I feel like I am driving myself crazy with my thoughts...?

Question

I have depression and anxiety and have been on one anti depressant a few years back and haven't been on any since then. Well I have this serious problem where I am constantly thinking about something, I do believe it is an obsession and a very strange one at that. It is not normal at all and it is driving me crazy. All I do is think about it, my head keeps going and going and never stops, I cant get it off my mind for even an hour. I wont say what it is because it is kind of embarrassing, but seriously it keeps me up all night thinking about it and I even get emotional about it. It is seriously driving me insane, I wish I could stop thinking about it.

What are my options here? I could talk to a therapist but like I said I am embarrassed, I could get on anti depressants for my depression and anxiety but will it ever help? Any advice for getting over a serious obsession with something?

Answer 1

Hello, I understand how it can be. You want to stop thinking about it, but it won't leave you alone. When you have the thought, it makes you anxious. And anytime we are anxious, we find the object of our anxiety harder to dismiss.

It can also be like there's some part of your mind trying to expose you over and over to that which you have absolutely no desire to think on, or ability to resist thinking about.

But any well-trained therapist has heard plenty of things before that other people find embarrassing. You can feel confident explaining these things to them. They will show sympathy, and will never make you say anything you don't want to say.

Different drugs and dosages work for different people. So it may take time to fine-tune a drug plan to suit your system and your needs.

There are also different psychological intervention plans that a therapist will consider, depending on what will work best for you. Cognitive type theories will be aimed at trying to see the irrational thought pattern that precipitate an anxious obsession. So you will be working to blow away the obsession from the inside through awareness of your thought processes- if this is the option that suits.

There is also more Freudian stuff where you are helped to see what the obsession stands for really. I personally subscribe to the theory that anxious obsessions are related to the injunctions and prohibitions we have absorbed. Sometimes what works is to simply know nothing bad will happen to you if you allow yourself in fully to the thought. Anxiety can lose interest a lot through your willingness to accept. The epiphany of realizing what an obsession is really has worked for me time and time again.

Also, you haven't mentioned it, but please know there is next to 0 chance of you actually doing the thing you are thinking of; or of it happening.

There is an answer. There is always recovery. I wish you all the good luck and blessings as you travel that road to an answer. I have many times before. If you ever need a friend to vent to, please contact me through my profile page.

Answer 2

I think you need to talk about it. If you can't talk about it, draw it. I just don't think you should do this alone. You are already obsessed and will have trouble trying to break through that.

I think letting it out into the light of day in a safe therapy relationship will give you some relief . As it is, in silence, it grows in the power to frighten you.

There are no kinds of thoughts that good therapists haven't heard before.

Answer 3

You actually inspired me to write something. You sound just like me. Going through the same thing right now. Thought about asking a question if I'm normal or not. lol.

It's late, can't sleep because I'm thinking about how I cannot for the life of me get over someone who has clearly gotten over me. Long story short,  We dated for 5 years, broke up 4 years ago, and I still can't get over him. He graduated from college and is back home. He said he wanted to take it slow one night, and that was the last I saw him. That was 4 months ago. False hope. It hurts like h**l. Just letting you know why I feel so alone at the moment.

I don't know your issue, but I know the feeling of not being able to do anything because of an issue, and not being able to function.

I too, suffer(ed) from depression and social anxiety. I was on meds for years. Not to mention I have ADD so I was on meds for that. Problem was, the ADD meds made me concentrate on ONE thing... and that happened to be the one thing that always kept me down and made me feel worthless. Then I felt worse because I had to take pills. God!! This was a never ending cycle!

I tried counselling, and I just felt like I was judged. Maybe thats the social anxiety in me, I don't know. lol. I'm in no way saying its bad. If you feel it will help (and it certainly does) by all means, do so!

I'm not going to go "new age" on you. But I can tell you what helped me.

I just got the mindset of thinking I am definitely not alone(you being an example), if other people got through heart break, whether it be a relationship or other disappointment, why the h**l can't I get through it? The more I realized I'm not alone not matter the circumstance the more I came outta my shell.

We're all stronger than we know.

I also haven't been on any of the meds in a year or so. I'm not saying I'm 100% better. Especially since I'm pretty down tonight. But overall, I feel great and very thankful for the fact that I feel I can get through almost anything. I'm almost there.

As far as your serious obsession goes, it probably isn't as bad as it seems? We all tend to dwell on things. You're not crazy, you're human.

There's a ton of advice I can give you if you'd like. This answer is already pretty long. If you'd like to email me for some advice or help go right ahead. Same with anyone else who might be reading this. I don't judge.

Answer 4

antidepressants are not the answer. Go exercise, and just stop thinking about whatever you are thinking about. Take a yoga class, and learn to meditate.

Answer 5

Take some meditation classes, or talk with your parents, a doctor, a counsellor.  Let them know that your mind is constantly dwelling on something and describe all of the effects this is having on your life.