Can anyone relate?!

[Giraffe]

Hello Everyone,

Not sure where to start with this one... :blush:

I am mostly on top of my anxiety and manage quite well but the last month or so has been difficult for various reasons and I feel like I am stuggling. My biggest fear, which I know many will relate to, is totally loosing it or going mad. My brain constantly tries to come up with new symptoms to convince me that this time I have really lost it and then I get stuck in the vicious anxiety circle which I hate so much.

I am after some reassurance on my latest fear which I am hoping isnt really the start of something awful... Its going to be difficult to explain but basically when the TV or radio is on I keep focussing on the voice of the person speaking and then analysing whether I am hearing their voice properly, i.e. if their voice speeds up or changes tone, I freak out inside, because to me it sounds extreme, especially if I start to panic, and I wonder if it sounds different only to me. When I type it out I realise this sounds daft but can anyone relate?

I am also reacting nervously to any strange sounds etc that I dont expect to hear becuase I fear I am the only one that can hear them. I am sure its all linked in to waiting for symptoms of so called madness to set in.

I love watching TV though and usually find it relaxing so dont want to let this get out of hand!!

Oh dear, hope you dont all think I am really odd now.... :weep:

G
x

[joannap]

hi g

i think you have become "sensitised" to listening to people's voices and so your mind is on "red alert" - actively looking for variations in their tone/speed etc so that you can then decide you are going mad!

please be reassured that if you were going mad - you would not be thinking about it - you just would and so you are definitely not!

might be helpful to ask yourself what you think the main symptom of loosing your mind would be and then compare it with what you are feeling - mine would be loosing touch with reality but not knowing you had lost touch with reality and you are definitely not loosing touch with reality - you would not be able to post a rational post and explain how you feel on this site! trust me - your mind is just trying to find "evidence" that you are loosing it - another way of anxiety expressing itself but you are only worried about loosing it and that is a big difference between actually loosing it.

anxiety never leads to madness - because all that would happen is that the more you worry you were going mad - the more you would build yourself up into bigger panic attacks which you always calm down from. i have had panics so bad i was convinced i was one step away from the hospital ward. an hour later i can see that i have just frightened myself silly and can even laugh about it!

[joannap]

another thing i find works is reverse psychology. let yourself focus on the voices on the tv - give yourself permission to let yourself get as scared as you want. i guarantee that the more you sit it out:yesyes: and accept the panicky feelings - the more you will then find your attention wanders to actually watching and getting interested in the programme and not the voices!

[Giraffe]

Thanks so much Joanna!
You advice makes a lot of sense and I know you are right.... ! Anxiety can play a lot of nasty tricks I think!!
Really appreciate you taking the time to reply to me, thank you :)
x