Can anxiety make you feel like yelling out in public?

[Ditapage]

I've had pretty bad full blown anxiety for almost a year now and have had OCD (recurring bad thoughts i can't shake) for a lot longer than that. I am constantly getting this weird head pressure that feels like my head is going to explode when I'm feeling particularly anxious (in large crowds, shopping centres, when I'm alone to name a few) and I think it has to do with my fear that I'm going to have a seizure. I've never had a seizure that I know of but the fear creates horrible sensations in my head that are inexplicable. And I always get the urge to scream out at these moments thinking something bad is just about to happen.


Well now I have this new thought: yelling out insults in a public place at someone i love embarassing both them and myself. I would actually rather the seizure than do this... thats how much i don't want to do it. But since this thought started, i don't get the build up of head pressure, it now feels like the physical sensations are in my mouth, like my tongue is going to start having a mind of its own and I'm going to yell these things out, my mouth feels dry and i want to vomit. The fight or flight response is still there, because i want to run away just like when I had the seizure thoughts. And I'm no longer thinking seizure, brain tumor, dying, but tourettes, going crazy, being scared that I'll be unable to control my tongue, making this person hate me though i don't even mean what I'm saying.

I've never heard of anxiety/OCD/panic making someone want to start yelling so I'm worried it's not that.


The thing is, I think I've proven that my thoughts are giving me these inexplicable physical reactions. Is this normal with anxiety? It's like my fear has jumped from one to the other, now i don't even care about seizures because i think yelling out something inappropriate (like in church) is worse. I feel like the root of it is I'm terrified of making a scene, embarassing myself be it a seizure or insulting someone. Is this just the vicious cycle of anxiety? Can anyone relate?

[lg123]

I've had all the bad thoughts you can imagine with my anxiety/OCD including the yelling in public one. These intrusive thoughts can take any shape or form and often prey on what you are most scared of or hold most dear. I have a fear that I'll lose control and sometimes I feel like I'm physically holding myself together.

Have you tried breathing exercises? I find that when I feel like I might lose control it's when I'm shallow breathing. Taking long, deep breaths can help. And have you shared these thoughts with anyone - a therapist or even a family member/friend? That can really help. As can making the thoughts seem ridiculous.

[Ditapage]

Thanks so much for your reply...I too have the same fear as you, of losing control. I don't even know what it means to lose control but I'm terrified of it happening and in front of others at that. Lately I've been ruminating on what it would be like: fainting, seizure, screaming, and this horrible new thing of offending someone I love by saying something offensive.

The fact that I've had to flee when the urge to yell something bad happened, now I'm terrified I have tourettes, but I try to remember I ran out when I thought I was going to have a seizure, too so it must be the intrusive thoughts and the scene it plays out in my mind of carrying these things out causing the panic response, not just specifically the urge to yell something. Funny that since the urge to yell something started, the 8 month fear of having a seizure and passing out and the head pressure that accompanied it, has stopped. It's the only day in 8 months that i haven't thought i am dying of a brain tumor.

Have I just replaced one intrusive thought with another?

[Slapshot]

Ditapage. You are not alone. My feelings of screaming out started at school when I was about 8. Ever since then, when I have been in a church or a member of an audience at a play, or a presentation etc I feel like screaming or yelling at the top of my voice. I end up having to walk out to stop this happening. I have all the associated fears and physical sensations building up to this and the thought that it could happen has caused me much distress over the years. As I got older (teens) this was added to by thoughts of smashing up the room I'm in, clearing a table in a restaurant, punching whoever I'm sat with in the face or just headbutting a wall as hard as I can. This has led to panic attacks over the years as this thought is with me daily and as it's a permanent fight it does get me down. Anti-depressants don't work and I have periods of my life when the feelings are not so intense but it's always at the back of my mind. It's as if I suffer from a fear of losing control. It's only the scared feelings that get me down again and again. It's only ever gone as far as smashing a cup, breaking a pictur and putting my fist through a wooden fence. You may all be thinking well so what and you are right. It's not the damage I can cause, it's the feeling that I am capable of doing this damage. The screaming in public or shouting really loud is a big one. After nearly 40 years of keeping this problem to myself I am now seeking help. I've been too ashamed and embarrassed over the years not to tell anyone as I genuinely thought there is something wrong with me. However, the more I read the more common it is. Ditapage, I know exactly how you feel and trust me you are not alone. I will post more when I have started treatment and hope to God it will be successful.

[Davit]

Have you ever seen the movie, "The kings speech" He learns to not stutter by using distractions. Whenever you think something disgusting it is survival giving you a distraction to get your mind away from the panic trigger. It has to be something you wouldn't do or something very strong to block the panic trigger, since it works for you, try the mantra, "I see you, you can not hurt me, go away". It worked for me back when I still needed it.

[MyNameIsTerry]

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I've never heard of anxiety/OCD/panic making someone want to start yelling so I'm worried it's not that.



Hi,

This is a known form of OCD.

This is a useful site for OCD as it goes into detail that the charities often do not or includes less common forms they don't seem to mention:

http://www.steveseay.com/pure-o-ocd-obsessions-mental-rituals/

This section would show the issue you are describing:

Obsessions about acting on an unwanted impulse (also see harm obsessions above)
Fear of acting in a sexually inappropriate manner (e.g., exposing one’s genitals to others, flashing people)
Fear of shouting or screaming obscenities
Fear of committing arson
Fear of attacking police, taking firearms/guns from police and using them on self or others
Fear of accidentally talking about robbing a bank (while at a bank)
Fear of accidentally talking about terrorism/hijacking (while at an airport)
Fear of throwing important items (e.g., keys, wallets) in places where they cannot be retrieved (e.g., lakes, shredders, elevator shafts, public mail receptacles)
Fear of confessing to crimes (that one did not commit)

The important thing with OCD is not to react. If you engage in a ritual, you reinforce it in your subconscious. So, if you leave the situation in fear of doing this, you tell your subconscious that the fear is valid. Another part if emotional reaction. The subconscious looks for emotional reaction to confirm that it has acted in a valid way and the stronger you react, the more it picks up on it. This is accepted science.

You have to be non judgemental and accept it as only a thought. Its only a thought in the same way an one pops into your mind about needing milk when in the supermarket.

Its not easy but you can do it, I have. My intrusive thoughts are mostly gone now and the ones that come now & then do not bring anxiety with them. Studies have proven that intrusive thoughts are experienced by all people anyway so you can't eliminate them, only change your reaction to them.