Covid, news, phone and anxiety

[Yerrrrrp]

Hi Everyone!

I have found myself lately just constantly checking news websites, NSW health Covid updates etc. Constantly, it's like a compulsion if that's the right word. I just can't help it. I'm conscious I do it and I try not to but it just happens.

Covid is officially driving me insane.

I'm buying stuff I really don't need. A few months ago I purchased oximeter, BP monitor, blood glucose monitor etc etc. I had no reason to really other than my anxiety. It was supposed to make me feel better but it just made me feel worse.

Yesterday I purchased a whole load of vitamins that probably won't help me. Today I purchased 11 covid tests. I didn't need them but because they are almost impossible to get and I found some online, I purchased them. 11 was so I qualified for free shipping. I also have 4 kids so that's really only 2 tests each if we end up needing them so I don't think it's that greedy.

I found myself about to checkout and thought 'nope, don't buy them, you don't need them' then 10 minutes later as I'm scrolling through the news I see another article about how hard the tests are to get so I went back on the website and paid for them.

I didn't really want them, but I'm doing stuff like this and It's like I have no control over it.

On the plus side my health anxiety is so high I cut right back on drinking and haven't had a drink today which is a kind of big thing because I drink wine like every night. Hopefully that helps. I'm planning on not buying any more cigarettes tomorrow.

I work full time from home at the moment, ubereats driving and casual jobs when they come up on the weekend etc.

I'm so exhausted and fed up with everyone and everything and now I'm covid obsessed.

I don't know what I am hoping to achieve by writing this lol Sorry for saying 'I' and 'I'm' way too many times.

Thanks for reading if you got to the end 🙂

[geoff]

Hello Yerrrrrp, welcome to the site and there are times when people talk themselves into having OCD, a mental health condition that involves obsessions, compulsions, and/or both, this is exactly how I developed it 65 years ago.

What happened was every year when I was about 5 or 6 years old, one of my grandparents or someone very close to the family passed away, so I said if I do this several times then no one will pass away, it still happened and I was caught up doing these obsessions/compulsions/habits at any stage I needed to.

I'm not a doctor, however, you are talking yourself into doing these obsessions and even if you buy all of these items, it's not going to stop this COVID.

If only there were these updates when 'the flu' took hold of the population years ago, there would be more people worried back then, but back then we weren't necessarily told, but now with this current virus every day on the TV, paper and radio it plagues us, but we are told by authorities that if you've had two vaccines and then the booster, then you should be OK.

There are people who have had all these vaccines and still get it, but they become strong once again and by buying copious amounts of these items won't make any difference as long as you are vaccinated and be careful.

All you are doing is spending money that you don't have to, and I do suffer from OCD myself.

Take care.

Geoff.

[sbella02]

Hey Yerrrrrp,

Thanks so much for your openness in your post. It's great that you've acknowledged that these things are causing you anxiety, that's a fantastic first step.

It sounds to me like these routine checking behaviours are affecting parts of your life and causing you undue distress. Have you tried speaking to a professional about these? A GP, counsellor, therapist, or psychologist would be able to give you some advice and perhaps create a plan for reducing your anxiety. You may find that you have to have a few appointments with different people to find somebody who you trust and connect with.

Well done on cutting back on drinking/smoking, that's amazing to hear. I'm sure your mind and body would appreciate any steps that you can make towards self-improvement and a healthier lifestyle.

Also, we're here to support you, feel free to use personal pronouns as many times as you need. 🙂

Please feel free to come back and chat to us anytime you need.

All the best, SB

[Petal22]

Hi Yerrrrp s,

Wellcome to our forums!

Im sorry you are feeling this way.

Have you thought about making an appointment with your gp and discussing your behaviour?

As adding to Geoff’s response…..

With OCD it can bring intense anxiety we feel we have to do what we do to try to control the level of our anxiety but the anxiety doesn’t setting for long it comes back and we perform another compulsion….it becomes a never ending vicious cycle…

Please have a chat to your gp, you could do a mental health plan together this will allow you to see a psychologist……. see if you can see a clinical psychologist a normal psychologist can’t diagnose a clinical psychologist can.

I have a lived experience of OCD which I have now recovered from.

Hang in there

[Yerrrrrp]

Hi all,

Thanks for the kind replies 🙂

I never even considered OCD. I have PTSD and Schitzoaffective disorder.

Probably time to recommence my medication.

My gp is really great and understanding. I have had bad experiences with psychologists previously so I just couldn't bring myself to book an appointment. What's the harm in giving it a go though right?!

When I am suffering badly I normally come here and just read other posts and it calms my anxiety to know I am not alone. so I figured I would post for once and see if it helped.

Thanks again!

[geoff]

Hello Yerrrrrp, even if you the time when feeling better you can still come to the forum and help out with others who are struggling who may be in a similar situation.

Try and take the attitude when you see a psychologist, they are not there to judge you, if they did this then they wouldn't have any patients, their job is to unravel what you are doing and why, and then sort through all the information to then help you and understand what the problem is and how you can overcome it.

Their job is not to criticise you, if this happened you wouldn't want to go back, but to subtly suggest ideas you may not have realised or thought about.

Geoff.