Feel like I’m going crazy - Every time I see someone with mental health issues or talk about them, I get really anxious.

[wevegotthis]

Hi there,

So one thing I find makes me incredibly anxious and often makes me feels like I‘m going crazy is when I see people with mental illness or talk about other mental illnesses with people.

It generally comes from a sense of empathy towards these people. For example: yesterday I watched the episode of the ABC show “You Can’t Ask That” on schizophrenia. I think this show is incredible however I spent the whole time thinking “I can imagine what that is like. These poor people. What if that happens to me? Are the thoughts in my head the voices these people are hearing?”... and it just spirals from there.

I’m now in an incredibly anxious state. I guess one of my biggest fears (and that seems common with people who suffer from anxiety) is the idea that I will go crazy.

Does anyone else deal with this? I’m scared of making myself schizophrenic or going crazy...

[white knight]

Hi, welcome

Indeed, is fragile people do worry about going “crazy” because we have likely had a taste of what that’s like. Loss of mind control, guilt, fear, insecurities, low self esteem and other symptoms lead you to think that way.

How realistic is it? No one knows. I’ve personally felt one step from being admitted to hospital for a stint but has never come. How do we prevent these intrusive thoughts?

• Don’t was triggering shows like horror or mental health
• walk calmly away from others talking about topics that are triggers (for me it could be about jails as I worked in one and have bad memories)
• train yourself to be realistic by discounting intrusive thoughts
• built defences see below

google

beyondblue topic fortress of survival (Also part 2)

beyondblue topic triggers that down you, triggers that lift you

beyondblue topic anxiety, how I eliminated it

those threads will be beneficial. You only need to read the first post of each. Reply here with comments or in those threads

TonyWK

[romantic_thi3f]

Hi wevegotthis,

Welcome to the forums and thanks for your post. I am glad that you posted here and decided to join.

While I can see your empathy and intentions are from a good place, please be mindful of using the word 'crazy' around those with a mental illness (even on this platform). There are lots of people with anxiety and schizophrenia here so language is important. 🙂

With that said though, nobody can make themselves have schizophrenia, or even make themselves have an anxiety disorder (anxiety yes - disorder no). Anxiety disorders are very complex and it's a lot more than worrying, where as with schizophrenia, generally these are voices and not thoughts and they are unique to everyone.

What is it that scares you the most about having a mental illness? What would be so bad?

I think with You Can't Ask That, it's trying to break down a lot of stigma (which mental illness has in spades) but also to normalise a lot of these topics. For me personally, even when I saw the 'Killed Someone' episode, there was a part of me that was like "oh that would never be me", but it very well could be. In different circumstances, I might have been that person. Or homeless, or using ice, or anything else in that series. It is designed to be confrontational - and it is okay and valid that you're confronted by it - but I hope that you can reframe some of those thoughts from fear to compassion.

rt

[wevegotthis]

Thank you for replying so quickly and pointing out the terrible misuse of the word “crazy”. Sorry. The feeling is of losing control of my mind.

I would like to apologise to everyone for the poor choice of this word. I realise now how this is completely the wrong choice of word.

The idea of living forever with a torturing mind I guess is the biggest fear for me re: living with mental health. I’ve been dealing with this on and off for about 3 years. Mostly manageable but then just sometimes it ramps up and becomes almost unbearable. I’m very lucky to have an amazing support network of friends and family and feel open to talk about these things with people close to me.

You Can’t Ask That is so fantastic in helping remove the stigma on all these issues. I guess that that trigger for me of seeing/talking about mental illness seems to set me off down a path on anxiety...

Everyone, thank you for your immediate replies. Means a hell of a lot!

[romantic_thi3f]

Hi wevegotthis,

You're very welcome! and thank you for reflecting on the use of that word! I really appreciate it.

Ah- so this feeling didn't actually start with You Can't Ask That? When do you think it started? What are the things you are actually afraid of? If you 'lost your mind' and your fears came true - what would that look like?

Lots of questions here! But my thoughts are that the toll of living with a mental illness might actually outweigh all the worries and fears and torturing mind of actually having a mental illness. Does this make sense?

rt