how to stop irrational fears

[naurmi008]

Hi! I've read the great resources here and all of them answered my fears regarding pregnancy risks through manual sex. But I can't seem to let that fear go completely D: it's always lingering and my brain keeps saying "but what if blablabla" and i subconsciously think that maybe if i don't worry 24/7, i'll suddenly get pregnant. any advice? Thank you!

[Nicole]

Hi naurmi008,

I'm sorry to hear that you're experiencing this. Taking control of irrational fears can be difficult because it's easier said than done. You mentioned that your fears have to do with getting pregnant and I'm happy to say that you've already completed my first piece of advice which is to educate yourself and look at the facts. When you experience an irrational thought having to do with pregnancy, take a minute to challenge it by thinking about or even looking back at the resources that once answered your questions about pregnancy risk.

Also, I recommend two other ways to get irrational thoughts out of your head or at least ease them a bit: grounding techniques and simply distracting yourself. I'm happy to share more information on grounding if that's something you'd be interested in. When I say distracting yourself, I mean reading a book, watching a movie, calling a friend, drawing, etc. Basically, doing things that make you happy and keep your brain occupied.

How does any of that sound?

[naurmi008]

hi, thank you for the reply! yes i'd definitely love to hear about some grounding techniques!

[Sam W]

Hi naurmi008,

Okay! Here are a few to get you started: https://www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-an ... help-guide, https://safer.calpoly.edu/grounding-techniques