Intrusive thoughts and anxiety

[Alis6552]

Hello all,

I am really struggling and have for many years with these intrusive, obsessive anxious thoughts pretty much centered around health anxiety, getting cancer and just in general dying and in general thinking too deep into it like for example if I see a story on the news of someone dying in a car crash I’ll think omg that person is just like me they woke up to a normal day and Died. I’m on Zoloft and don’t currently see a therapist but I will make an appt soon. How do you guys deal with these thoughts? They are debilitating for me and I can’t seem to just let them go. It’s hard to talk to others that don’t have the same issues as they say it’s silly just stop thinking of that we’ll if it were that easy I would have long ago. Two close ppl to me have passed from cancer, one only in his early 20s. Maybe it’s due to ptsd. Any insight would be great, thanks for listening.

[AshCash]

I’ve had the same issue. When my anxiety was at it’s absolute worst I was even scared to drive because I KNEW I’d get into an accident because I had read an article about someone dying in a car accident. Like I had jinxed myself just from reading it. Now I’m only anxious about driving when my toddler is with me. I used to watch this show called Six Feet Under and every episode started with a person dying. (The show was about a family that ran a funeral home.) as much as I loved that show I had to stop watching it because I was freaking out. And that show 1000 Ways to Die screwed me up just from one episode.

What helped me with those thoughts was seeing a therapist, and really working on my thought process. It’s hard, but once you learn how to stop a thought it changes the game. We could literally sit around every day and every night worrying about death. It is inevitable. Not a thought that sits well with me, but it’s fact. Now when you think, “what if I die in a car accident?!” You have to then think, “okay. If I do, then that’s how it goes. But right now I am safe and I am healthy.” Try to always combat those negative thoughts with, “but I’m here and I’m alive and I’m okay.” The what if game can take you over, and at the end of the day you’ve just wasted it by worrying about death when you’re still here and still kicking ass.

You are okay.

You are healthy.

You are here.

Just keep saying that over and over to those negative thoughts. Deep breathe along with each one. Seven counts in through the nose slowly and out through the mouth for seven slow counts.

You are okay.

You are healthy.

You are here.

I hope that helps you some. 🖤

[Alis6552 in reply to AshCash]

Thank you so much for your response. You are so right and it helps to get it out and know that others can relate. It sounds like you have a great therapist. I went for years but the past few years it’s like the ones I have seen were more of just a vent session talking to a friend, not much reframing of thoughts If that makes sense? More like what can you change in your life Your unhappy with. I did well with cognitive behavioral therapy, and I bring that up when I inquire with new therapists but it never actually seems to be used. I’m gonna be researching new ones this week to make an appt with its def time. Glad to hear your doing better with your anxiety!

[AshCash in reply to Alis6552]

I only really clicked with one therapist I saw, and then her office no longer accepted my insurance so I couldn’t continue to go. Honestly, I majored in Psychology in college, not because I wanted to Perdue the career but because I wanted to figure out how the hell my brain worked and what was going on. It really did give me a great insight and it helps me to know that what I’m experiencing has a name. Probably not the best idea I ever had though since I’m now $100,000 in student loan debt, but whatever. Haha... I hope you find a therapist you can click with and who can help you with this. We’re all here for you!

[Icanbeathis2016 in reply to AshCash]

I know exactly what you mean. I had to stop watching certain shows as well. I had no idea that it was causing my anxiety to raise. I was watching Greys Anatomy which is an awesome show but all it was about was hospitals and all kinds of stories of sick people, bad accidents, and trying to save or cure people. But the show was so good. I literally would think every episode that the same thing was gonna happen to me. I've tried therapy too for a while it was helpful. But I'd still allow my anxiety and those "what if" thoughts to take over whenever it got bad. The only difference that is better now for me is that I've learned to accept that they are just my thoughts. Because before when I was first going through this, I would allow thoughts to scare me and I allowed them to keep me bound. Now I atleast still go about my day the beat I can, when it is that bad.

Glad that you are in more control of your anxiety. Wish us the best....

[Gambit62]

This post may help you understand what is happening with the thoughts and find a way of dealing with them.

healthunlocked.com/couchtob...

[Icanbeathis2016]

Your posts is exactly what I would be posting. I have those same fears. I've been dealing with this off and on for almost 4 years now. The intrusive thoughts, the fear of death, and also thinking that whatever bad thing that happens to someone else may happen to me too. It's been so bad for me at times that I've literally cried out of fear of my intrusive thoughts because I believe them.

I however am not on any meds. I tried meds once for 45 days and quit. And have been reluctant and afraid now for about three years to take any types of medication even OTC meds. So I'm trying to conquer this without meds. And I often wonder if I'm making my journey with this worse bu not giving in to meds. But then I've also had some really good moments and days that I am doing well enough and carry on with my days the best I can. I will say that lately over the past year, what has helped my thinking is the fact that I've began to read more and praying. The reading I believe helped because it allowed to to fill my mind with more words and ideas. I read the bible app and also I decided to read like the dictionary. It sounds wierd but it helped because I've gained knowledge in a sense by learning new words and building up my vocabulary. I guess in hind sight it gave me a bit of confidence which gave me motivation that I was learning something which possibly help replace some of those bad thoughts I was having with good words and ideas and filled up in my subconscious. If this makes sense. So when I have those really bad days again and the intrusive thoughts take over, I start back reading the apps again and learn new words.

Also check out my link. I have youtube videos that I do that talks about my anxiety journey. Feel free to watch me talk about my fears and worries.

youtube.com/channel/UCnL8f1...

[Alis6552]

I would love to watch! Thank you so Much many good reply’s so far and I’m glad I posted. For me I feel so crazy becuase I also don’t allow myself to be happy. For example I could be out on a weekend day doing something with my husband and while in the car I’ll iust think but what if I get cancer and go into this panic and it’s like I wish there was an off switch in my head. It will then just make me blah the rest of the day. I don’t know why I can’t ket thoughts like that go but I just cannot seem to sometimes, they just seem so real. Maybe I’m afraid I’d i let the thoughts go something bad will happen after all. I also feel scared about getting older and facing that we all die. Ugh idk I could spend my whole day thinking about these things if i allow myself. Right now I am going on a walk in the park on my lunch break and have a message out to a therapists office. I agree with prayer, it helps even though with thoughts of god and going to church bring comfort it also brings confusion as to why bad things happen to good people as I have seen in my life and I feel have sort of traumatized me and made me even more fearful of death and I’d there is a god and purpose for all of us and on and on. I hope for all of us struggling with this that there will be a time when we can enjoy our lives a bit more and be less controlled by these debilitating thoughts.