Confused???

[Lynzhoppy1]

Hi everyone, I hope you are all as well as possible. So I posted here the other day and got some really helpful advice, so thank you. On the back of that advice I’ve made a list of my varying symptoms, one of which I’m a bit confused about... When I’m trying to get to sleep I find myself counting, spelling out a specific word, or just thinking over specific points of my day. If I’m counting I find I get to a certain number (for example 130) and then just repeatedly count from 120 to 130!! This counting, spelling, thinking about specific (yet random) parts of my day drives me insane!!! Are these fibro symptoms/side effects or more anxiety..?

Many thanks in advance.

Love and gentle hugs to you all xx

[M0AL61 Moderator Volunteer]

I do this sometimes too, but I also suffer with anxiety and depression, so I'm not sure whether it's related to that, or to the fibro x

[Judipat]

Hi Lynn

Hope you have had a good day.

I would say this sounds more like anxiety with a little OCD thrown in. Counting or going over your day, both entail your brain to work (if you know what I mean). A psychiatrist once told me to do this and it works everything for me.

You pick a favourite place, could be a beach, a meadow, top of a mountain or just your local park. So, I always choose a wonderful little beach we used to go to in Portugal, there is no one else around and I'm sat on the sand looking out to sea. The trick is, you cannot think of anything else, just the sand, the sea and the sky. It takes some doing sometimes, but you can train your brain to do it. The reason most people can't get to sleep is because their brain goes into overdrive as soon as their head hits the pillow..

Hope this helps

Judi

[Lynzhoppy1 in reply to Judipat]

Hi judi

Not too bad a day thank you, I hope yours has been ok.

Yes I understand what you mean and it makes sense. The beach sounds a very lovely place to go to lol.

I shall be sure to mention this very annoying symptom/habit along with my other symptoms when I see my GP, I think I just need putting down haha!

Thank you Judi xx

[Treewade]

Maybe when you was little you used counting to relax counting sheep tiles on the ceiling patterns in a curtain sometimes the repetition stays with us even if the thing we started with doesn't I may be talking waffle too I repeat fish chips and mushy peas over and over when I can't sleep due to over thinking its a way of focusing to relax and as I ve done it so long I don't always know I'm doing it xxx

[Lynzhoppy1 in reply to Treewade]

Hi Treewade,

Yes that’s possible that I did used to do that.. I’m a survivor of sexual abuse which happened at a young age, I lost 3 family members and my best friend at school not long after the abuse stopped too so it is perhaps some sort of coping mechanism etc I used.. I don’t remember doing so but it’s possible. Fish chips and mushy peas made me chuckle lol xxx

[Treewade in reply to Lynzhoppy1]

I guess in a way it's a form of self hypnosis or meditation there's no wonder I have weight problems . May have to change it to celery sticks n lettuce lol xxx you had such a hard past I'm glad you use the word survivor so many people don't see how much they achieve by being living through these experiences. The pain doesn't heal it makes or breaks you in most cases both I am getting sent to see a psycologist to deal with my past as my doctor thinks it's causing me to have memory lapses. The brain is a wonderful thing and whatever the numbers are it is possibly some sort of protective barrier, I'm not sure I want mine knocking down. If I'm suppressing memories worse than the ones I know well I don't want to know them.

[Lynzhoppy1]

Yeah I guess it possibly is.. The brain is a weird and wonderful thing, it’s also very good at protecting us from things we don’t want to know. However, I found that once a I faced and dealt with things I felt much better.. I use the word ‘survivor’ as that’s exactly what I am! That vile creature took enough from me, there was no way I was letting him take anything else! I’ve grown into a well rounded, strong, independent, determined woman. I have 2 beautiful, amazing daughters, a great family and a small circle of close friends. Ok, my health is pants and it’s robbed me of my job and a certain degree of independence but I deal with it, because I have to. If nothing else, for the sake of my children.

I hope that whatever you decide to do with regards to the psychologist that you are ok and essentially happy. That’s all that matters.

Xxx