Intense thoughts- full of anxiety, fear and depression

s123 · Post by **s123** » Wed Jan 31, 2007 3:11 am

Hi Valley,
I just wanted to respond to let you know that I have had the same type of thoughts and they are very scary. But how I think of it is that so many people are curious about the mind and how it works. Scientist and drs do it for a living. We just like to scare are self about it. You need to keep doing the relaxation tape and calm yourself down. I tell myself that my mind it working properly and I've never gone insane. I hope this helps you!!!

Think Positive!!!!

larry j. hines · Post by **larry j. hines** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 4:23 pm

HI Valley: Just remember " it's not me it's my OCD ". Which is triggered by anxiety. I have suffered with anxiety & depression for over 43 years. I am what is called a pure O which is just obsessional thinking no compulsions. I have been a member of a 12 step group for 21 years, but all this time I never knew that I suffered from anxiety & depression, until I hit my bottom with the obsessional thoughts and started researching what was happening to me. I just figured I was going crazy and that was Gods will. But I learned alot about this disorder, and also realized that there is alot of help and understanding out there. I have been to alot of therapist & read every self help workbook in printbut what really gets to the core of it is my negative thinking and how it leads to all kinds of emotional,spiritual,physical diease. Once you start torealize that you have know control over your thoughts and that is all they are, but you do have a choice on how you react to them. The only problem is that suffering anxiety based fearful thinking we always dwell on the scariest thoughts and try to think our way out, of the thoughts which is the worst thing that you can do. Just acknowledge that the thought is there and use youe positive self talk, that the thought has no power over you unless you give it power by obsessing over it. Use your program, and its support system, it has helped me trememdously. If some like me who has suffered for 43 years can get a handle on this thing anybody can if you are willing to work for it. God Bless LJH.

Michael · Post by **Michael** » Fri Feb 09, 2007 4:25 am

Hey Everyone,

Scary thoughts were one of my more challenging symptoms of anxiety but I eliminated and insignificized all of these thoughts.

Lets remember some facts as per scary thoughts
1) Our brain is alot like our stomach in that it digests everything i.e. scary movies, disturbing news casts, disturbing news articles, ect...naturally our brain will spit out an obscure, intrusive thought....what we do after that is up to us...Remember, we are very sensitive to negative stimuli...If we get a scary thought we have the tendancy to follow the thought up with alot of bad questions thus leaving us in a circle of anxiety. It is up to us to desensitize and insignificize.

2) Every human has "scary thoughts"...just ask them this simple question "Have you ever had a scary thought?"

3) We who are genetically prone to anxiety we born a little more sensitive & analytical than most. These are great traits but when used in a counterproductive manner we create alot of anxiety for ourselves.

4)We were created in that a feeling follows a thought thus if we follow any scary thought up with a slew of irrational and false "what if's", we leave ourselves in a circle of anxiety much like a dog chasing his tail."

5)Conversely, if we consistently counter any scary thoughts in writing with rational, healthy "what if's" we will create a new habit in our brain leaving ourselves feeling peaceful and in the process insignificizing any scary thought we choose to insignificize. Our brain subsequently will not react with anxiety to a scary thought and all thoughts with become insignificant and will dissipate and eliminate.

6) WE HAVE THE POWER TO RECOVER 100 PERCENT WITH NEWFOUND CONFIDENCE AND SELF-ESTEEM...

GOD BLESS.....

JenniPatrice · Post by **JenniPatrice** » Sat Sep 27, 2008 6:59 am

It's over a year since this initial post but I have to say it's pretty encouraging that these words from over a year ago have added some encouragement to my day. Valley instigated the thread with fears about going crazy and obsessing about how the mind works and thinking about thinking.. all of these things are thoughts i've been battling lately..and when i feel that I am all alone the thoughts start to cycle out of control. I have been feeling like If I think this way at all then I must be crazy. I tend to view my thoughts in black and white terms. I'm okay 100% or I'm not okay 100% .. this type of thinking is draining. So you can see that i can be having a good day but if one of my scary thoughts comes in i suddenly think oh no.. the day is ruined... I am crazy. I need to really work on letting the thoughts float through instead of catasrophizing. I tend to think that all the people around me are enjoying life and not thinking about thinking or worrying about their mind or going crazy. I think that my mind is broken and the damage is irreversable... this type of thinking prevents me from fighting back because i feel hopeless. It's good to know that I'm not the only one. I think the best way to beat this is truly to live in the moment. I know for me thikning beyond that is overwhelming.. Even when i am happy i get scared becuase i worry how can i maintain this. You can see the problem in thinking this way. I of course eventually find something upsetting to think about that proves that i can't just enjoy the moment all because i'm worrying that i am going to be unhappy.
one day at a time, everyone, one moment at a time, and one thought at time. It can be done. Thanks for the reminder!