need help with anxiety & worry...bad! - Mental Health Message Board

lbp35 · 09-06-2005, 06:22 AM

I am hoping someone can please help me. I have terrible anxiety and worry about everything. My mind never stops. If someone happens out of the norm, i will think about it and think about it until I drive myself crazy. The latest thing is my very good friend had cancer about a year ago.It was pretty bad but he is one year out now and doing well. Anyway I worry about the cancer coming back ALL the time.I sit and play it out in my head that the cancer came back and I can actually see myself at his funeral. I know I have the ability to stop this but I don't know how.Can someone please help me.My husband says this is called catastrophic thinking and I need professional help but I have been to 2 different doctors in the past and they really did nothing for me.I have been on lexapro and zoloft too. Any suggestions? Is there a medication for this or do I need to retrain myself to think differently.I have been this way forever but since the cancer thing, it is worse.Please help.

knotme · 09-09-2005, 03:22 AM

ocd?
see http://www.healthboards.com/boards/forumdisplay.php?f=95

GatsbyLuvr1920 · 09-10-2005, 08:54 AM

Definitelly sounds like OCD- the pure obsessional type. "Catastrophic thinking" is a very common symptom. Don't worry- I have it, too, so if you ever want to talk or have any questions, feel free to ask. God bless.

-GatsbyLuvr1920-

lbp35 · 09-14-2005, 11:57 AM

Gatsby,
Thats exactly what my hubby said I have. WHAT do you do about it?How do you stop it? Thanks for the reply, I feel like I am going crazy!~I try hard to stop but I can't!!!!

GatsbyLuvr1920 · 09-14-2005, 04:16 PM

lbp35- I'm glad that I was able to help and that you can relate, but unfortunately, pure obsessionals are hard to treat b/c we don't have any noticeable compulsions, but many are helped with Zoloft and other SSRI's in conjunction with Cognitive Behaviorial Therapy (CBT). Sadly, I don't know if CBT is going to help me (I start in two weeks) because most OCD-ers have one major concern like blasphemous obsessions, contamination fears, or rechecking the door lock very often, but my worries and number of a certain obsession changes week to week, or sometimes, even day to day. My therapist says I'm a "moving target," and once he nails one point down, something else jumps up and takes prevalence...If you have any questions, feel free to ask! God bless!

-GatsbyLuvr1920-