EvolutionHealth.care

Home
Main Forum
Anxiety
Challenging Your Anxious Thoughts
Fear of Mental Illness

Advanced Search Form

Fear of Mental Illness

15 years ago 0 +0 / -0 823

Good Morning Caden, Your social worker's suggestions are great and as you keep practicing the deep breathing it will open up your energy towards positivity and not negativity. Try to imagine or think of an image that brings you happiness or makes you feel powerful. For me it is an animal........usually a tiger because I associate that image with strength, prowess, courage and power. The image can be anything that gives you a positive feeling of strength and calmness at the same time. Once you have that image, close your eyes during the deep breathing and keep focused on the image. This takes some practice but it will start to flow once you get into a routine. Also getting healthy nutrition, adequate rest and sleep and some form of exercise are important to keep the brain hormones and neurotransmitters as balanced as possible. Stay away from foods that cause jitteriness or raise your heartbeat such as caffeine and alcohol. Hope this helps and please keep posting to let us know how you are doing! Faryal

15 years ago 0 +0 / -0 313

Hi CM...and everyone else too. So much great support and advice already given but I'm here to share my thoughts too :)

As I mentioned before I can relate to this on every level..More than I'd care to remember actually - lol. Losing my mind, going crazy, being locked away, never getting better etc. These were (I guess still are) the hardest thing for me to deal with during my lowest points. I would just start to not be afraid of a "thought" and another one would take it's place. The harder I fought it the stronger they were... It was terrifying and frustrating. My logic would tell me that it was not true but my fear response was so over the top that those thoughts became stronger...my fear fueled them like gasoline.

As for the depersonalization I've experienced that too. On many levels. The mirror... Just all of a sudden feeling as though I'm outside of my body etc. Yikes... As much as I don't like this feeling, I don't fear it anymore.

As with most of my fears education is key. The more I know about it the less I feared it. The less fear I felt the less daunting the thought became...if that makes any sense. Once I stopped struggling they (the fears) left me alone. I personally believe for myself anyways that it is a power struggle. All my fears are based on losing control in one way or another. Mentally, physically, emotionally etc. I like to control so much of my life... since childhood really. I find when I started to not NEED to control everything things went so much smoother. It's a challenge I work on often as different situations arise... and I need to "let it go"... or "not stress about it"...I have a lot of OCD tendencies and that plays into it a lot I believe. Obsessive thoughts are brutal... and debilitating at times but there is a LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL.

You're definately not alone !!...and I would love to chat more as I think a lot of what you're experiencing is a mirror of what I went through. I've had amazing years in between though... and my life for the majority is awesome. Once in awhile they creep back in but I find I can usually find a reason... hormones... poor diet... etc.

For me medication has been a godsend. I'm not one to push pharmaceuticals but I had exhausted all options in alternative health from excercise, yoga, running, meditating etc.

Now I use both and find the stigma of being on meds doesn't bother me a bit.. Quality of life is so much better than just not taking them to say I don't.... Life is too short...

Anytime you want to talk Caden.....

15 years ago 0 +0 / -0 151

Hi Ya Diva:

Thanks for your suggestion as I too have recurring negative thoughts. I think I'll go upstairs now & try challenging one that has been plaguing me today.

15 years ago 0 +0 / -0 151

Hi Ya Miki:

Thank-you so much for your words of encouragement.

I have some days now and again that are not too anxious which is an improvement for me. After the surgery I used to be constantly on edge and terrifying myself with worry, I never thought I would have good days and not so bad days.

I know I really have to work on the negative thoughts.

I hope everything works out for you tomorrow and your husband tells you what you want to hear. I hope you can have peace of mind and a restful nights sleep.

Take care

15 years ago 0 +0 / -0 2101

Hello CM,

I find that challening negative ideas not just when you are frenzied but taking time to challenge negative reoccuring thought at calmer times during the day really helps you train yourself with challenging the thoughts even when you are nervous and such. Not sure if it would help you but I know it helped me tons. I would set aside time to challenge 3-4 reoccurent anxious or negative thoughts everyday. I did that for a while and it really helped. You know what they say about practice.... Anyway, hope this helps.

15 years ago 0 +0 / -0 477

Hello CM,

Many times I worried that I will never smile or laugh again, but you will, because now I do! And yes, the depersonalization(sp?) has happened to me too.

I have negative thinking all the time and when I realize it, I'm thinking negative. I feel that positive thinking takes a lot of work and task. I feel that negative thinking just happens naturally and you have to work to think positive. But I feel it is worth it too. You just got to keep saying "STOP!" and remind yourself of all the positive chances that can happen, even if it has not happened yet. I was in such a dark place 3 months ago, but hope is what really brought me out. And big big pushes that I've accomplished especially when they are scary are the ones that really help you change. Never give up!

15 years ago 0 +0 / -0 151

Hi Ya Faryal:

Thanks for your response. My social worker has said to practice diaphragm breathing and walking meditation, challenging negative thoughts. I have been practicing the breathing for a couple of days now as for challenging my negative thoughts this is very hard for me to do as I said to Diva I am so good at whipping myself into a frenzy so quickly.

The negative thoughts are so strong that they seem to be true. In some cases I have been able to challenge them & come up with more balanced thoughts but it's something I don't do on a regular basis. I just let myself go with the thoughts & I know that's wrong. My social worker said to imagine a subway train when the negative thoughts come I can either wave to them and let them go or open the doors to the train and let them in. A really good analogy but very hard to do.

15 years ago 0 +0 / -0 151

Hi Ya Diva:

Thanks for you response and birthday wishes. Its good to know that the feeling passes but I'm the kind of person who dwells on things especially anything bad that happens.

I find it nearly impossible to challenge my negative thoughts as I am so good at whipping myself into a frenzy with the negative ones. It seems that I have been negative for so long I don't know how to be any other way.

15 years ago 0 +0 / -0 151

Hi Ya CD:

Thanks for solving the puzzle of Jane.

15 years ago 0 +0 / -0 151

Hi Ya CD:

Nice to hear from you again, thanks for your words of comfort and birthday wishes.

I just wonder when this nightmare is going to end. My social worker said to do abdominal breathing and meditation. I tried the walking meditation and breathing one night and I felt more anxious. I find with the walking meditation its very hard to keep focused on your feet as thoughts keep going thought my head.

I personally believe that the anxiety is harder to conquer than panic as there are specific fears to overcome. Anxiety encompasses a whole range of things and of course feelings.

We all must be very strong people to go through this nightmare that at this point doesn't have seem to have an end.

How did you get to the point you are at, is it a good place for you?

Reading this thread:

today's top discussions:

This Month’s Leaders:

Most Supportive

Most Active

Most Loved

Fear of Mental Illness