I had read your last post and now this one and just thought I would share a bit of my own experience with you...I hope it helps
I like to call our crazy thoughts "Mind Frick." Our minds play scenerios out like mind movies and it is those irrational thoughts that speed the movie up and allow it to play out of control.
The first step to changing anything is awareness...that you already have as you mentioned you are aware that your thoughts are irrational...that is great because you are moving through your anxiety just by understanding the thoughts you are thinking aren't real-who ever said that we had to believe our thoughts? We can pick and choose the thoughts we want to believe and I suggest believing all your good and positive thoughts and throw away the negative, destructive thoughts. I know, easier said than done but with practice...you can teach yourself to acknowledge the scary, negative thought and say: "Thank you for sharing" or "cancel-next" and that will bring your awareness back to what you are thinking so you can change your thought(s) into a positive thought. Yes, it sounds crazy-you will feel that you are having a full blown arguement with yourself in your head but in time, you will find that you are in more control of the thoughts you think.
We average 60,000 seperate thoughts in a day...and 80% of them are negative! That is just crazy! So, by becoming more aware of what you are thinking...you will begin to see a better balance of positive vs negative thoughts. We will not be able to get rid of the negative entirely because we need a contrast or something to compare to of what we "don't" want but an inbalance of negative thoughts ultimately create your life...like attracts like so if you are always in a stressful mood...you attract more stressful thoughts and things into your life-unconsciously of course. If you decide to change your thoughts to postive, happier ones...you will begin to find that more things you want to happen, start to show up.
I suggest to practice deep breathing. (by that I mean slowly, from your diaphragm and making the exhale about 50% longer than your inhale) consciously whenever you get the moment to do so. Don't practice when you are in the middle of an anxious moment...practice when you are calm and then when an anxious moment begins...you will be ready for your deep breathing. The more you do this, the more you will remember to do it when an anxious moment strikes.
Also, try this little exercise...instead of thinking something bad is happening (or going to happen), think the exact opposite! So, instead of thinking that something is going to go wrong with your mom's hospital appointment, think and visualize it the way you want it to come out... she is going to be fine and well in a short period of time and visualize her healthy and laughing. Just do the exact opposite of your negative thoughts...
I do have a bit of understanding of anxiety and panic attacks and if you have more questions or just want to talk more...just send me a message and I will do my best to help you out as much as I can...so happy to hear that it went well with speaking to your mental health nurse...just talking to someone who is "neutral" can be a form of releasing tension and stress itself...