Brain seems confused

[Kenton]

Hi

I'm a long time sufferer of all things anxious. I have OCD, which I can control some of the time, I have really bad health anxiety and constantly think I am dying of something. I feel sick all the time and my counsellor is saying it's because I've been working off a high level of anxiety for so long.

I am trying to do all the right things to make me feel better, I've been making myself go to work although by cab not public transport but at least I'm going till I feel strong enough to handle the train.


I just seem to lurch from one thing to another, feeling dizzy, eyes feeling funny, strange half dreams when falling asleep, forgetting words for things etc..... this throws me into a spin that I must definitely have something serious wrong. I've been having some repetitive thoughts eg. I'll just keep thinking of the word chicken and I worry I'll never stop. I sometimes mix words up, like think the start of one and the end of the next one and then I freak myself out. It doesn't happen all the time but when it does I convince myself there is something really wrong and then it makes it worse. This happened a lot about 2 years ago and I've been more or less ok with this symptom since then but the last few days has been bad. I think because I have to go to a work trip 5 hrs from home, ( and leave my baby fit the first time in 15 months)I'm taking someone with me so I have someone near by in case I have a panic. I know all this reassurance and safety behaviour is not the answer but right now its the best I can do.

Basically I just wondered if these confused thoughts, forgetting words, mixing words up, brain going blank, reading thoughts...are common with anxiety?

Thanks for reading

[ankietyjoe]

All completely normal with anxiety, very common.

[Kenton]

Thanks, that makes me feel a bit better. This whole anxiety thing is a right pain!

[cthechick84]

I have these symptoms too they have been going on for months when do they finally give up and give us a rest. Hope ur OK x

[RadioGaGa]

Completely normal and anxiety related.

I always forget words for things (although sometimes my anxiety makes me hyper-focus on this). Today, for instance, I forgot my managers name for about 10-15 seconds.

Anxiety really does wreak havoc on our bodies. We have to sit back, relax and realise this because when we hyper-focus, we notice more "symptoms", which in turn feeds our anxiety.

Good luck

[jaroslav.prossv]

I experienced all of it during a worry period. My memory was way decreased, also slurred speech, lack of concentration, forgetting basic stuff I did throughout the day....

[gradually_suddenly]

I have that. I am a lawyer and I still jumble my words when I go through periods of stress and anxiety, have to re-read sentences and sometimes feel like my brain is a complete jumbled mess. As you can imagine, not great for my job as I sometimes feel I am losing my faculties but then I have to remind myself I am still the same person, with the same intelligence, the same ability to interpret information and text - I am not losing my brain - I just have stress and anxiety. I too had the slurred speech (in fact, I felt like my speech was impaired and it just didn't seem as flowy/normal as it used to...like every word had to be consciously planned out). I am super forgetful too during these periods of stress.

I also had one time where I used to get melodies/songs stuck in my head (not in a normal way-in an obsessive way).This is just a symptom of OCD and it stopped when I got onto good anti depressants (that time, clomipramine).

Are you on any meds? For me, there was no way I would have recovered with just a counselor. I definitely absolutely needed medicinal assistance. Also, don't feel bad for needing reassurance, sometimes when you are at your lowest point it really helps. Anxiety is horrible and I know exactly how you feel but with the right medical help I am sure you won't need it forever xxx

[Kenton]

I know its crazy isn't it and even if you end up feeling better for a few days, you start to think well why don't I feel like that and then I worry all the feelings back I think! Lately I have started to think that my speech is funny (because a word came out funny the other day when i was talking to someone at work the other day)and that I cant pronounce some words, I know I can and I no one else has noticed but i have that on my mind constantly now - its all just so draining!

[Kenton]

Completely normal and anxiety related.

I always forget words for things (although sometimes my anxiety makes me hyper-focus on this). Today, for instance, I forgot my managers name for about 10-15 seconds.

Anxiety really does wreak havoc on our bodies. We have to sit back, relax and realise this because when we hyper-focus, we notice more "symptoms", which in turn feeds our anxiety.

Good luck

I know its such a vicious circle inst it - I am an expert on hyper focusing on things, I really wish I wasn't. I typed something at work the other day and instead of typing the word 'hit' i typed 'eat' and that sent me off noticing every single thing i was typing ...madness!!

Its nice to feel that i am not alone and other people have the same things.

[Kenton]

I have these symptoms too they have been going on for months when do they finally give up and give us a rest. Hope ur OK x

My first reply was meant for you but the quote didn't attach...doh!!!