Overcoming obsessive thoughts

[spacebunnyx]

Hi,

I have Health Anxiety - but with a definite obsessive aspect to it. I was wondering if anyone here had any tips for overcoming obsessive thinking?

thanks!

[pele33]

Hi
I managed to control my paranoia approx 2 years ago. It is a form of ocd, i would check my pulse all the time, i went to private doctors expecting a diagnosis of heart failure as well as googleing everything. If you have been checked out by your GP (Blood tests etc) you are fine (easily said i know) but what i found is the more rituals i did i.e google, private doctors and pulse feeling the more obbsessive i become. First thing you need to do is stop using google to diagnose the cut out any form of rituals you are doing. Have you done any CBT at all ?

[Lilharry]

I have been having CBT and it has really helped with the obsessive thoughts. It's a matter of recognising when you're being irrational and telling yourself to stop and replacing those thoughts with positive ones. For example, when I start feeling a lump in my throat and I start to get anxious about what it could mean, I tell myself to stop, that it's just anxiety and yes it's uncomfortable, but nothing to worry about. Then I tell myself that I'm okay and I'm doing loads of things to make myself better and it will go away if I keep doing those things and that not focussing on it usually helps too. I think if you can do some CBT you will start to feel a lot better. I've been posting this link to some online modules to help with anxiety a lot since I joined the other day, but I think they are really useful so you should definitely give it a go http://www.cci.health.wa.gov.au/resources/infopax.cfm?Info_ID=53

[emma jo]

Hi i am new to this site but suffer terrible health anxiety with ocds involving checking different illness i worry I have . I have been suffering from since I was 23 im now 34 but have had it on and off over the years . the last few years have been the worst I have had different test over the years all came back ok but I worry they might have been wrong. im currently struggling with fears i have esogous cancer despite a baruim swallow test last year which came back ok the the fear came back again this year with a burning stomach so had a gastroscopy but still worry that doctors missed something as was only down in throat for about a min i was awake not sedated. my ocds change every day from drinking water fast to see if i can feel or hear it go to my stomach to convince myself foods not stuck to swallowing big mouthful's of food to see if it goes down ok. sometimes it does get stuck which makes my anxiety so much worse and strengthens my ocds to check even more. I have a fear of certain foods and cant have them in the house in-case I get urge to check. Im currently struggling with eating bread and its not helped me looking it up on internet as it says bread sticks in throat with esogous cancer , I have other ocds too all related to health anxiety and worries the more i check the worse it gets and the anxiety levels are awful I have had cbt in past and i am currently on cbt again had nine sessions so far all i can say is try not to check as it definitely makes it worse im hoping to get referred to a london clinic the maudsley as i feel treatment in my area isnt helping and i have a son of seven years just want my life to be normal i hate theses intrusive health worries aniexty and ocs