.