This feels ridiculous but about a year ago or more I was going through a hard time personally and I was depressed. I started worrying because I started to have a really hard time concentrating. Before you know it I started to worry that something was wrong with me because simple things felt so hard. I know it is so stupid, I know that, but before you know it a little worry became alot and I have been worrying about my mental health almost 24/7. I went to see a psychologist but that just seems to feed my obsessing about my mental health. I worry that I have a personality disorder or that I have an anxiety disorder or OCD. The logical part of my brain knows that it is ridiulous to be spending so much time thinking about this, but I cant shut it off. Even going for counselling makes me obsess even more so I dont want to go. The weirdest part of my obsession is I feel this strange compulsion to start writing all the time. I want to write down my obsession with my mental health. What should I do? Why do I worry about something so totally ridiculous and how am I supposed to get help for something when the help makes me obsess even more? I feel like the biggest idiot on the face of the earth.
- Thread starter gingerale
- Start date
David Baxter PhD
Late Founder
Some questions:
- does your psychologist know about these issues? have you told him/her about them and how serious the obsessions are?
- what is it that you are working on currently in therapy and how long have you been seeing the psychologist? what approaches is the psychologist using?
- are you taking any medications or has this been suggested or discussed?
- are the symptoms/issues constant or do they wax and wane, get better and worse over time? does it seem to you that there are any specific conditions or triggers that make it worse?
- does your psychologist know about these issues? have you told him/her about them and how serious the obsessions are?
- what is it that you are working on currently in therapy and how long have you been seeing the psychologist? what approaches is the psychologist using?
- are you taking any medications or has this been suggested or discussed?
- are the symptoms/issues constant or do they wax and wane, get better and worse over time? does it seem to you that there are any specific conditions or triggers that make it worse?
Hello. Thanks for answering.
I have told the psychologist about these obsessions. I started going to see the psychologist in late 05 once a month. I am not sure what you mean by approach? The psychologist says each person has to arrive at their own truth and she says that I should try and distract myself from these thoughts. I have tried this but it does not seem to be working. I feel like each time I go it makes my mental health obsessions stronger. Should quit?
I am not taking any medications, I do not know what is wrong with me so I am not sure what I would take. I do not want to go to a Doctor, this is too embarassing. I do not know why I have such obsessions with my mental health, it is totally senseless.
I suppose this started as a way to avoid thinking about other things but now its just something I think about constantly. I can hardly stand it anymore and it feels like there is no escape.
I have told the psychologist about these obsessions. I started going to see the psychologist in late 05 once a month. I am not sure what you mean by approach? The psychologist says each person has to arrive at their own truth and she says that I should try and distract myself from these thoughts. I have tried this but it does not seem to be working. I feel like each time I go it makes my mental health obsessions stronger. Should quit?
I am not taking any medications, I do not know what is wrong with me so I am not sure what I would take. I do not want to go to a Doctor, this is too embarassing. I do not know why I have such obsessions with my mental health, it is totally senseless.
I suppose this started as a way to avoid thinking about other things but now its just something I think about constantly. I can hardly stand it anymore and it feels like there is no escape.
David Baxter PhD
Late Founder
I asked about that because it does sound like obsessional thinking which is one form of OCD. I don't try to diagnose anyone online because I think that's a bad idea. But if you do suffer from OCD or OCD tendencies, "fighting the thoughts" or "distracting yourself" probably isn't going to work very well at all for you.
You may want to find a psychologist who is experienced in working with OCD (and perhaps one who will see you more than once a month as well). There are medications such as Luvox (fluvoxamine) or other SSRIs which are also helpful in managing obsessional thinking. Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) techniques can help. Stress and anxiety management techniques can also help a lot.
You may want to find a psychologist who is experienced in working with OCD (and perhaps one who will see you more than once a month as well). There are medications such as Luvox (fluvoxamine) or other SSRIs which are also helpful in managing obsessional thinking. Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) techniques can help. Stress and anxiety management techniques can also help a lot.
gingerale, I have had that same 'obsessing over my mental health' problem too.? When I started looking for a therapist it definitely got more intense for me.? A little before that, I received the DSM IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) as an anniversary gift and that made it quite a bit worse!? Although the book was fascinating to read I'm not sure it was the wisest thing I could have done...but maybe it was good, I'm not sure.? It's hard to say because, maybe it just happens to be what your obsessing about now, and if it wasn't that, maybe it would be something else...or maybe not?? That is a good question though, I've often wondered that myself...if I just ignore it, will it go away, or does it need to be treated?? I'm finding that it does not bother me nearly as much anymore which is really nice though.
This may be a stupid question...but I was wondering why it is a bad idea to diagnose online?? Is it important to see the person or do you need a more thorough dialogue, or what?? I am not disagreeing, but I am just curious what the reasoning is and what component is missing online vs in person.
David Baxter PhD
Late Founder
Toeless said:
It's a combination of things but primarily:
1. I think accurate differential diagnosis is a process that requires more dialogue than one can have in a few forum posts; and
2. I think accurate differential diagnosis is a process that involves direct observation of non-verbal behaviors as well as the content of a conversation
Thank you both for your advice. I will consider going to see someone else about this, I hate to admit it you might be right. With any luck you wont see me on this forum, I think its a great site, but in my case, each time I spend more time reasearching mental health issues it feels like giving into my obsessions. The desire is so strong and so hard to resist, I should have stopped it before it got this out of hand.
Thanks again
Thanks again
stargazer
Member
I've recently been back in touch with a dear old friend of mine who has been diagnosed OCD, and he finds that Cognitive Behavioral Therapy helps him quite a bit. In fact, were it not for his referring to it, I'd have never suspected him of being at all obsessive or compulsive about anything. I hadn't seen him for approximately 15 years, and I do recall that earlier, he was somewhat more erratic. But today he seems very stable, productive, and rather mellow, actually.
Thank you for your suggestion.
I actually think I might be a hypochondriac for mental disorders. I wonder if there is such a thing?
I am convinced I have an anxiety disorder and then the next day I think I have Attention Deficit, then I go back to worrying if it is a Personality Disorder. I have even convinced myself at times that I am autistic. Everything is a sign to me that at any moment I could go completely crazy.
This would be funny if it wasnt so time consuming. Sigh, anyway
I actually think I might be a hypochondriac for mental disorders. I wonder if there is such a thing?
I am convinced I have an anxiety disorder and then the next day I think I have Attention Deficit, then I go back to worrying if it is a Personality Disorder. I have even convinced myself at times that I am autistic. Everything is a sign to me that at any moment I could go completely crazy.
This would be funny if it wasnt so time consuming. Sigh, anyway
I
I think basically what it means is that we have anxiety issues...
It helps me when I can identify the freak out as a freak out and realize that it is not what is really happening. I'm getting better at picking up on it faster but the mental disorder freak outs are a little trickier to deal with...but they are not terminal, and that's always a plus!
I'm glad that you posted about this, thanks.
I'm going to say yes, because I think that I have that too. For me it is not just confined to mental disorders. In the past I've had a number of total freak outs about physical ailments too. I've freaked out that I had HIV, several kind of cancer, hepatitis, lupus, anorexia, borderline personality disorder, bipolar, pregnant, etc. I always come up with really plausible reasons why I may have these things and sometimes I even think I develop symptoms of them. It pretty much depends on which book I'm reading at the time. When I have medical books I think I have medical problems, when I have psychiatric books I think I have psychological problems...but I'm fascinated by the topics and cannot stop myself from reading about them.
I think basically what it means is that we have anxiety issues...
It helps me when I can identify the freak out as a freak out and realize that it is not what is really happening. I'm getting better at picking up on it faster but the mental disorder freak outs are a little trickier to deal with...but they are not terminal, and that's always a plus!
I'm glad that you posted about this, thanks.
David Baxter PhD
Late Founder
That's it exactly.
Thanks again to both of you.
Toeless, we must have been seperated at birth. I laugh at your e-mailed! I too have taken this beyond mental conditions, though usually its within a similar realm. In the last year I have thought that maybe I had a brain tumour, dyslexia and auditory processing disorder. I am trying to get over this and I took Dr Baxters suggestion and have found a different psychologist to work with.
I think nipping these things in the bud before they get out of hand is the best solution like you said, otherwise it becomes like a train picking up speed and before you know it its a full blown obession!
I feel so much better knowing I am not the first one to do this, thanks a lot.
Toeless, we must have been seperated at birth. I laugh at your e-mailed! I too have taken this beyond mental conditions, though usually its within a similar realm. In the last year I have thought that maybe I had a brain tumour, dyslexia and auditory processing disorder. I am trying to get over this and I took Dr Baxters suggestion and have found a different psychologist to work with.
I think nipping these things in the bud before they get out of hand is the best solution like you said, otherwise it becomes like a train picking up speed and before you know it its a full blown obession!
I feel so much better knowing I am not the first one to do this, thanks a lot.
Hi gingerale,
I just wanted to say that I think that you are really strong to come on this forum and open up like you did. I too have had some obssessive thoughts althought I never wanted to admit them (even though by doc told me I did by what I would tell her). The only thing that I do when I start to obsess is yes try and do something to take my mind off of it (doesn't work that often) then I try and sit down and think to myself okay, I know that there is nothing physically wrong with me but yes there is something mentally wrong with me. I then take to writing down anything and everything I can think of to explain how I feel and why I think like this. After I do that I normally have trouble making sense of it so I take the list to my doc and we discuss it together.
I guess this wasn't really a solution but just what I have done to help myself.
Take Care
Nancy
I just wanted to say that I think that you are really strong to come on this forum and open up like you did. I too have had some obssessive thoughts althought I never wanted to admit them (even though by doc told me I did by what I would tell her). The only thing that I do when I start to obsess is yes try and do something to take my mind off of it (doesn't work that often) then I try and sit down and think to myself okay, I know that there is nothing physically wrong with me but yes there is something mentally wrong with me. I then take to writing down anything and everything I can think of to explain how I feel and why I think like this. After I do that I normally have trouble making sense of it so I take the list to my doc and we discuss it together.
I guess this wasn't really a solution but just what I have done to help myself.
Take Care
Nancy
Hey Gingerale! Sorry it took me so long to respond--I couldn't remember where the post was after I read it. I agree it is really nice to know that other people go through the same thing. I'm really glad you posted about it truthfully If we really were seperated at birth then I bet I'll be seeing more of you around here because you'll get sucked in by the topic replies just like I did!
That's great that you took Dr. Baxter's advice and found a new psychologist to work with! How's it going?
PS- I LOVE your name!! It's sooo cute!!
If we really were seperated at birth then I bet I'll be seeing more of you around here because you'll get sucked in by the topic replies just like I did! That's great that you took Dr. Baxter's advice and found a new psychologist to work with! How's it going?
PS- I LOVE your name!! It's sooo cute!!
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