Dear Kshitij:

“1. Using the NPARR strategy whenever possible. I have observed that doing assignments/solving questions at that moment helps me to engage with something else.“- good plan, use it regularly.

“2. I should make a mental note of how my intrusive thoughts are affecting my quality of life in the PRESENT and giving me more anxiety and negativity. I can remember this thought whenever I feel I am ruminating“- this can be part of the Notice of the NPARR: Notice that you are ruminating and say to yourself: I am ruminating. Notice you are feeling anxious and say to yourself: I feel anxious.

Then Pause the rumination, and take a slow,  easy breath, then Adress the situation (if there is a situation that caused your anxiety to go up) and ask yourself: what is the problem in this situation?  Is there anything I need to say or do, so to solve this problem?

If there is no situational problem, then say, the problem is my anxiety going up, solution: bring it down.

Then Respond:  do what needs to be said or done so to solve the problem, if it is situational. If the elevated anxiety is not a result of a situation, take a few slow, easy breaths.

And then Redirect: to relax further, when possible, redirect to taking a short walk, a hot shower, listening to music, and/ or dancing, etc., otherwise, focus on an assignment/ solving questions (like you wrote in #1)

#3, 4, 5 read fine. Good job, Kshitij !!!

anita