Why do we worry about the things we do?

[BrokenAge]

I've been having a few good days when it comes to OCD and intrusive thoughts but what I've been thinking about is why do I worry about these stupid things? They make no sense but my mind gets all worked up over my irrational fears. I am beyond petrified of losing my sanity and becoming a schizophrenic but I have no symptoms, but my mind tells me "what if I get those symptoms" so then I have intrusive thoughts. I'm just trying to understand the process so I can try to stop the anxiety from spreading more.

[MyNameIsTerry]

Here's the basic cognitive model:

http://psychology.tools/cognitive-model-of-ocd.html

So, you've got opportunities to experience the intrusive thoughts and change what comes next.

You've also got the opportunity to address why you thinking those "what ifs" and either diffusing them (acceptance based) or challenging them to stop them triggering the intrusive thought. This is perhaps tricky because the intrusive thought can come very quickly but it does present an opportunity for exposure perhaps?

As you know, Nick, even once you may exit any window for a disorder like this, it will just find another to focus on. Look at the bipolar worries? People with bipolar can be misdiagnosed for years or get diagnosed later in life than many and this can just eat away at you because your fight of flight response works on absolutes. Bear comes running, do I run that way - no because there is a cliff, so I run that way - yes it's clear, do I attack with my fist - no, I will die, do I attack with my spear - yes, I can kill it. With both the yes answers, fear won't go away, it will continue until the threat is over so you can see that the response works to produce stimulus, find the right option, etc but it doesn't go away entirely because the threat is still there. It can't always have absolutes and when it can't, fear can continue. Our fight or flight is just engaged too much, becomes preset to higher starting levels and looks for threats that don't exist as opposed to addressing ones that do that it was intended for.

Regardless of all the rest we have to do to recover, we need to cover Cognitive Distortions, of which black & white thinking (needing absolutes) is one of. This is where acceptance can be helpful to us because we need to learn that not everything in life can be answered but that it is ok.

[BrokenAge]

It might be becaus I'm so tired or I'm just stupid but I'm confused on your example of bi polar and the bear metaphor. Are you saying that with worrying about bi polar and the fact that it can be misdiagnosed it can scare someone? I'm sorry I'm a bit lost lol.

[MyNameIsTerry]

Yes, the fact that it can be diagnosed as depression in some cases. There was a statistic over here about it being diagnosed this way and an average of how long to get an accurate diagnosis which I think (would have to check) was 18 months or 2 years, something like that. You understand about that side.

I just mean that if we only treat a current theme and not the reason for the OCD to exist, it can shift to another theme or choose another illness to focus on within the same theme.

So, whilst with the schizophrenia you have reassured others on here that it would be extremely unlikely due to their age (they exited the window) but the core issues are still under there and they may keep worrying about schizophrenia or shift to another like bipolar. This is why it's not about cutting off one head to stop the thoughts about schizophrenia, it's about cutting them all off by getting to what is their foundation (think the difference between picking a petal off a flower and cutting the stem).

[BrokenAge]

I can see that. My OCD acts when I'm depressed and it takes as "this must be Bi polar" or if I have a deja vu feeling I think "this is a warning sign of Schizophrenia" it's that black and white thinking you've told me. I'm aware and I'm like "these are all natural feelings" but I catastrophize it and think it's the worst case scenario because OCD works off of fears. And my fears seem to be health biased. A few days ago I was shaving and I saw I had bruise on my neck and instantly thought "cancer" and it got a little scared but then I remembered I played basketball a few days ago so that's what it was from. I just think it's funny how I know all this, and I'm aware that I'm fine but I still have anxiety over the smallest of things.

[MyNameIsTerry]

Well that's good, someone else would have thought "cancer", been onto Google and probably posting on here in a state of panic for weeks. The fact you acknowledged the thought and challenged it with a rational reason shows real control. There is still some fear response on there from the trigger but that will go the more you do this.