Is this normal?

[CrazyConfused]

It happens unexpectedly (spelling?), I will be lying in bed, in the car, at school, wherever. I'll be thinking about something, anything really, then I'll think about something I did recently, or not recently depends. Like I could be thinking of not returning my homework on time. And I will feel incredibly guilty, like I comitted murder or something, I will hate myself. I will tell myself that I'm worthless, that I'm better off dead. Not that I'm planning suicide, because I'm not. But, it just takes over I can't think of anything else. It seems like a bit of an over reation to not bringing in my homework. But I can't control it.

I'm just wondering, is this normal? Is this just teenage mood swings?

 

[Jazzey]

I'd like to say that I'm still a teenager CC, but that would be a huge stretch for me.

I feel the same guilty feelings and obsessive 'beating ups' when I don't do the things that I'm supposed to do. I think it's normal, it's part of feeling anxious.

 

[David Baxter PhD]

It's normal to have a certain amount of self-doubt and low self-confidence, particularly at your age, CrazyConfused. I hope this doesn't sound patronizing or condescending but at your age you are in the process of figuring out who you are and who you are becoming, as well as trying to learn to understand other people and how your behavior affects them and how their behavior affects you.

Reviewing and worrying about things we have said and done, as long as it is not excessive, is part of the process of how we all learn to give ourselves feedback about out behavior. It's a good thing, generally, even though it can be distressing, because it indicates that you have or are developing empathy and sensitivity to others.

If you find that it is becoming a frequent thing, or if you find that you are becoming significantly distressed by such thoughts, it would probably be worth trying to see if you can talk to your family doctor or to a guidance counsellor.