Feeling a lost and without direction

[green_s]

Hi there,I feel a bit silly for writing on here but I guess I'm just looking for somewhere to get some things off my chest. I'm 21 and in the last 6 or so months have been diagnosed with anxiety.

I find I go in cycles where I get a certain obsession and all of my anxiety links back to that idea for days on end until I finally stop and end up finding something else to obsess over. Recently it's the feeling of being lost in what I'm doing and having no purpose in my life even though I'm working, studying and in a loving relationship (which then leads on to thinking about death and the meaning of life... not the best topic for someone with control issues to be obsessing over!) I find that when I am engaged in something else and distracted I don't feel anxious at all, but as soon as I remind myself that I'm feeling good I go back to thinking about it all again.

I guess I'm just looking to see how other people deal with these obsessive thoughts and what you've done that helps?Thankyou 🙂

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[gettingbetter]

Don't feel silly for writing on here! I'm new too, Ive had anxiety and various other weird obsessive behaviours like hair pulling for some time which is embarrassing so have had to deal with this too. For obsessive thoughts I was taught to try writing. Write out the thought that won't go away, especially if it is a panicky sky-is-falling type one, and then write out three things underneath it that are the opposite.  Another one might sound a bit silly but its also somehing i used to distract myself from self harm feelings, its having a rubber band around your wrist and flicking it whenever I start getting an obsessive thoughts, it can be like a splash of cold water to the face and helps you concentrate back on what your'e doing.