Fear of Bipolar/Schizophrenia

[intrsrchng]

For the last 10 years of my life I have had the recurrent and extreme fear of developing schizophrenia or bipolar. I have a couple family members with both diseases. I suffer from anxiety and depression and at times when my anxiety becomes strong I'll feel convinced that at that moment I am developing one of the disorders.

I've been in therapy most of my life for anxiety and trauma and never was diagnosed or even considered bipolar or psychotic. And I've never really experienced any of the hallmark symptoms like mania or hallucinations. Yet I can't convince myself I won't lose my mind this moment or the next.

It's terrifying and I'm just tired of it. :-(

[Matthewray]

I notice this was posted a while back but I hope you get this reply. I know how you feel, friend. I too have relatives with that condition and have developed anxiety over getting it too but lets remember that just because we are at higher "risk" doesn't mean we therefore will fall victim to the illness. Its our anxious mind that will turn any percentage into a 99%. As one user put it, these things (percents/statistics) aren't black and white, there are many shades of white and black in these types of situations. I highly recommend a book by a fellow anxiety sufferer who had GAD for 10 years and made it out of it with 100 percent recovery. Look up "at last a life" by paul david. I have read tons of books on the subject and by far Paul's is the most practical and effective of them all. Best of luck to you friend, you are not alone in your suffering and you will not be alone in your recovery.

[MyNameIsTerry]

Fear of developing a more serious mental illness, such as schizophrenia, is known as a form of OCD in the Pure O category.

I would suggest having a read of the OCD threads about this. There are several recent ones that will help you to understand this as well as advice on how to deal with it.

[VictoriaS143]

Fear of developing a more serious mental illness, such as schizophrenia, is known as a form of OCD in the Pure O category.

I would suggest having a read of the OCD threads about this. There are several recent ones that will help you to understand this as well as advice on how to deal with it.

Thank you! Currently dealing with this right now very severely, I'm gonna go over to the OCD forum now

[tiller]

interesting never knew something of this sort could happen. Take care dear.