Maybe a Holistic Approach is Best

"It works. It works, it works, it works! It does work!"

(this feeling/thought just spontaneously came to me. Not a bad feeling/thought to have to say the least!) I think Jung may have been wrong about the polarity of Thoughts and Feelings. I think feelings are just un-worded, or "unconscious" thoughts. They are at least intimately connected, if not in fact the same thing. You know Self-Talk does work. Give it time and consistency. Having fun with it will help you do that. Make it part of a holistic approach. I'm no doctor, but maybe you do need medication as well. See a doctor or Psychiatrist, perhaps. Meditation, diet, exercise. I wouldn't rule anything out that you might feel is helpful. It's not "this or that." Self-Talk could just be part of a bigger picture, and a very synergistic part indeed.

I used to get good ideas like What to Say When You Talk to Yourself, or Claire Weekes' books, and they are great ideas indeed, but when I was into them I would dismiss all others. But now I feel that even if you are working one program that there's no reason not to consider other things. More than likely they are probably in some way even complimentary to the ideas you find central. Why not try more than one thing in tandem? It doesn't mean you have to let go of your core beliefs. It might even strengthen them, or lead you to an unexpected discovery.

I also used to be almost Tom Cruiseish about things like Prozac and other Psychiatric drugs. And let me just say for the record I am no scientist or doctor, so for me the "jury is still out" on such things. But let me say that I am more open to such options now. The other day I was putting together a barstool I bought from Target and there were four screw holes to be lined up. After I put in three of the screws the last hole connecting the seat to the base didn't line up and the screw wouldn't go through. I got out a hammer hit it a couple times and whammo! it lined up, and I put the chair together. So maybe things such as Prozac or others are like that hammer. This is pure speculation because I am no scientist, but perhaps something isn't quite lining up in the chemical transit of the brain of a phobic. And a certain medication could be the hammer to line it up. Just something to think about. Again, I am in no way advocating or dis advocating psychiatric medications, but I am thinking more holistically about the problem. And besides, if one were to decide to take some medication (after seeing a doctor of course) one could still put into practice great conscious psychological therapies like Self-Talk, Meditation, Hypnosis, Acupuncture, Reiki, diet, exercise or any other Philosophy that one feels is right.

All I'm saying is that different ideas don't have to rule each other out or be contradictory. It doesn't have to be "This or That." It could be "both and..." And different ideas working together might even prove to be synergistic. Bottom line: we want to find something that works, that cures mine and yours and everyone's problem. Perhaps that path is a holistic one.