Existential OCD/GAD. help?:(

[Pjenkins11]

hi, about a week ago i read an article on "existential depression" and i wish i wouldn't have. it said that people with this type of depression have it for life because they see life as meaningless and have the courage to overthink their mortality and stuff. this scared the crap out of me because i was already depressed and i was constantly ruminating on whether i would get better or not. and now that i read that article i have started ruminating about it all day non stop. the intrusive "what's the point in doing that? you're gonna die anyway" "life is meaningless, what you do doesn't matter" and "you see life for what it really is, you're never going to get better" thoughts plague me every day. i can't find peace in anything because these thoughts constantly haunt me. has anyone dealt with this? how do i get rid of these thoughts?:( i remember i used to have these thoughts but i lookedat them in a different way. like if i thought deep about life and stuff it would fascinate me not scare me. but ever since i read that article (there's a few of them) i've been so scared of getting "existential depression" that it feels like i have it now :"(

the other thing that scares me is that every day i have been becoming more numb to the thoughts in a bad way. like my mind is tired of ruminating and worrying and i'm like "no i don't want to not worry about this" i just want my life back:"( i'm tired of these thoughts i wish i wouldn't have ever read that stupid article :"( anyone that has gone through this please help

I also posted this in the ocd forum and depression forum

[washy21]

I have had exactly the same problem - and I mean exactly. What is the point of life? and every existential bad thought you can think of and more. I thought I was going mad and I even went to see a priest.

So how did I get out of it? I decided that I was going to suspend judgement on what life is all about and what happens when you die. I did this because the fact is that no one knows and cannot know about many of the things that exist. Life is far too complex to comprehend and put simply we arrived here on this earth to experience life and when we die we will find out what happens. Human beings like to give the impression that we have the answers to all questions (especially scientists) and the fact is that they don't know and never will.

Go to google and ask the question "What are the chances of being born?" -- the results will stagger you and make you feel incredibly lucky to have been given the chance to try life out.

What is the meaning of life? For me it's to help other people, and if that means typing a message to you, someone who I don't know, then that gives me meaning. For some people earning loads of money is the thing but most people would say that helping others is a good purpose.

And you know what, the chances are that when you arrive at death you may welcome it because you may be tired and content that you have experiences life. Life is not pointless it is a gift and one to embrace. What comes next cannot be known so wait and see - you might be surprised.

[Dan1975]

hi, about a week ago i read an article on "existential depression" and i wish i wouldn't have. it said that people with this type of depression have it for life because they see life as meaningless and have the courage to overthink their mortality and stuff. this scared the crap out of me because i was already depressed and i was constantly ruminating on whether i would get better or not. and now that i read that article i have started ruminating about it all day non stop. the intrusive "what's the point in doing that? you're gonna die anyway" "life is meaningless, what you do doesn't matter" and "you see life for what it really is, you're never going to get better" thoughts plague me every day. i can't find peace in anything because these thoughts constantly haunt me. has anyone dealt with this? how do i get rid of these thoughts?:( i remember i used to have these thoughts but i lookedat them in a different way. like if i thought deep about life and stuff it would fascinate me not scare me. but ever since i read that article (there's a few of them) i've been so scared of getting "existential depression" that it feels like i have it now :"(

the other thing that scares me is that every day i have been becoming more numb to the thoughts in a bad way. like my mind is tired of ruminating and worrying and i'm like "no i don't want to not worry about this" i just want my life back:"( i'm tired of these thoughts i wish i wouldn't have ever read that stupid article :"( anyone that has gone through this please help

I also posted this in the ocd forum and depression forum

Hmmmm, I know what you mean, but at the end of the day, what's the point? One thing I have learned being a gad sufferer is not to engage every meaningless thought that passes through our mind.