Ocd? Ruminating and catastrophizing

[jjjh]

Hello, I am a 20+ year sufferer of panic disorder/generalized anxiety. Lately I'm starting to think I might have some ocd too but I'm not sure, I'm hoping someone can weigh in. Basically what happens is I turn every little thing into a catastrophe. Like kid bumps head-concussion. No answer from other kids phone-they must be hurt. One that is really weighing on me now has to do with something from 7/8 months ago. at the time I didn't think it was a big deal, but I realized if situation was reversed/done to me I would be upset. Anyway I can't stop thinking about it/worrying that it's going to come back and have a negative affect on my life. %50 of the time I get that it's not likely, if something bad was going to happen it would have by now. But the other %50 is obsessing abut it. Could this be ocd? Any tips on how to stop ruminating? I know part of it is I feel a bit guilty and for me there's no such thing as a bit lol! Thanks for reading

[Ethansmom]

I'm dealing with the same thing. I'm currently in CBT and just started taking medication. Are you in therapy at all? The catastrophizing is ruining my life and my marriage. I just wanted to let you know you are not alone.

[emmegee]

I do it too. It's catastrophizing. My therapist told me whenever something happens try to think of three possible reasons/outcomes... otherwise I always think the most catastrophic. She also says when you catastrophize you "lubricate" that pathway in your brain so that becomes your way of thinking in the future. So practicing thinking other outcomes helps your future thinking methods. Not sure this has worked for me though but it has been a bit helpful.

[viking111]

I ised to have this as a child and I got really really worried if my parents did not pick up my calls. I had to call them every school break to make sure they are okay and nothing bad has happened. For me it was OCD and it went away once I stopped obsessing over it.

[randomforeigner]

I'm so old so I didn't have a mobile phone when I went to school, but if nobody was home when I came back from school, I thought they'd died or gone to the hospital. (They went to the hospital a lot, so it wasn't an entirely irrational expectation.) I recall I used to sit on the stairs, crying, since I didn't have a key of my own at the time.

[Waynemc73]

When you obsess to you feel need to do somthing to get rid of the unpleasant thoughts performing rituals either outwardly or inwardly ? I was diagnosed with OCD in 2014 but I also suffer with chronic anxiety ....I'm no expert but anxiety is persistant worry but without any compulsion to remove the worry , OCD is again worry caused but obsessive thoughts but with habitual compulsions to deal with the worry but all the compulsions do is maintain the worry