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Challenging thoughts of being crazy


14 years ago 0 23 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
I also wanted to note that I do not like to avoid things, so when I began having anxiety and panic attacks, I always wanted to face my fears.  That is why this is bothering me so much, because I want to face it, but don't know how really to deal with it.  I am now questioning whether I am really afraid of the thought, or am I afraid that the thought may make me crazy, or am I afraid what others will say if I do it, what my therapist will think of if I do it, will doing such think take me to the pschiatric ward?  I do have a lot of 'what ifs' but just like those that are afraid of a dog and expose themselves slowly to the dog, how do I slowly expose myself to this fear, so that I am less fearful of it?  
14 years ago 0 23 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
The only thought is that after reading so much about anxiety and panic disorder, I have started to believe in some of the stories I have read of people.  Basically it started with me reading about anxiety and fear of having anxiety.  Then I read about people with anxiety and depression.  Talks of depression really scare me, in fact I have anxiety attacks just over thinking about depression - not so much now.  When I was reading whether or not I have depression, which I believe I don't according to my psychotherapist and psychiatrist, then I read about people who commit suicide.  Then I read about people with depression and read about people cutting themselves, etc.  Basically I have been reading too much about these things, and am really lost as far as what to do.  When I used to have panic attacks about having a heart attack, I did some exposure work by sitting it through and letting it happen - eventually I realized that I am not going to have a heart attack.  Now, I am a little lost what to really do when I have such thoughts that cause me to have these anxiety attacks.  

I tried to create the list like you suggested and the only thing I can truely come up with on the end why I might do something is that I might go crazy for whatever reason, and either get so tired of these thoughts and just do it.  I have been dealing with this for a while and have been unable to find a solution, and maybe I am afraid that through frustration I may end up hurting myself.  

I guess I am looking for a way to think differently or to think about it from a different perspective so when such a thought does come - I can deal with it better.
14 years ago 0 6252 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
dawuad10

Good day. Any idea where these thoughts are coming from. They sound like negative core beliefs or thoughts brought on from one. Any one you know get infection and get sick from a scratch? Any one try to hurt themselves? Any recent deaths? Any thing that you can think of that might have set this off. Even something from way back in your child hood. Any scary news items you can relate to. This might sound like fishing but first you need to find what set you on this road. You can tell yourself you won't do these things and the thought that you will is stupid, but if you have a negative thought built on a negative core belief that you will, then it is going to be hard to convince yourself that you won't.

Exposure? You can write down all the reasons you won't. You can write down also all the reasons you think you might and compare them. And you can also look in the mirror a few times a day and tell yourself you are an ass for believing them. Do it every time the thought comes to your mind. This is reinforcing of a positive thought and if done often enough it buries the negative thought. Once you get it buried then go looking for it so you can tell yourself it is not true. Do that for a while and it will fade away to where it does no harm.

Once again, any reason past or present you should have these thoughts. Any depression you need to deal with.

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Davit.
14 years ago 0 23 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
My recent anxiety has been thoughts that I might go crazy.  I have been having thoughts that I may do something stupid like scratch myself really hard or something else.  Some of my thoughts are doing something really bad to myself like hurting myself.  This thought makes me really anxious.  I know I don't want to hurt myself, but such thought really bothers me.  I am not sure how I am to get exposure work for this so that I would not be too bothered by it.  Could someone please point me in the right direction?  I am going to a psychotherapist but I don't seem to be getting any help as far as exposure work or something to help me face these anxious thoughts.

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