topic My brain makes up worst case senarios in Anxiety

My brain makes up worst case senarios

Missy1807 — Mon, 21 Feb 2022 19:49:42 GMT

Hello I'm very new to this page but it's getting to a point where it's getting to much. I suffer from quite bad anxiety and ocd most of the time I can keep it at bay and use the tools my psychologist gave me but some time I can't control it. My thoughts get so real and worst case senarios I can't stop over thinking. For eg I got into a verbal altercation over the weekend with someone and now my thoughts are I am going to be arrested for assult. Now I know it never happened but tue thoughts don't stop and I get so anxious and nervous and over think everything. These episodes usually only happen once a month but recently it has been weekly. Really stupid things cause it and I can't shake it untill the stressor goes away which could be days. Does anyone else have this type of thing or any ideas when it's at it's peak to make it stop? I'm exhausted

My brain makes up worst case senarios

therising — Mon, 21 Feb 2022 21:18:17 GMT

The warmest welcome to you Missy

I feel so deeply for you, I truly do. I can also relate to where you're coming from. For me (wondering if you can relate in some way), 2 of my biggest triggers are my thoughts - in the form of words and imagination or imagery. Feeling what I can hear and see in my mind at times is incredibly stressful.

I'm a highly sensitive gal who is highly sensitive to internal dialogue and imagery, good or bad. When it's good, it puts me into a state of positive high energy and elation. When it's not so good, it puts me into a state of negative high energy (stress or fear). Either way, it's hyper activity for the body that can be felt.

Wondering if you can also relate to the more scenarios that come to mind, the more worked up you get, mentally and physically. Can lead you to want to scream 'STOP! I HAVE TO STOP LISTENING TO MYSELF! I HAVE TO STOP IMAGINING THINGS THAT PROBABLY WON'T HAPPEN!'. Of course, very hard to automatically stop when your mind has built up such momentum you feel like you're about to come to a crashing stop.

Even channeling the natural sage in you may not cut it. You know that part of you that's probably saying something along the lines of 'Stop. You need to breathe. C'mon slow breaths, in and out. Stop thinking and go and do something constructive. Stop imagining the worst'. I know I sound a little insane when I say I find myself saying to the sage in me at times 'But you don't understand, I can't calm down'. Becomes a bit like a battle of internal dialogue. If the sage in me was standing beside me, I can imagine they'd be rolling their eyes, smacking their forehead and shaking their head while saying 'You're a shocker. How many times do we go through this sort of thing for you to eventually realise you can calm down. Trick is you have to manage calming down?'.

The question becomes about how to manage 'calming down'. What does this kind of management look like? I'll suggest the 'M' word, meditation. Far from easy to do when you're highly stressed. Meditation involves 100% focus. Doesn't matter what we're meditating on (the clouds, Netflix, a leaf, long slow breaths out etc), the focus must be 100%. With 100% focus, you can't focus on anything else. While stressful inner dialogue and imagery may threaten to shift focus, the ultimate challenge comes down to returning focus back to the cloud, Netflix, the leaf, the breath etc) over and over again.

Do you know what may lead you to shift focus?

My brain makes up worst case senarios

Missy1807 — Mon, 21 Feb 2022 23:43:01 GMT

I can definitely relate to what your saying I often find my self telling my self to stop and just calm down. I don't know what shifts my focus I'll be fine then next minute I'm making up worst case senarios in my head

My brain makes up worst case senarios

therising — Mon, 21 Feb 2022 23:46:01 GMT

Sorry Missy, forgot to add the idea of whether you have a 'go to' person who can help you relate to a solid plan to follow, which can aid you in managing how you see the way forward in your mind. Is there someone in your life who's able to lead you to 100% focus on a solid plan, without straying too much off the path and into a lot of emotion? Might be someone who can't always lead you to manage this way but maybe they have an impact on you occasionally. Someone who's of guidance in your life.

My brain makes up worst case senarios

Petal22 — Tue, 22 Feb 2022 01:23:00 GMT

Hi Missy1807,

Wellcome to our forums!

Im really sorry this is happening within you.

I totally understand I went through severe anxiety OCD it was a marathon to endure but it’s a marathon that I won thanks to the professional help I received.

OCD is a vicious cycle but it’s a vicious cycle that you can learn to break free from.

You can train your attention to stay in the present moment and not inside your head.

Meditation is one of the best skills I learned while learning meditation I became aware that I wasn’t my thoughts but the watcher of my thoughts once you can grasp this skill you can sit back and watch your thoughts and not get involved in them.

Have you practiced any type of meditation?

OCD is a vicious cycle has any of your phycologists been able to teach you what the OCD cycle is and how to disengage from it?

One of the things that keep you in your OCD cycle is questioning your thoughts…….

Try this…… when you have these intrusive thoughts….. don’t question them instead turn your attention onto something in the present moment……. even if you have to stand up put your attention on your feet how do they feel on the ground? How do your clothes feel on your body? What can you hear…………. Keep turning your attention on something in the present moment and not inside your head.

I understand how exhausting OCD is but once you are taught the correct way on how to break free of its grips you will regain your energy………. You CAN beat it!

Ive written two threads you may be interested in reading

From someone who suffered with OCD and recovered

Effective treatment for OCD Metacognitive Therapy

( just type these into your search bar)

Please ask me any questions

My brain makes up worst case senarios

Searchingforhope — Tue, 22 Feb 2022 21:48:23 GMT

I understand the feeling of exhaustion. It's so exhausting when you can't turn off.

I hope you are feeling better

My brain makes up worst case senarios

quirkywords — Wed, 23 Feb 2022 02:42:29 GMT

Missy

welcome to the forum and thanks for sharing your story. Many people who read posts but don’t post will be helped by words as they won’t feel so alone. The rising, petal, searching for hole have all given supportive suggestions.

I like the iead if being a watcher if my thoughts instead of trying to fight them which is what I do.

My brain makes up worst case senarios

therising — Sat, 26 Feb 2022 21:22:12 GMT

Hi Missy

Metacognition might be something worth researching. Just a thought 🙂

My brain makes up worst case senarios

powerchord007 — Sun, 27 Feb 2022 01:33:41 GMT

Thanks for posting, Missy! I jumped on the forum this morning, looking for some discussion/reassurance with this exact thing. I also have a tendency toward catastrophic/worst case scenario thinking, which revolves around obsessing about things I know I would never do. As they say, “ego dystonic”, in that the thoughts are so opposite to what our individual values are, they distress us so much. Many of mine revolve around worrying I’m going to spontaneously harm someone physically - anything from impulsively slapping someone, right through to turning my steering wheel slightly to run over a cyclist! Much of the distress centres on the ‘what if’ in the aftermath of any of these actions. I picture myself being disgraced, losing my employment, imprisonment etc, or even that I’ll give myself ‘penance’ by deliberately depriving myself of things I like doing, owning, and being part of. My brain keeps projecting further down this fictional negative future. In a lot of ways, it’s the fear of the unpleasant physical ‘swell’ of anxiety/nausea that occurs for the few seconds that my car passes a cyclist, for example. Then I dwell on that horrible physical feeling for a large part of the day or week. I wonder if you have similar thoughts/sensations? Also, does your fear of say, the argument you mentioned escalating into something else, tend to loom large in your mind over a significant period? When I experience similar worries, it’s like I view everything else through a prism of that one negative obsessive thought, rather than appreciating ‘the moment’ itself. If you made it to the end if my long-winded reply, thank you! Looking forward to any further thoughts you might have 🙂

My brain makes up worst case senarios

Petal22 — Sun, 27 Feb 2022 08:26:56 GMT

Hi powerchord007,

Im glad you have found our forums helpful.

Im sorry you are also going through this.

In regards to what you are describing I also experienced thoughts like this while I was in the grips of OCD….. I was stuck in a Vicious OCD cycle………. One of the things that keep me in this cycle was questioning my thoughts………… a lot of what if’s and seeking reassurance.

Have you ever seeked help for what you are currently going through?

You really can break free of what you are currently going through with the correct help.

Please ask me any questions ……… hold onto hope you can break free of this.

My brain makes up worst case senarios

geoff — Mon, 28 Feb 2022 17:00:59 GMT

Hello Missy, these thoughts really do annoy us, but ask yourself, 'would I really do this' and the answer is probably 'no' and yelling at someone doesn't mean you will be arrested, so keep asking yourself 'would I carry this out' and with intrusive thoughts your answer is no, it's just you have to convince yourself that you couldn't do it, it's only a silly thought.

Best wishes.

Geoff.

My brain makes up worst case senarios

powerchord007 — Tue, 01 Mar 2022 09:29:53 GMT

Thanks for your response, Petal22. Yes, a while ago I acquired some strategies during regular appointments with a clinical psychologist. Sometimes, it just feels helpful to ground myself again by chatting on a forum, reading an article, or watching YouTube videos.

Hopefully you’re managing your anxiety/OCD ok at the moment? 🙂

My brain makes up worst case senarios

Guest_1643 — Tue, 01 Mar 2022 11:51:46 GMT

Hi Missy,

Welcome

I'm sorry Ur feeling stuck in anxiety

I can relate as j feel my anxiety is about trying to control, to avoid, and stop, undesirable things happening

When I look inside I realise it's really pain and shame, things I xant control, that I'm battling,and I try control my environment to feel safe.

I have met a lot of ppl with OCD, personally I think it's good u know u have it.

What treatments are u able to pursue?

Help is out there and u are not alone.

My brain makes up worst case senarios

daisybaby888 — Sun, 27 Mar 2022 22:48:35 GMT

I've always been an overthinker, I've always catastrophised and made up scenarios in my head. I'm now in a very serious relationship of only three months, but he truly feels like the love of my life- unfortunately my overthinking is ruining our connection and I resent myself for it. I'm really trying, I'm doing lots of mindfulness an affirmations and am seeing my psychologist more often and am back on anti anxiety meds, but it won't go away. This is partially due to my last relationship being very emotionally tumultuous bordering on abuse, ending with me getting cheated on with his girl "best friend". my partner doesn't like when I bring up my ex which is fair enough, but It's never in a way where I'm comparing them it's just to explain to him why I'm having a breakdown over him doing simple things like tying my shoes for me so he doesn't think he's done something wrong. I stopped bringing it up with him the last month, but his end of the bargain was that he would communicate more; if anything I'd say he's gotten worse. Because of my past relationship, no matter how much I work on myself I need that extra reassurance.

My boyfriend and I are both queer, most of his friends are queer women. He genuinely does respect women, he talks about how he understands women can be nice to him and it not mean anything more than a person being nice and I can tell he means it. He prefers being friends with women because they're more open to hearing about his queer experience. Even though he still has lots of straight cis male friends, they are less understanding of this. I like that he respects women and I like that he can be friends with them without it meaning anything; however, because of my last relationship I'm terrified he will leave me for one of them. I'm constantly comparing myself to them and convincing myself he's cheating on me with literally no reason to. I've told him about this and he's blocked all the ones that made me uncomfortable without me even asking. Worst part is two of them did end up liking him but he had no idea and it's just reinforced my intrusive thoughts. And now they're harassing me online. I block them but they make new accounts. He feels awful because he can't do anything about it, he's told them to leave me alone but they wont.He can't control the way I think, no matter what mindfulness tricks I do my thoughts won't go away. Can anyone give me any advice on how to handle myself in this situation because I don't want to lose my boyfriend.

My brain makes up worst case senarios

therising — Mon, 28 Mar 2022 09:18:26 GMT

Hi daisybaby888

I've found an incredible imagination can be both your best friend or your worst enemy, depending on the circumstances. Of course, our imagination can be easily triggered by either the wonderfully amazing events we imagine happening in the future, for example, but it can also be easily triggered by the painful events of the past. A well managed imagination, I believe, can take a while to cultivate. Until then, it can at times be completely out of control, taking us along for the highly emotional ride.

An extremely sensitive person will feel what they imagine. This is one of many factors that makes a highly sensitive person so amazing. To be able to feel what you see in your mind is pretty amazing when you think about it. You could say the ultimate challenge when it comes to imagination (the home of imagery) comes down to being careful with what we see or choose to see or are persuaded to see.

I suppose, when it comes down to it, the question becomes 'Is what I'm seeing in my mind going to actually happen in the future or is it simply based on past experience?'. With my parents being the type to trigger my imagination through fear when growing up (fear of things going wrong or fear of the worst case scenario playing out or fear of major change or challenge), I've had to work hard on changing my 'story telling' style over the years. A fear based imagination is definitely a challenging story telling platform to be working with, that's for sure. It can stop us from feeling the freedom to fully enjoy life as it comes our way.

It's so upsetting, what your ex did and what he led you to imagine in future relationships beyond him. People don't give much consideration to the impact they have on the future for others, they simply serve themself in the moment. It's such a cruel experience for someone on the receiving end of that. Sounds like you've got a good guy who's helping you through that experience, trying to lead you to imagine a different life, one that you deserve after all your pain.

Internal dialogue is definitely powerful fuel for the imagination. Someone with an incredibly powerful imagination will see what they hear in their mind. Internal dialogue can lead the imagination down the most torturous of paths. What if your guy is different from the last? What if he's someone actually quite amazing, truly astonishing? Imagine that. What would that look like? What would 'amazing' look like?

My brain makes up worst case senarios

quirkywords — Mon, 28 Mar 2022 09:51:15 GMT

Daisy sby

I could have written your first sentence,

I've always been an overthinker, I've always catastrophised and made up scenarios in my head..

That is me.

My brain makes up worst case senarios

jonjr — Tue, 29 Mar 2022 13:12:42 GMT

Hi daisybaby888

a wonderful account by therising i qoute:
An extremely sensitive person will feel what they imagine. This is one of many factors that makes a highly sensitive person so amazing. To be able to feel what you see in your mind is pretty amazing when you think about it. You could say the ultimate challenge when it comes to imagination (the home of imagery) comes down to being careful with what we see or choose to see or are persuaded to see.

if you don't mind i can add to that from personal experiences. imagination is a weapon that you can use against yourself or to aid yourself. i find when things really get bad for me empathy and love, moments of joy can be used by my panic to feed my anxiety. as an example: my children's first steps, the feeling of them sleeping on your chest or the simple things like love or what the future holds for them which can be great or dread. I see it as this, future or old ,they are all emotions, feelings, love , empathy, sadness, dread , fear they all can betray you. anxiety, depression or panic or all can use emotions such as love or all of the above to get you where your vulnerable or hit the right spot. i have personally had some of my worst times based on images or thoughts based around the very things we consider , nice or loving from either old or new imagination using the future to come as a weapon. Its the cruelest way to get you but its also the things we should hold onto. imagine a life without those moments, i have had therapy to stop certain triggers and it works but how do you stop a trigger that is love or pure or yet to happen ,,, you can not its that simple no treatment in the world can remove those feelings and no one should ever try. because when they are not used against you they are the very foundation that ground us, the very thing that can hold us and keep us who we are. I fully agree with therising comments just added my bit, hope it makes sense

My brain makes up worst case senarios

geoff — Tue, 29 Mar 2022 20:16:31 GMT

Hello Daisybaby, try and stop prophetically or foretelling events because it's only your imagination that's predicting something that is not going to happen.

We can go through life trying to wonder what's going to be in our future and many conclusions may come about, and for me there was never any thought that my wife would divorce me, we were so compatible, ever though we had some tough times, but yes I always wondered if she would run off with another person, and when I told her she told me not to be silly, but she also had the same thought about me doing the same.

These thoughts are protecting our marriage/relationship and keeps us on our toes and can be healthy in pleasing our connection with a person.

The more you worry the worse it gets and the more you want to not feel anxious the more anxious you will feel.

Bst wishes.

Geoff.