Worried about news

[bluewater]

Hi everyone;

Always online hardly ever post 😀

I have been diagnosed with GAD as well as depression so im no stranger to worry and PTSD after two very close people passing away! I have come far with CBT therapy but I just cant handle hearing any bad news from people I love as in family and friends obviously i do get its the generalised anxiety taking hold.

As an example my Sister called to let me know my nephew was not well and going to hospital and I immediately came close to panic and when i hung up the phone needed medication its like im waiting for my next big trauma and worry about my health should it ever happen again. I dont know if I could handle it again.

[Doolhof]

Hi Bluewater,

It is wonderful you have decided to post and share your thoughts and feelings here. For me it helps to have issues written down.

You mentioned you have been using CBT strategies. I know it is not always easy to grab pen and paper and go through the structure of the exercises then and there when you hear bad news. Is it possible for you to run through some of the theory in your mind.

If your mind is anything like mine, there will be moments when your thoughts go from "He has a cold, to he has a collapsed lung and is going to drop dead" in 5 seconds. It does not help that you have experienced the loss of two people dear to you. Our minds are good at turning things into a catastrophe before it even happens.

My Psychologist is tying to help me realise that thoughts are just thoughts, that we can accept them, consider them etc, the choice is ours as to how we act upon them. I am struggling with that simple equation when it comes to the death of loved ones and grief in general.

I find it difficult to separate the truth from the what if this happens and my brain racing away on its own little story telling exercise. I'm not down playing what you are feeling, just hope in some way you can come up with strategies to feel less anxious when hearing potentially bad news.

Hopefully your Nephew is okay.

Cheers for now from Mrs. D.

[bluewater]

Thanks Mrs D,

Lots of helpful information and certainty correct my mind turns everything into a catastrophe!

I also have issues with the "I know the chances of this happening are low but what if" The what if usually wins although I am doing a worry journal then going through it and its shown me some thoughts are really not realistic. Sometimes I also have issue's feeling like im acting heartless by telling myself not to worry about anyone or anything it really feels like a comfortable place at times avoidance i guess.

[BballJ]

Hi bluewater,

I can relate as I have GAD and the worry that comes along with it sucks. It's the constant overthinking which hurts the most. I know it's tough in the sense that you spiral into these panic modes. May I ask when that thing happened with your sisters son and you went into a panic and had to take medication... did that calm you down right away or do you do other stuff? I literally try and sit still and focus on my breathing to try and ease the worry. I focus on my breaths in and out. I have woken up in a panic state as well so I know the horrible feeling it is, you are not alone in it at all.

Life is a massive journey and there are so many ups and downs... if we sort of ignore the ups and only focus on the downs, it really hurts our outlook. I like that you write things down, it is great when I read people do that stuff. You are heartless by telling yourself not to worry, after all you have to look after yourself first and foremost and there is nothing selfish about that.

My best for you,

Jay

[Doolhof]

Hi bluewater,

Great to hear from you again. Jay has given you some wonderful insight as well. I agree with Jay, you are not being heartless at all by telling yourself not to worry about others. That may be part of a safety mechanism for yourself, so you don't become overwhelmed.

For me it is not asking questions. If I don't know the answer than all the facts won't bother me. By trying to block stuff out I am not doing myself any favours in some situations either. Guess we all develop our own way of trying to make life work for us.

It is great you have a worry journal.

My psychologist suggested I read a book, in one part it says our mind tells us stories all of the time. In a way we can listen to those stories, we can let them grow in any direction we like, we can accept them as truth or decide to question the reality of what we are thinking.

We can retrain our brains...I am trying to do that! Some days it works okay, other days not so well. Ha. Ha.

There is always something new to learn about how our brains make us tick.

Cheers to you from Mrs. D.

[bluewater]

Thanks Jay,

My thoughts are really the worst with my nephews I started the what if and worst case scenario then I took my medication and it did take a while to kick in so i started having to get up and do things that would take my mind off it just like the washing etc, it helps but i just want for one day not to be a mess when im told something having GAD makes it worse and I've started worrying to the point i cant sleep. Recently I've been listening to calm music on my phone and some how drift off but it really is debilitating for me as it's like i fix one thing then another symptom develops.

[BballJ]

Hi bluewater,

I completely understand, I have the same issues, wishing I could just switch my brain off at times so I can stop overthinking things, it's good that you are doing things to take your mind off it, I do that as well, I find being around other people really does help me the most, I am at my worst when I am alone but I am learning to deal as time goes on. I honestly believe it does get better as I have felt better as time as gone on, I still overthink and get some of the symptoms related to GAD, but keep reminding yourself that you are doing the right thing and will get better with time.

My best,

Jay