I think my brain literally just zapped under the amount of stress and anxiety I feel. It was scary.. it was like a physical jolt in my head. (even I’m skeptical about it) Nonetheless.. I also just want to see what other ways can I de stress or not be so anxious. I’m either reassurance seeking or ruminating. It’s hard to stay in the current moment and enjoy my life a little bit more.. I hate anticipating my whole life..
You've probably heard this a thousand times already, but meditation can be extremely effective if you aren't already doing it. For me, it's been life-changing. It takes time, though. Many people try to meditate for 5-10 minutes a day using some kind of app, only to be disappointed and ditch it after a few weeks. The thing is, it's kind of like training a muscle at the gym. You need to put in the time and consistent effort. I had a passing interest in it for years. Every once in a while I'd do a group meditation, or try some guided meditations here-and-there, and found it to be nice but nothing significant. Around 2 years ago I decided to really pour myself into it, meditating consistently each day and going on a few retreats. And I can finally say that now I get it. I've seen real benefits in my life, how I handle stress/anxiety, and how I relate to other people. Your mileage may vary of course, and there are also several different approaches and methods. I personally dove into Buddhist philosophy and techniques specifically, but there are other systems you can follow if that's not your thing, ranging from certain religions to completely secular. If meditation simply isn't for you, then there are still plenty of activities that make you more mindful and bring you into the present moment. Really anything that you do with your hands that requires focus will be beneficial, and help you get into that "flow" state. Cooking, gardening, drawing, painting, woodworking, jewelry making, scrapbooking, playing an instrument, etc. And of course, physical activities are always beneficial, specifically outdoor ones. Running, hiking, biking, walking, kayaking, etc. All of these things bring you into the present, and produce endorphins, regulate serotonin, and do all sorts of positive things for your mind and body.
Hi 👋🏻 I’ve had this happen before too and felt the same way! Not trying to reassure you or your OCD but know this is a shared experience. I’m also learning about how to be mindful and live in the present. My OCD therapist here recommended “The Mindfulness Workbook for OCD, Edition 2” and it focuses on living in the present with OCD. Very interesting and introspective 😌 For anxiety I’ve been doing puzzles on my iPad (no clean up lol), needlepoint (any craft or handwork helps me), and sitting down in the shower lol. But even when I’m doing these things, I make sure to recognize the discomfort I feel due to intrusive thoughts so I’m not avoiding it. I hope this is helpful, you aren’t alone! ☀️
My mind keeps telling me “something is wrong with you. the weird feeling you are feeling or the weird tingling you are feeling or there is a weird mark on your body. Those are actually a severe symptom and by ignoring it you could die!” Or especially the constant, “go to the emergency room because this impending doom you are feeling, yeah that’s because your gonna die shortly” It doesn’t help whenever people say “well if something was wrong your body would tell you” because my mind keeps telling me that what I’m feeling is proof something is wrong and I need to get it checked out. That I actually am severely sick and that I need to get it checked out as soon as possible, that if I get one more test than I’ll be okay because it will prove nothing is wrong. How do I tell my mind that it’s just anxiety whenever my mind keeps telling me “well if you keep saying that you could be ignoring something more serious.” Or “the doctors are just brushing you off..something is wrong with you” It’s hard to live with my thoughts whenever they are constantly coming up with ways to challenge me and challenge logic. New reasons on why I need to get this checked out because “I’m just being ignored” or “no one is listening to me so I’ll just end up dying” My symptoms range from weak and shaking legs and body to dizzy and unbalanced and dissociated. Recently I’ve been getting this tingling feeling inside my head and on the back of my neck. And my temples have pressure on them. My body keeps coming up with new symptoms I need to worry about, whenever most of them are probably caused by severe and constant anxiety. So severe I can’t even leave the house because I constantly worry about whether this is severe and something will happen if I leave the house. I need immediate ways to start fixing this because it’s especially horrible whenever my period comes around and my anxiety/depression is already higher than usual. I’ve even started considering taking medication (Zoloft, 25mg) which is another trigger for me, I worry about the symptoms I might get from taking it. That’s how you know it’s gotten pretty bad whenever I’ve come to taking something that I’ve been actively avoiding. What are your thoughts? Do I take the medication? What are ways I can deal with my symptoms that seem so severe in the moment but pass by once I’m not anxious? What are ways my thoughts can ease and I stop taking every symptom as something serious, because at the end of the day my anxiety is most likely the reason I have these horrible symptoms. I’ve always been extremely healthy and everytime I go to the doctors they express how healthy I am with all the tests I’ve had.
I'm having the hardest time right now with my own ruminating negative thoughts that may or may not possibly come true. I fear the worst and replay what that looks like in my head over and over. The best I can do is my best and wait for the horror to end. I want to cry, but can't. I'm scared and alone in my head. My anxiety is extreme. What should I do in the meantime while I'm going through this? How can I minimize or stop the way I'm feeling? Please, I need help.
hi. so one big factor of my OCD is rumination. i met a guy who i have a crush on the idea of (idea bc there are red flags). my biggest fear is not finding true love, my ex told me no one else would deal with what i have (my ocd, specifically reassurance seeking and getting overstimulated after intimacy). a few weeks ago, my friends and family all gathered and tried to give me advice that sounded like “you’re shy and you’ll never find someone.” after that, i’ve felt off. i’ve been using an unhealthy coping skill, daydreaming, and i’ve just felt unbalanced. my ocd makes everything feel different sometimes, i can’t explain it. life, myself, almost like being in a dissociated state. has anyone else experienced that? i don’t know how to remain balanced during my off times and i know pms exasperates it all. i take ashwaghanda and omega 3s in a multi vitamin daily. i take them all together in the evening but i’ve missed three days recently and also messed with my rocky sleep schedule because of fun times with friends. i hope these supplements work, because i don’t know if i’d be brave enough for medication. i had a bad reaction on prozac and often am forgetful. i just have been battling my OCD consciously for almost ten years now and unconsciously for longer. i am so tired, as my mental health extends beyond my OCD. i’m in talk therapy with some cbt aspects but i only see her twice a month. i’ve broken down so many times and promised myself id get on track or that certain things would work, but it’s like i am stuck in a circle that gets smaller when i’m able to help myself. i just want to be normal. i want to be able to mess up my sleep schedule to enjoy good times and not suffer horrible consequences or fear that i will be entirely thrown off balance. i don’t want to worry or doubt or feel so dissociative that i squint my eyes for a moment and wonder why i feel so unreal. i will never understand why god has allowed me to go through this. i cannot let it be for nothing but i don’t know how much more to bend and contort my body and brain to get somewhere stable but how lovely it would be if i could. i don’t have much of a schedule right now, i get apathetic and give in with things from time to time. one thing can trigger me and i am back to square one wether in a week or month. any advice, any and all is so helpful. your stories, your thoughts. maybe feeling less alone and knowing what has helped you is exactly what i need right now. thank you 💗
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