are my thoughts real???

[trying to smile]

Hi
I am new to this so its hard for me to talk about what i am feeling.
I think I have OCD or something. All I know is iv have this thought thats been going round and round in my head. Its been there for so long that I am scared that its something that has happend and that its not just a thought. This scares me so much and I dont know what to do or who to talk to. I know I need help because I dont feel happy or able to deal with anything. I think deep down I am confusing myself by thinking about it too much. (incase you havent gathered I dont actually want to say what the thought is) but I do know it is killing me. :(

[lisa12]

Hi there these thoughts are known as intrusive thoughts And are very common with people suffreing from anxiety, They can be very disturbing thoughts which cause you to worry more i have had some awfull ones ,like hurting loved ones or even sexual and all tho upsetting they are nothing but harmless thoughts which would never happen or even act out ,and the more you worry about them the more they will come,even people who dont suffer anxiety will get these thoughts at some times. Hope this helps and just tell yourself its just a harmless thought coz thats all they are x

[trying to smile]

This helps to know that I am not the only one that suffers, because I feel isolated most of the time. It still wont go away but I guess in time I am going to be able to see through this. I know it cant be real what I am thinking because it is not me to be that way, but I just keep thinking what if it was real, then what?? As I get such clear pictures in my head. Some times I think it would be easy to just give up, but I cant let this beat me I have so many amazing people in my life it would be selfish to give it up. Thank you for replying to me

[cherry84]

I, like many on here I'm sure, can be driven mad thinking about bad thoughts.
I don't think they are things that have happened but worry that i have the thoughts because they are going to happen. I go crazy thinking about it and worrying about terrible things happening to loved ones and myself.

I'm not sure if its exactly what you're feeling but i know the thoughts I have make me feel ill when i think about them and fear a lot of situations. I worry as it worsens it'll make me unable to do things.

Its hard but you're not alone here.

I hope you find the help you need :)
xx

[Captain Caveman]

Hi trying to smile. It depends on your response to these intrusive thoughts as to what they are labelled. People can obsess about things they fear might of happened or things that may happen. It's hard to say too much from your posts, but have a read of this article and see if it relates to you: http://www.ocdonline.com/defineocd.php


just tell yourself its just a harmless thought coz thats all they are x

Hi lisa. Personally, if I tried that I would get a "but what if it isn't just some harmless thought and I really did or do.....?"


I know it cant be real what I am thinking because it is not me to be that way, but I just keep thinking what if it was real, then what?? Like that example.

"Attempts at reassurance inspire the brain to automatically scan for any possible exceptions" - Steven Phillipson

You can sort this out though, so research and keep plugging away :)

[NoPoet]

I think that for people like all of us at No More Panic, the worst weapon our anxiety and depression have against us is the dreaded "What if?"

"What if I go mad? What if I spend the rest of my life feeling like this? What if I start thinking about suicide? What if I die? What if I hurt or kill a friend or family member? What is someone else I care about 'catches' my anxiety? What if all this stuff about 2012 being the end of the world isn't a load of old bull-pat?"

I'm sure at least some of those thoughts will be familiar to some people here.

What you've got to remember is that in order to survive, anxiety and depression need us to stay anxious and depressed. This is where the random thoughts come in. Sometimes I wonder if we do it partly to test ourselves. Maybe a hidden part of us thinks "If I can deal with this thought, that means I'm getting better."

I've had frightening, intrusive thoughts since I was in my early teens. They only tend to happen when I am extremely low in myself for whatever reason. Lately they have come back because I've been going through a blip, but apart from this I haven't had them for ages.

I have never acted on any of these thoughts in 20 years. I am as repelled and disgusted by them now as I was the first time I had them. I am never going to knowingly hurt myself or others. Neither will you.

You need to be firm with yourself on this one. Realise that these thoughts are NOT realistic - if they were, would they be so scary? Probably not, because you'd have acted on them long ago. They won't wear you down and make you suddenly go berserk - no matter how many What if? thoughts you have about that!

Look at it this way: if you were a bad person, you would not be upset by these thoughts. The fact is, these thoughts cause you great distress. What does that make you?

[Mollyharwood]

I think that for people like all of us at No More Panic, the worst weapon our anxiety and depression have against us is the dreaded "What if?"

"What if I go mad? What if I spend the rest of my life feeling like this? What if I start thinking about suicide? What if I die? What if I hurt or kill a friend or family member? What is someone else I care about 'catches' my anxiety? What if all this stuff about 2012 being the end of the world isn't a load of old bull-pat?"

I'm sure at least some of those thoughts will be familiar to some people here.

What you've got to remember is that in order to survive, anxiety and depression need us to stay anxious and depressed. This is where the random thoughts come in. Sometimes I wonder if we do it partly to test ourselves. Maybe a hidden part of us thinks "If I can deal with this thought, that means I'm getting better."

I've had frightening, intrusive thoughts since I was in my early teens. They only tend to happen when I am extremely low in myself for whatever reason. Lately they have come back because I've been going through a blip, but apart from this I haven't had them for ages.

I have never acted on any of these thoughts in 20 years. I am as repelled and disgusted by them now as I was the first time I had them. I am never going to knowingly hurt myself or others. Neither will you.

You need to be firm with yourself on this one. Realise that these thoughts are NOT realistic - if they were, would they be so scary? Probably not, because you'd have acted on them long ago. They won't wear you down and make you suddenly go berserk - no matter how many What if? thoughts you have about that!

Look at it this way: if you were a bad person, you would not be upset by these thoughts. The fact is, these thoughts cause you great distress. What does that make you?

this helped me so much, thank you.