sroman127
07-23-2003, 01:04 AM
My son is ten years old and has OCD. I read one of your replies to a post and you mentioned racing thoughts. Can you tell me what that means? My son has times when he gets so upset because too much is racing through his head. I am trying to understand what this means to him?
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lynn45
07-27-2003, 12:45 AM
Hi sroman127, sorry to hear about your son, but I am so glad you found out when you did. I wish someone knew what was wrong with me when I was that age!
When I say racing thoughts what it means to me, I guess could be a bit different for someone else. Racing thoughts to me are mostley what if's, (for example) what if the house catches on fire, but it doesn't stop there, then I play the whole scene in my head I see what would happen (of course the worse case scenereo) if that did happen, then I have to try to figure out what I could do to prevent that from happening. Then I am thinking how that would effect everyone's lives, what if my children were left here with no mother, or worse what if something happend to my children. BUT then it gets to the point I am so worked up about this I get other what if's so then I am thinking about a few different possible horrible things that COULD happen, but they seem to be picking up speed. There are many many thoughts going through my head I can't even think straight, my heart starts beating faster. BY THEN, life is just depressing no matter how you look at it and I get so worked up I have to get out of bed and watch a movie or something to can take my attention off of my thoughts. This does happen at random times, but usually bed time is the worse because I am in a quiet room, I can't see anything and all I have are my thoughts, they seem to the the loudest at this time.
Like I said most of my racing thoughts are what if's, what if I don't succede, what if something happends to my family. Sometimes it isn't what if's, it's how I am going to handle situations, what happends when a member of my family dies and our family is completely changed by their absence...etc, etc.
I do remember this happening when I was young, I remember being upset by this and my parents saying it's ok, everything will be fine just go to sleep, or my favorite "quit worrying so much". Easier said than done.
Hope this helps and you can find ways to help your son through this.
When I say racing thoughts what it means to me, I guess could be a bit different for someone else. Racing thoughts to me are mostley what if's, (for example) what if the house catches on fire, but it doesn't stop there, then I play the whole scene in my head I see what would happen (of course the worse case scenereo) if that did happen, then I have to try to figure out what I could do to prevent that from happening. Then I am thinking how that would effect everyone's lives, what if my children were left here with no mother, or worse what if something happend to my children. BUT then it gets to the point I am so worked up about this I get other what if's so then I am thinking about a few different possible horrible things that COULD happen, but they seem to be picking up speed. There are many many thoughts going through my head I can't even think straight, my heart starts beating faster. BY THEN, life is just depressing no matter how you look at it and I get so worked up I have to get out of bed and watch a movie or something to can take my attention off of my thoughts. This does happen at random times, but usually bed time is the worse because I am in a quiet room, I can't see anything and all I have are my thoughts, they seem to the the loudest at this time.
Like I said most of my racing thoughts are what if's, what if I don't succede, what if something happends to my family. Sometimes it isn't what if's, it's how I am going to handle situations, what happends when a member of my family dies and our family is completely changed by their absence...etc, etc.
I do remember this happening when I was young, I remember being upset by this and my parents saying it's ok, everything will be fine just go to sleep, or my favorite "quit worrying so much". Easier said than done.
Hope this helps and you can find ways to help your son through this.