Pyrophobia

[Lawley]

Hi everyone. I'm new here but so desperate. The recent fire in London has triggered a huge phobia. Since last Thursday ive not slept properly, I keep crying and having panic attacks. The thing is it's not me I get worried about, I cannot help thinking about all the people who were caught up in the event. I keep imagining them trapped in their flats, their children, being surrounded by smoke and fire and they sheer panic they'd must have felt.
Writing this and I am crying and truggling. I know this isn't normal though. I'm off work for a few days but now anxious I'll never get better and will struggle going back to work. I'm feeling so so desperate and just want it to go away. I've seen my Dr and he has prescribed medication and a referral to a counselor. I know this will take weeks and I cannot go on the way I am for days. I feel like I'm losing my mind. Please help

[Bee84]

It's just your own natural compassion! Dr may be ignorant just throwing pills at everything. Emotions don't need to be zapped away by taking medication or SSRIs! I'm an emotional type too, much less of a thinker.

Have you ever heard of highly sensitive persons (Hsp's)? Or empaths? They are very sensitive and empathetic to the pain of others and absorb and feel the feelings of those around them. I am an empath. There are also sociopaths who are very much at the other end of the emotional spectrum. Based on my observations, they're not well aware of emotional consequences.

Maybe you don't relate to what I'm saying but I'd never judge you as sick and in need of help or pills for feeling the perfectly rational outpouring of grief for your fellow human beings!! You'll get through it