Does saying it out loud help you?

[Dubmom]

Does anyone find that saying your fear out loud helps you to "wake up" and realize how irrational the fears are? I've noticed this for myself for quite a while. I don't share my HA/OCD with hardly ANYONE in my real life. In the 3.5 years that I have suffered with HA, I have talked to my husband about it maybe 3-4 times. And I have never gone into the sordid details. He is the complete opposite of me. He's not a worrier and is cool as a cucumber all the time. So, he truly doesn't understand. I feel ashamed of the way I feel most of the time and it's embarrassing to share. But, I have found that when I am REALLY spiraling and can't regain control, telling him what I'm afraid of usually helps me to realize how irrational I sound. And it's not a reassurance thing, because he doesn't reassure me that nothing is wrong. He never really has a lot to say and I think it's because he doesn't know what to say or how to respond.

I have tried to use this method myself...like driving down the road and saying out loud...I am scared that I have "x-y-z" because of this and that. So far, I feel like it might be working, but not as quickly as saying it to another person. Just curious if anyone else has noticed this?

[Blonde123]

Hi Dubmom. My husband doesn't fully know how I feel, probably because most of the time I feel stupid and he sounds like your hubby whos also not a worrier and isn't afraid of death and illness. So apart from confiding in my best friend who also has anxiety but not HA issues he doesn't really know. Im anxious at the minute because of a few niggles in my groin and some dizziness on/off for a few days. Its not helping things because we are in the process of buying something abroad and Im nervous about it. Everyone says its normal to feel anxious about a financial commitment and thats probably whats making my HA kick in. I spoke to my hjusband about it briefly, saying I felt dizzy and anxious about buying abroad and what if I wasnt here in 6 months time etc..his response was classic, Oh well dont worry about finances, I can pay for it!! :scared15:

[Dubmom]

It's so aggravating, yet a little comforting at the same time to have a partner that has NO CLUE how you feel. It's nice in the sense that he can't offer reassurance. He has asked me in the past what he can do to make it better. And at that, I'm left speechless because I don't know the answer to that.

His other classic line is "well just stop thinking about it". I have tried every time to explain that I would do anything to make it stop. I've done therapy, I've done medications, nothing helps. I would jump through hoops of fire to never have to feel again the way I've felt for the last few days.

I'm thinking about going back to the PCP and asking for a new prescription. I had a regular annual appointment with the PCP a few weeks ago and intended to ask, but I chickened out. :-/

[Fishmanpa]

Actually, I think that's a great idea! Think about it. Saying it out loud makes you hear it as opposed to thinking it and frankly, if some of the members here would read their posts out loud prior to hitting "post" they might think twice ;)

Positive thoughts