Racing thoughts

[ayshestes]

I was wondering if anyone else has racing thoughts as part of their anxiety? Does that have anything to do with anxiety? I cant slow them down when they get going and it makes me dizzy sometimes.... Any tips?

[manster77]

I had my first panic attack 15 years ago and have dealt with them since my first. I still remember like it was yesterday, I was driving home and had an intense thought that I was going to die. I could not get it out of my head and my heart raced and hands were sweating and the fear I felt was almost unbearable. I made it home somehow and after a couple of days ended up at the doctors office and after weeks of trying different medications I eventually was able to control the feelings although it took months and months. I became agoraphobic and did not step out of the house for 6 months and that was the hardest part of my experience. It took me two weeks just to walk to the mailbox when I decided that I could not spend the rest of my life locked in my house.

My advice would be to find a good doctor. Communicate with the doctor and keep a detailed journal of your feelings and thoughts. It helped tremendously when I went for my monthly visits. I would leave a copy of the journal and the therapy and adjustments to the medication was much easier and affective.

It is very difficult to understand a panic attack unless you have experienced one and it is much easier if you are open and tell others about your experiences. I was amazed at how many others had the same symptoms and experienced panic attacks. The one good thing is that you will get through the panic attacks. I remember the first time I went to see my shrink. I walked in having a full blown panic attack and I was pulling my hair and begging him to help me. He said something to me that I will never forget and it took several years to completely understand but I still use it today when I begin to have the panic fellings. He told me "I want you to go outside and run around the house until you make yourself have a heart attack. I will make sure and have the ambulance on the way and since I am a doctor you will be ok." To me that was the strangest thing I would have ever imagined a doctor telling someone. Years later I brought it up and it made sense. My shrink told me "You cannot make yourself have a heart attack" Telling me to try and have one allowed me to examine my thoughts and realize that my thoughts were irrational. I use the same technique often when I have fears even today. The way a person handles the panic attacks vary from person to person and often have to try many different techniques and medications but remember you are not crazy, there are thousands of people with panic attacks, and working to understand your fears will benefit you greatly. It does not happen overnight but living a normal happy life will happen and you will be a much stronger person that can help others who are having panic attacks by telling them about your experiences and being supportive.

[cnote]

yes it is a symptom of anxiety. mind chatter.

[buprenex]

On the lighter side, my thoughts can beat your thoughts.

[DAISEY708]

The racing thoughts can cause terrible nights with no sleep which can lead to almost feeling psychotic.  I've always had insomnia from thinking too much at night, but the last couple months many stressfull things happened in a row and I went to the doc.  I had gone 3 nights with not one minute of sleep and the more i worried about NOT SLEEPING, the worse it was.  I was given Xanax, Buspar and AN anti-depresent plus had to take Lunesta just to shut my eyes for a couple hours.  It was awful.  After starting the meds i could hardly get off the couch for a week. I then started EXCERSIZING to where myself out thinking I could sleep, cut out all caffeine and now i'm doing great, taking only half the sleeping aid and meds now and feel fab.  I never thought i would feel this good again.  a Little SUN and FRESH AIR work wonders too!  I try to think about happy thoughts which sounds stupid but really helps.  I had gotten panic attacks the first couple weeks and only used the xanax for that, it did not work for racing mind but good for panic.  I truly wish you the best.  There are people that KNOW EXACTLY how terrible and scary it is.  In the beginning if losing lots of sleep, you may cry alot too, perfectly normal....You will be fine.

[Cbarne]

Hi im quite young im 15, Im not sure if i get Racing thoughts.

I get things such as songs in my head (i cant hear them) and images in my head of cars and even the sky and stuff going really fast in my head and sometimes people. But i cant see it and i know its not happening.
But the images allways pop up.

So is that Racing thoughts. If so what can help me.

[Jassyjj22]

Your clairvoyant and clairaudient Hun quite spiritual

[muppetfan]

My racing thought usually begin with a small thing then snowball into a  lot of things, usually as my heart races faster and faster.....sending me into a panic. I have now been able to kind of tell when my body or m mind begins to do this. At that time I will take my medicine. Then when the panic comes I am ready for it, and it eases off. However, there are times that I get to the panic part and get too far into it that my thoughts are racing so fast that I begin to talk myself into being afraid to take meds, b/c maybe something really is bad happening etc. I hate these things. However, racing thoughts do occurr. Here are my solutions, which are easier sad than done....
limit of caffine...(I love my coffee, but caffine dehydrates you and will cause your body to go into panic attack) Just like if you are hungover it is easier to have panic....limit alcohol comsumption. Limit your time with technology: TV, computer, phone, text etc. to end at least 2 hours before bed, so your body has time to unwind and slow down. All those images can create panic and restlessness. (And here I am on the computer, See it is easier said than done.)
Take care of yourself,,,love yourself, and be easy on yourself when it comes to your "Has to be done today list". I have a hard time, but I will walk away from a sink of dirty dishes now. For you it might be laundry, cleaning, etc. Whatever....just go easy.
Hope that helped.
M

[allie3656]

yes i too get racing thoughts when my anxiety is through the roof. or better yet i'll just sit there and dwell and dwell on one thought and then i would start panicking and it would lead to another thought, but i agree with calming musicand writing in a journal, you would be amazed at how much is on your mind and once you write it on paper how much better you feel. good luck!

[ayshestes]

Thanks for your replys! There not too generalized, some days are worse than others. They do get incredibly bad during attacks, but i figured that when i wasnt having an attack that the thoughts were just a symtom of anxiety

[AJWS6]

I had extreme racing thoughts, during anxiety.  What helped me alot was, relaxing music, and working crossword puzzles, Majong was my favorite.

But during the day, I would do my best to stay active, and not focus on my thoughts.  

Most of my racing thoughts would occur, when I wasn't actively doing something.  

What also helped me alot, was keeping a journal of all my thoughts, once I start typing away, I would relax.  And sometimes surprised how much I would write, but once I was done, my thoughts were all sorted out.

[ILADVOCATE]

Racing thoughts can come on during an anxiety attack. There are a variety of coping techniques but the main issue is to not have the anxiety attack keep going. Besides medication and talk therapy, behavioral therapy can work for that. Of course if you have racing thoughts in general sometimes that can be an aspect of bipolar but it depends what else is going on but you could speak to your psychiatrist more about that.