Repetition of Music in my Head

[wee_debs2003]

Hello all. I was diagnosed with anxiety and depression 6 weeks ago and prescribed fluoxetine. It's really helped but something odd is happening now. If I hear some music that really catches my attention I seem to latch onto 3 or 4 notes and then replay them in my head over and over. Also random words and names. Is this ocd and does anyone have any useful hints to get round it? Going to my gp on the 24th but don't know if I can wait that long as it's driving me bananas!! I've always suffered this to a lesser extent but it seems like it's really gotten worse.
Thanks for any advice x

[TillySm]

I get this when I am not in a good state. Sometimes when I am really anxious I will not hum but 'breath' a song under my breath without realising. I got random words and names in my head to. I think it is related to the symptom of 'racing thoughts'. This symptom is linked with either severe anxiety or bipolar disorder.

Have you been really anxious lately?

[wee_debs2003]

Hi thanks for the reply :-) I don't feel as anxious as much recently which is why I thought it strange the repetition of music and words had gotten so bad. I did worry it might be the fluoxetine as it's reached the point where it should be working fully (in my 5th week). I know how annoying it is so you have my sympathy! Is there anything you've tried that helps it stop? I've tried consciously thinking of other things but all that happens is when I stop, the music in my head 'changes track' lol. Saves carrying an iPod around I guess :-)

[TillySm]

Hi Debs, LOL it does save carrying an IPOD around. Mine almost completely went away when I stopped taking the SSRI Zoloft. The is a minor chance yours may be related to the fluoxitine but I am not a doctor so I cannot say for sure.. I hope yours gets better! So you didn't have the racing thoughts and random words before the fluoxitine? The Fluoxitine may be 'activating' you a little bit. Apparently it is more common than people think. I had SEVERE activation syndrome from my Zoloft but it sounds like yours is relatively mild?

[Tish]

It happened to me too when I tried flux. It would drive me crazy. It was an overactive mind latching onto something, I think.
Good luck, I only managed 4 weeks on the meds and couldn't stand the side effects. x

[wee_debs2003]

Yep I think it may be the meds. I did have the odd episode where a certain word or phrase would go round in my head but the music thing is another level altogether! Saying that,I'm now in my 7th week off work so possibly it's me just being a bit bored. It doesn't seem to affect me when I'm busy. Back to work in the next few weeks so hopefully it will ease off a bit. Thanks for all the posts,I'll update in a few weeks if the problem goes away :-)

[Scared_11]

I get this also!! I am on week nine of meds and have felt a lot better lately than I did before I started taking them.

I also repeat conversations I have had subconsciously. I think i always did this and always had songs that would stick in my head, as I think everyone does. I have just noticed it more the past few weeks!

I havnt had many side effects from taking my medication and I think u would prefer music to be repeated in my head than to how I felt 2 months ago. I think I'll stick with meds xx

[miss_moose]

This also happens to me. I was driven crazy one night by a certain song that I'd only just heard and didn;t even know the words too. The same line just played over and over in my head and kept me awake til 3am.
I didn't know it was anything to do with anxiety but do suffer with daily panic and OCD.

[Darrenb74]

Hello Debs. That is the key with what you said (Boredom). With thoughts you need a diversion. Remember you can't control your thoughts but you can control your reaction to that thought. I know its easier said than done but keep trying to divert your attentions to something else. Don't just do a mental diversion. Do a physical diversion or read a book. The more you distract your conscious mind and make that feel better, it will subside the subconscious thoughts. Its like riding a bike, you never sat on your sofa, watched someone on TV ride a bike, then just went outside and started riding. You got on probably fell off but back on again. You taught your subconscious mind how to ride a bike and how to stay on without falling off. That's what you need to do again. Teach your subconscious to not throw them unwanted thoughts up, and that all starts with diversion. So many people on this site think they have chemical imbalances. GAD, Panic attacks, HA, OCD, Depression are all learned behavioral conditions. Chemical imbalance don't create anxiety, anxiety not always but can cause temporary chemical imbalances. Now i'm not saying about clinical depression, bipolar etc. Of course they're chemical imbalances. If our problems was chemical imbalance? Then why the so called anti-anxiety and anti-depression drugs not cure our conditions? I understand there is no money in the cure but is in the medicating. But with all the medications on the market surely at least one would work.They DON'T. They just mask and sup-press the symptoms down. Its a behavioral, a learned condition and nothing more. So get motivated, work at a structure that suits your day (not the things you can't do due to anxiety) i don't mean that. I mean the things you have to do, like get the kids ready for school, bath, cleaning etc. Try imagine living your life if you didn't have anxiety. Once the anxiety realizes you don't fear it, then it will subside. The more you bolster it, the more it will subside to eventually back to a normal everyday level.

Good luck. You know you can do it. Just need a bit of hard work and determination

Darren

[wee_debs2003]

Hello all,thanks again for the posts :-) a quick update since I saw my GP yesterday. She said to wait and see what happens when I return to work (3rd of May). If this is a symptom of an overactive mind then hopefully being back at work will help tire it out. The alternative if this doesn't work is to increase ny dosage of Fluoxetine as she thinks it is def OCD rather than anxiety. Don't want to go down this route just yet so hoping that work and other distractions as mentioed by Darren will do the job.
Thanks again everyone for the comments and advice,really appreciate it xx