Circles of the mind.

[cattia]

So today I had another phantom smell episode. It's the same smell in exactly the same location in my house. So a normal person would think that this was just a smell that was wafting from somewhere. But this is what my mind does:

OMG there's the phantom smell again, I must have a brain tumour, this is the third time I've smelt it in this spot, the tumour must be getting bigger, but wait, if this is the same smell in the same place, could it actually be an actual real smell? yes it could be but what if it isn't and it's actually just a coincidence that my temporal partial seizures because that's what they are, are happening in the same spot, if it was a real smell then it would not come and go like this, it would not be gone after five minutes, this proves that it must be a temporal partial seizure, but if it was one of those then why would I not have had it for three weeks? But maybe the fact that I have had it again today means that the tumour is getting bigger and maybe tomorrow or one day soon I will start getting the smell in other places and that will be even more proof that this is not an actual smell but a phantom smell and if this is a real smell why has nobody else in the house ever mentioned it, this is even more proof that this is a temporal partial seizure OMG OMG

AND SO IT GOES ON!!!!!!!!

[KK77]

All this sounds very much like the dreaded Dr G talking. Maybe writing how your mind operates will help break the pattern? Let the thoughts come and observe them as just thoughts rather than reacting to them and triggering panic. Much easier said than done of course, but we can't break these 'circles of the mind' as you call them if we can't see these thoughts as a product of our fear and anxiety.

[Sixpack]

Yes that is exactly how circular thinking works.

My dad had a brain tumor in the temporal lobe. He had phantom smells. I get/got them. It used to scare me. But I reminded myself that he also had _____, _______, _______. Also once all of these started happening --over a period of 2-3 months--he was dx'd very fast. Now this was also back in 1978 whe we didn't have these really fancy tests. hell, the eye doctor KNEW he had one by the eye exam... So once I remind myself of that, phantom smells no longer scare me.

---------- Post added at 17:17 ---------- Previous post was at 17:16 ----------

Also. Phantom smells are not necessarily caused by seizures. People can get them for other reasons too. ;)

[cattia]

Thank you both. I recognise this thinking for what it is, but at the same time I believe that the negative thoughts could be true so I get caught up in them. I don't believe that most people who had experienced this smell issue would even probably notice it, let alone entertain the thought that they were, unbeknownst to themselves, having seizures, but once a thought is there it's hard to get rid of. Sizpack, I have had this issue since November with no increase in severity so I guess that's a positive sign!

[cattia]

I finally figured out that the phantom smell is coming from the bottom of my fridge! Something had spilled under the tray and smells really bad. I've been worrying about this for ages! Guess I should clear the fridge out more often.

[Sixpack]

I finally figured out that the phantom smell is coming from the bottom of my fridge! Something had spilled under the tray and smells really bad. I've been worrying about this for ages! Guess I should clear the fridge out more often.

COOL




And

Yeah

Clean

The

Fridge

More


:roflmao: