First time post- Overthinking/Racing Thoughts

Anyone suffering from depression may post their history, experience, comments and/or suggestions. Please refrain from indepth discussions about medicines or other therapies.
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Zach5
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri Dec 28, 2012 12:49 am

First time post- Overthinking/Racing Thoughts

Post by Zach5 » Tue Jan 01, 2013 10:34 pm

Hi everyone! This is my first post on the site. Ive been considering posting for a while but kind of as a 2013 resolution I wanted to take every chance to make myself feel better. Srry if this is long so Ill try not to write an essay. I am 23 years old. Back in middle school about 5th-8th grade I was bullyed and made fun of alot and to this day I really dont know why. Before that I was a pretty outgoing kid and would talk to anyone, now Im pretty quiet and have few good friends and I really struggle to make conversation with strangers. Tough for me to make new friends. I have had a few best friends in my life that didnt turn out so well so I really havent had that one friend I could go to or talk about anything. Even my parents I havent been able to talk with cause they cant take anything seriously. So really Ive gone most of my life without someone to talk out feeling with, leaving myself to digest thoughts and try to work out problems with myself. Ive always been a curious person and wanting to know everything and I think thats one of the things that has escalated my racing thoughts. Started back in high school and last few years its been getting worse. It can be anything from a music quote to something someone says to me where the line just repeats over and over in my head. Sometimes days at a time and its tough for me to control it. Even listening to the radio today hearing a catchy tune it gets stuck in my head. It gets really bad though when its something more emotionally attached. Like a g/f breaking up and thinking out something she said or just something thats just more emotionally meaningful. Since I still dont really have anyone to talk it out with, thought I would share my thoughts on here. Hopefully get some help if any of you have had the same problems and what you did to help. I did start some medication a few months back and it helped for a while but it just seems like my mind overpowers it. Thanks for any replys and I look forward to taking part in more conversations on this site!

NeverQuit
Posts: 162
Joined: Mon Dec 06, 2010 1:22 pm

Re: First time post- Overthinking/Racing Thoughts

Post by NeverQuit » Mon Jan 07, 2013 10:37 am

Hi Zach!

First off, do you have the Attacking Anxiety program? One of the lessons goes over obsessive thinking. I think you would find the program very helpful for targeting your anxiety from multiple angles.

Obsessive thinking is a normal part of anxiety. Usually the thoughts center around something that scares you, but I personally struggled with OCD, and know from researching that the thought doesn't have to be something scary in order to be an obsession.

When you have these racing thoughts, are you telling yourself that you need to remember whatever was said, or that you need to "figure it out"? When people think of OCD, they usually think of having to count things perfectly or checking doors compulsively to make sure they're locked, but I for one experienced obsessive thinking that kept me from being able to focus on the present moment. It might be a perfectionistic habit that your brain doesn't want to give up because it's getting something out of it.

As people with anxiety, we are highly creative and analytical. Just as you said, you are a curious individual who wants to learn and understand things. Your brain is just looking for an outlet to all that creativity!

Lucinda says in the program that our anxious thoughts are just our mind's way of trying to distract us from something that we don't want to deal with. You need to ask yourself, What is behind this obsessive habit? Am I bored? What do I have going on in my life right now? Am I worried about a relationship or my future, so I just keep thinking these silly thoughts to distract myself?

When I began to answer my thoughts by looking for what was behind them, it made a world of a difference. It takes the power away from the obsession. The best thing that you can do to get rid of these thoughts is to get busy. Take up some new hobbies! Practice speaking assertively to the people in your life that you would like to understand where you're coming from. It's hard work, but in the end, you will feel like a completely new person. :)

Hope that was helpful!!

Zach5
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri Dec 28, 2012 12:49 am

Re: First time post- Overthinking/Racing Thoughts

Post by Zach5 » Mon Jan 07, 2013 6:44 pm

Thanks for the reply. I do have the program and I believe I stopped the program right before I got to the obsessive thinking chapter. Work took over for a bit but now Im back to the program.

I think alot of it comes from the fact that I get pretty bored. My job was pretty fast paced but now in a construction phase where theres a lot of down time on the job. Many of the thoughts that pop into my head are mostly just song lyrics. I dont know why but its usually the last song I hear on the radio before I go out to the job and it just kind of sticks. Other times its just going through memories of a past relationship and it can be how I envision future events going and going through scenarios in my head of what could happen and how I would act in the situation. Some times its good and bad thoughts. But its how the thoughts keep recycling in my head and its the same thought over and over. Gets pretty annoying.

My own theory and why I tend to do this is that Ive never really had any one in my life to talk things out with. I couldnt really go to my parents and Ive never really had a best friend that I could talk out anything with. I felt my thoughts and what I wanted to say all the time just got trapped in and I was left to myself trying to deal with my own situations and try to analyze it on my own. Thats why I wanted to join this forum. To have a group of people I work out problems with and people that are going through a similar situation.

Thanks for the post!

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