Anxiety - like a Naughty Child

Another explanation of how to 'not engage' with anxiety and its scary thoughts:

I often say anxiety behaves like a naughty child - so treat it the same.  It'll scream and shout at you, which is distressing, but react and show the child attention, argue with it and the child will just carry on ... but ignore it, relax and carry on with whatever you're doing and, like the child, it'll get bored and go away.  The naughty child will keep bursting back into the room to have another go at you (blips), but again ignore this, carry on and the child will eventually calm down and go find something else to do.