The Fear of going Crazy

[Panda22]

How do you overcome this fear? I've had this fear for 6+ years now and i still fear it the same.
When my anxiety is in the background i can rationalize that it's obviously not going to happen. But when panic comes on, especially when accompanied with derealization, i feel like i'm about to lose my mind and never come back to normal. Like i'll fall into a psychosis or something. It's a terrible feeling.

I've noticed that if i even read the word 'psychosis' online, adrenaline floods my body. It's kinda ridiculous.
I also notice that i keep checking if i'm not hearing voices or having weird thoughts, to make sure i'm still sane.
I've been diagnosed with anxiety/panic and multiple doctors have told me i won't go crazy. But now i'm thinking that was a year ago, maybe now is different and i need a new doctor appointment just for the reassurance..

Has anyone overcame this fear and if so, how?

[Catkins]

When I was a lot younger during a time of high anxiety/depression I did fear that I was going 'crazy'. This isn't a suggested course of action, but I voluntarily admitted myself in the end to a psychiatric ward at my local hospital because I was not in a good way and the medication I was on didn't agree with me (I think it was easier to be admitted back then).

Honestly, when I was in there I met a whole variety of people with a variety of mental health problems and to be honest I realised that none of them I would have classed as 'crazy'. There's an awful lot of ordinary people that go through times when they are mentally unwell.

[Buster70]

Hi there , the thing about people who go crazy is they are usually the last one to know , they see what they are doing and seeing as real and normal , my best friend from school is schizophrenic which came on in our teens , he was convinced everything he was seeing hearing was real , I had a psychotic episode brought on by a bad reaction to meds and it was a horrible terrifying time but I did get through it and rational thinking did return , my mind was tired out and just gave up , I still have anxiety and depression but I do function, work and do things I enjoy .
You are not going mad or you wouldn’t be posting asking , you are overthinking and wearing yourself out and tired mind isn’t rational , keep occupied, rest when you feel you need it and try to sleep , had I done this years ago when I needed to I doubt I’d be in the mess I am .
Take Care .

[rcs]

Hi Panda , I think that is the biggest fear with GAD that you are losing your mind and it will never be the same again, whilst short term you think you can cope long term can be scarey and it is difficult to see a way ahead with out catastrophising .
I also looked up various topics on the internet and became fixated with them and i realised when better i was looking for evidence and confirmation that i wasn't the only sufferer of anxiety and depression and also outside influences were to blame and it was all a conspiracy to make me feel bad.
I think one of the most common explanations in therapy and on this website about psychosis is that if you have it severely you are unaware and delusional and if you worry about it it suggests that you have milder symptoms , Everything with GAD is "what ifs " and i certainly suffered with these thoughts. The hardest thing is not listening so much to your inner dialogue and letting certain feelings pass as they have before.

[Lencoboy]

When I was a lot younger during a time of high anxiety/depression I did fear that I was going 'crazy'. This isn't a suggested course of action, but I voluntarily admitted myself in the end to a psychiatric ward at my local hospital because I was not in a good way and the medication I was on didn't agree with me (I think it was easier to be admitted back then).

Honestly, when I was in there I met a whole variety of people with a variety of mental health problems and to be honest I realised that none of them I would have classed as 'crazy'. There's an awful lot of ordinary people that go through times when they are mentally unwell.

I bet that was back in the good ol' days (not!), when we were far less understanding as a society, when MH was very much a taboo subject, and sufferers often sectioned willy-nilly, because it was the simplest and easiest option (out of sight, out of mind, and all that), plus it's/was perfect fodder for the 'power-mad' of our society, who are/were often tasked with making such arrangements for persons with MH issues.

Often treating the symptoms rather than the underlying causes, especially when and where punitive measures are/were sometimes involved, which can often make the patients concerned even worse, both in the short and long run.

Obviously there are many variables involved, as what works well for one person doesn't work well for another, and vice versa.