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intrusive scary thoughts
Does anyone else have trouble with intrusive scary thoughts? My pdoc considers them part of my OCD (as opposed to my other anxiety disorders) because I obsessivley worry about them. They are horrific and terrifying, things I don't want to think about that scare me more than anything. I recently lost my insurance so I'm not currently in therapy. I'm trying to get it back so I can go back, but in the meantime, does anyone else have other ways of dealing with this? I don't drink caffeine as it make my anxiety worse (and seems to cause more panic attacks), I don't eat a lot of sugar, I take zoloft and klonopin, I don't watch the news or horror movies or anything like that that makes it worse. I rarely drink any alcohol, now that my anxiety and OCD are so bad I won't have any, but it seems like it's life stress that causes these thoughts more than anything, like my mind is distracting itself from my real problems with terribly scary thoughts. I worry that I'll lose my mind (I know that's a common axiety worry) among other things, I also worry that my intrusive thoughts are like, somehow worse than other people's or something, which makes me feel alone in this. I'm sorry for rambling on, I am just really freaked out right now. I've had anxiety probably most of my life, but OCD and panic disorder for about 15 years, and the scary thoughts are the worse part of it. It seems to go on and off, sometimes it's under control and I can actually give advice to others with anxiety disorders and ocd, sometimes it gets bad. Any advice? Also, what type of therapies do you use, talk, cognitive behavioral, group etc? I know different methods work for different people, but I'd just like to know what others with these issues are doing. I'm thinking of trying group when I get my insurance back, I did it years ago for a little while as well as went to a support group and those things seemed to help a lot.
Hello,
Although this is years after your post, I wanted to tell you you are not alone. I have OCD (obsessive, scary and disgusting intrusive thoughts). They REALLY bother me because I too do my best to be careful about what I watch and listen to and am very intentional to protect my mind. When I am on my medication (Lexapro), thoughts do not bother me and I am totally fine. However, I have had to go off the meds throughout the years and sure enough the issue comes back. Now that I have had this for many years, I know I will be fine, but the thoughts and feelings are not good. I know you may think "my thoughts are worse" because that is what I think, I always think "I cannot tell anyone about these thoughts, they are so bad", but I end up telling mt husband and he says "i have thoughts like that too, but i let them go because i know they are stupid". And that is the only difference. He can let them go and i cannot due to OCD. You will be ok, I dont even think you need therapy, in fact my psychiatrist said people with what i have dont need therapy, they need medication because it is a brain chemical issue, not a social or behavioral issue. I hope this finds someone and helps. The feeling that comes with the thoughts is terrible but you will be ok and all will go back to normal.
Although this is years after your post, I wanted to tell you you are not alone. I have OCD (obsessive, scary and disgusting intrusive thoughts). They REALLY bother me because I too do my best to be careful about what I watch and listen to and am very intentional to protect my mind. When I am on my medication (Lexapro), thoughts do not bother me and I am totally fine. However, I have had to go off the meds throughout the years and sure enough the issue comes back. Now that I have had this for many years, I know I will be fine, but the thoughts and feelings are not good. I know you may think "my thoughts are worse" because that is what I think, I always think "I cannot tell anyone about these thoughts, they are so bad", but I end up telling mt husband and he says "i have thoughts like that too, but i let them go because i know they are stupid". And that is the only difference. He can let them go and i cannot due to OCD. You will be ok, I dont even think you need therapy, in fact my psychiatrist said people with what i have dont need therapy, they need medication because it is a brain chemical issue, not a social or behavioral issue. I hope this finds someone and helps. The feeling that comes with the thoughts is terrible but you will be ok and all will go back to normal.
i am so very very very like you describe. What i am learning is that our brain will follow set patterns. i am in the process of trying to create new patterns. I am trying meditation and Tolle's The power of Now type thinking. While not a cure, i have circumvented many crazy moments of obsessive thinking. Just this morning I put myself through hell with my thoughts and i know how awful it is. That is why i came out here today but am also listening to my gateways to now cd and can see where the thought train is taking me.
Hi there. Are you still on Zoloft and Klonopin since you have lost your insurance? Is the fact that you have no insurance playing into your scary thoughts? You are right in that an increase in stress usually causes an increase in OCD. No insurance would be considered a big stresser in my mind.
It really depends on what thoughts you are having. For instance if you are afraid you might harm someone, then what I did for that one was go into a dark room, visualize myself doing what I was thinking, and I quickly realized that that is not something I would EVER do. Sometimes the thought would come back and I'd have to do the "exposure" therapy again. Eventually the thought would go away.
Or, are you taking simple thoughts and catatrophizing them? If you are then you could try the journaling and replace those negative thoughts with positive ones.
The above are CBT which I'm sure you know how to do. You say as soon as you think about your stressors the thoughts come back. When this happens to me when I'm driving...if I even think I might have a panic attack, I start controlled breathing immediately and try to distract myself. Usually it works. But when it doesn't, I just keep on breathing. If it takes 15 minutes then so be it. What I know is that at some point it is going to stop and I just have to ride it out. You know you can get better because you have done it before. That is so important to know.
It really depends on what thoughts you are having. For instance if you are afraid you might harm someone, then what I did for that one was go into a dark room, visualize myself doing what I was thinking, and I quickly realized that that is not something I would EVER do. Sometimes the thought would come back and I'd have to do the "exposure" therapy again. Eventually the thought would go away.
Or, are you taking simple thoughts and catatrophizing them? If you are then you could try the journaling and replace those negative thoughts with positive ones.
The above are CBT which I'm sure you know how to do. You say as soon as you think about your stressors the thoughts come back. When this happens to me when I'm driving...if I even think I might have a panic attack, I start controlled breathing immediately and try to distract myself. Usually it works. But when it doesn't, I just keep on breathing. If it takes 15 minutes then so be it. What I know is that at some point it is going to stop and I just have to ride it out. You know you can get better because you have done it before. That is so important to know.
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