Over Analyzing Situations

[vez]

I'm 18 and have suffered with anxiety for years... i just thought it was 'who i was' but last month it got unbearable to the point i couldn't leave the house, would just sleep and then have cold sweats through anxiety.

I've been on citalopram for 2 weeks and tbh i didn't know if they were working until i forgot to take it yesterday and all my anxiety came back so obviously they must.

But i was wondering if anyone could answer me a quick question...

I think my anxiety is also associated/effected by the fact that i am very paranoid and seem to over analyze situations.
For instance i met i guy i like and my frien told me he kept looking at me and flirting with me, which i was really happy about at the time but after a few days thinking about it all i am now convinced it wasn't such a big deal and that he can't like me so i don't want people to know i like him because it makes me look like an idiot.

I don't want to be anxious about things like this but i don't know how not to be... i want to know if anyone else has had similar experiences and how they are resolved.

[melody]

I did that to myself yesterday. I was all happy cause I had a big fun chat with some friends from dance class. Then I started picking at myself thinking I said this or that wrong & they might judge me or not want to talk to me again. It's really stupid, cause they obviously like me, that's why they come up to me & say nice things about me. I am just paranoid & have always struggled to make & keep friends because of it.

I'm starting cognitive therapy which is better for me. It focuses on noticing what bad habits/thought patterns I have & then finding new ways to learn to deal with these things. I don't think I was so hugely traumatized or anything. I think I learned bad habits off my mum's paranoia & have to unlearn that rubbish. It's all about practice. Finding a realism that that person did like you a bit.

I don't know if it's the same for you, but I do this to myself because underneath I hate myself & all the little things that make up who I am. When I can be strong enough to find a way to like myself & stop being so hard on myself every day, all the friendship issues should hopefully sort themselves out. I find it so hard to believe that I am OK, even though I must be cause my favorite people in my life say that I'm OK & point out things they like about me that I would have assumed to be flaws.

Sorry, I guess I don't have the answers, just honesty :)

[louise_2009]

The over-analysis and paranoia is awful.... I get it too but so bad lately that I literally can barely look at anyone for fear of what they might think of me and all I can think is how stupid I am... It starts a lot after a night of drinking. I am always the sociable funny mad one and then it all spirals. I drink too much and then it takes me days to recover. Even my family I don;t feel right around. i feel like I just need to be on my own, shaking in bed somewhere. On the outside it probably appears I can hold it together, I go to work every day and do my job but inside I know I'm cracking up.

I guess joining this and readng other stories is a big step and a start...

[Meewah]

It sounds rational to me. What you have described seems very level headed. Most people would just jump in to that relationship yet you questioned it and yourself. This is the opposite of Vain. It will make you more attractive as long as you allow this person to communicate without tearing them apart.

The over analysing is normal when you internalise everything. Try making a effort to listen to the conversations around you. Listen outside of you and you will find the mind watching will ease.

Hope I make sense.

Mee

[Rachel_123]

I'm 18 and have suffered with anxiety for years... i just thought it was 'who i was' but last month it got unbearable to the point i couldn't leave the house, would just sleep and then have cold sweats through anxiety.

I've been on citalopram for 2 weeks and tbh i didn't know if they were working until i forgot to take it yesterday and all my anxiety came back so obviously they must.

But i was wondering if anyone could answer me a quick question...

I think my anxiety is also associated/effected by the fact that i am very paranoid and seem to over analyze situations.
For instance i met i guy i like and my frien told me he kept looking at me and flirting with me, which i was really happy about at the time but after a few days thinking about it all i am now convinced it wasn't such a big deal and that he can't like me so i don't want people to know i like him because it makes me look like an idiot.

I don't want to be anxious about things like this but i don't know how not to be... i want to know if anyone else has had similar experiences and how they are resolved.

Hey girl,
I'm the same age as you so I totally know how your feel. I too over analyse things - and I do feel it contributes to my overall anxiety. I think we're both at a time in our lives which is very difficult anyway - for me , i'm 2 months away from starting college, with a completely new setting , different people ect, and i'm sure your pretty the same. I have always been an anxious person - it is part of who I am, because I grew up in an anxious household. I'm insecure, and it is these insecurities that surface in the worst of situations. What I think you should do is take a step back from your life and see that life is too short to over analyse everything. We're both so young and of course we are going to feel insecure and unsure of things - we both just need to chillax and start to enjoy life.!

[melody]

My therapist has me doing a project where each day I have to find 3 things to write that I value about myself...

If I have a bad thought I have to repeat thats an old thought habit, it doesn't reflect who I really am.

If we learned it, we can unlearn it. How many times have I practiced thinking negativity? Zillions. How many times am I going to practice thinking positivity??? As many times as it takes. A zillion more times. I've been practicing for a year or so & I do recover a lot more quickly & I don't get as low as I used to if I'm honest with myself. I'm impatient & hard on myself, but I am determined to unlearn that too.

Positive thinking does work in time. Some things are still hard or scary, but I don't have to torture myself about it. I don't deserve it!!!! Neither do any of you!!!!!