Anxiety causing obsessions

[phil06]

Can anybody relate to having a bad spell of anxiety and it turning more into worrying and then obsessive negative worrying or intrusive thoughts?

For example I've become obsessed by my weight/got hocd symptoms/worrying about the future and it's wen got to a point where i had to take a poster down from my room as I felt it was cluttering the room. The anxiety seems to feed on this and I worry like "I need to worry" "Because I have this awful or intrusive thought It must be the real me" and I just feel self conscious. I feel this whole anxiety has a control on my life.

I just feel it's a horrible cycle the anxiety comes along > obsession for hours then get more anxiety and seek reassurance form people. I'm still single and become very fussy when it comes to choosing a nice woman they have to be physically perfect.

I just feel it's out of control I can deal with a thought and not let it make me act like I managed to keep the poster up for 3 days but eventually I obsessed about it and removed it and it applies to when I try online dating if I worry somebody is not the perfect package I give them a day or two and I could be getting on well with them but I'd delete them and instantly. (It's noty always the case but just with some people I feel this worry) and I feel a weight is lifted from my shoulders (I think the anxiety relief kicks in) I seem to be in total avoidance. I've been single a while and got no where so I get anxiety about the future and get horrible HOCD thoughts.

I now only get the physical symptoms of anxiety about 5 times a month if that it's more all in the head like some emotional battle I know deep down i want a future with a nice woman and good job but right now it feels impossible to achieve.

How can I best deal with this? I feel the whole Compulsions/obsessions/self conscious all coming off anxiety has anybody else suffered in this way? :shrug:

[citygirl1]

Hi Phil

I can relate totally to how your feeling. For whatever reason a few weeks ago a thought popped into my head that i might be gay. I'm a happily married woman who is very much in love with her husband. But then the over-analysing begins and the spiral. My thoughts have been ridicilous, it went from ok what if i'm gay does that mean that i have fancied or been in love with my friends, how will this affect my life. Then i worry more by thinking oh but non-gay people wouldn't think this way why is it in my head it must really mean i am gay and my anxiety gets worse. Hell i even get days when i get the anxiety under control and then start to worry by thinking well if i don't feel anxious about this anymore it must just be a natural thought. It's completely horrible and soul destroying.

What i have found has worked for me is distracting myself, going to work, keeping busy. I you let them the thoughts can just control you and you become almost like a zombie. Something else to watch out for aswell is the use of alcohol, i find my thoughts get worse when i've had a drink.

I hope you take some comfort from knowing that your not alone with this.

[phil06]

Thanks I have been off work for a week and just got back yesterday so I had the whole week to worry and for it to get worse.

I feel better when I'm busy at work. So is it best just to accept them as irrational thoughts that mean nothing? I know what my true self is all about but the anxiety seems to make me worry and worry.

[citygirl1]

Yeah that's exactly what you have to do. Try not fight the thoughts as i've found that makes me just think about them more. I just say here's these irrational thoughts again, they'll pass.