something new........but not welcome, any advice ?

[diaclone480]

well, now that I have introduced myself here I thought I'd share and ask for advice regarding a new turn of events. I have always been a worrier to some degree, however there was a time where I would get to a certain point and I would say f**k it ! that certain point has now appeared to disappear, but I side track myself. around 2 weeks ago I began a push to force myself to stop checking things, not quite OCD but I felt getting there. It would be mainly centred around the home when leaving the house or going to bed I would get stuck in a "loop" making sure everything was switched off. anyway, 2 weeks ago I began to fight these urges and to date I'm not doing too bad, great yeah ? well, maybe not. since curbing my checking at home I have now found I get stuck in that "loop" checking things before I leave work on an evening, at times I have nearly been home and turned back to go check something. I have also seemed to develop this irrational fear of putting things in the bin at work or handing over paperwork with my work on or scribblings. I have packed lunches and would normally put the waste in the bin, now I bag it up and bring it home with me and put it in my home bin of which I have no problem with. now I know plenty of people who bring their waste home from work, nothing strange in that in itself but it's a change of behaviour for me and I seem to be fixating on it and getting myself in a frenzy of anxiety. I know the logic of waste goes in the bin for disposal but for some reason I now feel that if I put it in the bin at work and I begin to feel anxious away from work I cannot get back there to retrieve it.

any advice to break this loop that does not involve going mad or suggestions as to why this shift has occurred ?

thank you and please be well

[lottysunshine]

hello.... this is all anxiety.. I suffer the same. Do you take meds ? If not perhaps seeing your GP and maybe asking for help may help. I used to see an occupational therapist and talk it all out of my system..I know its trite to say don't worry lol cos we all do but talking about it may help.. Hope my reply makes sense x

ps.. well into anxiety mode myself this week !

[Louise8]

I check things all the time, especially before I leave my house.. I always think... what if I leave the tap on, or the gas etc... I love my place so much, that it makes sense to do this before I leave the house. In relation to work, when I first started my job, I would be constantly worrying about silly things when I had left the office. In the end I told myself "I am not at work so I cannot deal with it until im back at work" This thinking as simple as it is, works for me, even now. !! x

[diaclone480]

Just updating with a minor breakthrough, I finished work early today as anxiety was up a level and I couldnt focus. However one thing I've been obsessing over the past week was handing some money over to a hypnotherapist I saw last week. For some reason I got it in my head that if I gave him the money I would start havinc a panic attack and it wouldn't stop until I got it back off him. Well, feeling very anxious and paniced I have just been to his house to give him the money, guess what.......no panic just relief, maybe just a little residual numbness in the head but other than that feel good about it. I guess I called panics bluff........now feeling anxious about the next step but not anywhere as severe. Be well people.

[Mandy26]

Hi Diaclone. Ah what a vicious circle for you. I too check the house before I leave. We leave our dog in our home so i have to make sure every switch is off, I check the gas, and I too have nearly gotten to the train when I have to turn around and check something, even if it makes me late for work. However now, if I feel that sense of anxiety about something, I push past it and I won't go back home. When I come home and nothing has happened I feel good about it and I actually find that everything was as it should be anyway. I know the anxious feeling is horrible but perhaps maybe the more you work against it and don't give in to it, the less you will worry, because you will see that the outcome of it is not as bad as what you think, if that makes sense

xx