anxiety and "racing thoughts"

[taraak]

I dont really know what racing thoughts are, but I may be having them.  it feels that in the back of my mind, I am constantly trying to figure out "what people are".  sounds strange?  yeah, I know.  3 weeks ago I had a HUGE panic attack and started feeling some depersonalization.   Im still feeling full of anxiety and it seems my mind is racing to find an answer to a question I dont even know Im asking...  Ive told my doctor, and hes got me on new meds.  he says theyll take a week or whatever to work in.   do racing thoughts usually accompany panic anxiety?   i thought they were only involved in like,  schizophrenia or the like...

any comments?

[taraak]

lol.  I do believe in God, and prayer.   prayer for patience and strength.  not prayer for miracles.  God helps those who help themselves.   If it weren't for my faith in God,  AND in medication,  I would have been dead 20 years ago.

[MrGreen]

If prayer was the only answer needed this forum and every doctor would be out of business. It is good for those who want it. But those who don't need more options and medication is that other option. As is theraphy. So much can seem unreal when going through derealalization. Can make the world seem surreal. I used to call it been high without having to take any drugs at all. It was such a weird feeling. Would go out and come home and forget I had ever been out. But try and focus that little bit more if you can. On anything else. Be it a game. Or even writing when you feel your mind racing. Just to take up the mind's time. Might help you. If not, spin round seven times and jump up and down on one foot ten times. Won't do you any good. But will do the same as praying will do for you.

[taraak]

as a matter of fact, I DO believe in God.  I also believe that since the first man sinned,  our bodies are flawed.  Do you pray to God to heal your broken leg?  No,  you pray for him to give you the strength and patience to stand the pain until it heals.   God made man with the intelligence to find out how to heal our bodies AND minds.  God made ALL things.  Even the substances that these meds are made of.   I have prayed for God to heal my mind.  What he has done was given me the patience to deal with what I deal with, until the Drs can find out what is wrong.


thanks.

[RubyWitch]

While I respect your religious beliefs, and your right to hold and express those beliefs, for those of us who do NOT follow the same doctrine as you, pills are NOT the WRONG answer.
We do not "push" pills on this forum and I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't "push" religion.
I realize this is simply your opinion, but I find in it a sense of judgement that is disagreeable to me.
Thank you for stopping in and sharing. Perhaps you would do better finding a religious anxiety forum, I'm sure they're out there.
Peace
Greenlydia  

[BillTheCat]

My racing thoughts are usually songs.  Strange, I know, but when my anxiety is sky high and I feel depersonalized, I have songs running through my head and are sometiem louder than the conversation I having.  this leads to "am I going crazy?", "will I lose control and hurt myself or someone else?".  But these thoughts are just my mind looking a reason for me to have this anxiety and fear.  They mean nothing.

[KERRY_JTR]

Hey there, i hope your doing ok, but i think pills are not the right answer. Do you believein God? He helps you out in ways no one or nothing or even you yourself could help yourself. Please try God before any man-made material, you will so much better dude...dudette? haha , Peace

[taraak]

my intrusive thoughts center around the reality of people.  when I first had the major panic attack,  I felt a deep sense of depersonalization.  I felt unreal.  people SEEMED unreal.  now my mind is constantly picking apart what makes us "real"    "why are we made out of flesh?"   "were just skin and bones, wheres the real person?"  things like that, that become so meshed together that I cant really even better explain them.    Now, I have been through similar fights like this before.  back in 1991, i had major panic attacks, thoughts of deviant sexual behavour and violence filled my mind.  the panic of having AIDS, even though my aids test came back negative, and I hadnt done anything to get HIV,  i KNEW I had it.  that was hell.   I am on an OCD med, which Ive been on for 5 years, and Klonopin, which Ive been on since 1991.  my doctor put me on this new drug, and Im hoping to feel better soon...

thanks guy,  and gals, for all of your encouraging words....

[RubyWitch]

MrGreen has given you excellent advice. I ALSO believe when your meds fully kick in, your mind will slow down. It is a VERY common side effect of anxiety/panic.
I use to suffer from racing thoughts and even the memory of them can bring me near panic to this day. They damn near drove me insane, and I mean that literally. I won't tell you what I did to shut them up, but I'll give you a bit of a look see at what use to run, non-stop, 24/7 through MY mind...................
"was that chest pain a heart attack is it in my arm now why do I feel dizzy and why is everyone looking at me what was THAT pain in my head maybe I'm having a stroke should I go to the hospital oh god what if I've got brain cancer is my heart beating too fast my hands are shaking why would they be shaking what does THAT mean I feel hot oh God I AM having a heart attack my heart is beating WAY too hard should I pull over but if I pull over then I'll know that I'm really in trouble God I think I'm going to die  why is my vision blurry I feel so weird what was THAT pain is it in my back or my heart my feet feel numb how am I going to be able to work like this I think I should go to the ER maybe I should take another Xanax I just took one but it's not working if it's not working than this isn't just anxiety it really IS a heart attact I'm so scared so scared so alone and scared what does THAT pain mean and why did that person just honk at me did I run a red light God did I hit someone................"

And those were the thoughts I'd have before I even reached the end of my road. I had a one hour commute to work...........can you imagine the state I was in when I got there? But they didn't stop then..........they kept going all day long like some old time reel to reel tape at warp speed.
That is what "racing thoughts" were to ME. They may be entirely different for you and everyone else. You say that you are constantly trying to figure out "who people are." Do you mean you can't remember their names or do you mean something more metaphysical? Perhaps YOUR racing thoughts are more "profound" than mine were. Mine were all totally self-centered and health related.
Give the meds some time. As MrGreen said, do your best to focus your mind on something besides yourself, keep busy.........it DOES help, but it is difficult.
If you get to the point that you can't take it one more minute, get to your psychiatrist and let him know what's happening.
You are not going crazy and there are many ways to quiet the thoughts.
You'll be fine, I promise.
Peace
Greenlydia

[taraak]

Ive only been on the meds for 2 days now.  Im just anxious to feel a change.  sometimes I get afraid that this wont end.    its the physical effects of the panic attack that are the worst to me.

[MrGreen]

Our minds are curious things. When we experience change our minds like to try and figure out why this change has taken place. The head can be full of thoughts. Why is this happening to me. Why do I exist. Will it last forever. The list could go on. They should stop once your medication kicks in. You will feel less anxious. If you can get on with doing things you won't have time to think at all. When we are alone we can think most of all. Nothing to stop us thinking. Here is were we must try and distract ourselves. Give ourselves that something to do. So the mind is not idle. But fear not. It is a common thing.