Help

[anxious09]

I suffer from health anxiety. Tonight my son complained of a health issue which worried me a lot but could not check it over till tomorrow..anyhow I fell asleep.. around 4 I woke up to pee and after a while bad thoughts starting racing and then I had an intense fear I am going crazy and will lose my mind etcc and started a feeling of burning in my head . Sooooo scary. Am I losing it? I cant sleep now

[artemesia2]

You might be suffering from obsession , obsessive thoughts.   These thoughts invaribly cause anxiety.   The psychiatric definition of obsession is unpleasant,  unwanted thoughts that one is constantly thinking.   You might be a hypochondriac.   I could be wrong in both my thoughts here . I think your best option is to talk to your primary or who ever you see for general heatlh care   Then if needed see if s/he can refer to a specialist.

[Paxiled]

Obsessive thoughts are a result of anxiety.  They don't cause anxiety.  We don't know actually what causes anxiety or depression or any other mental illness, but all are marked by obsessive thinking.  If this thinking were all wonderful thoughts it wouldn't be a problem, but with anxiety and depression they are unpleasant and often self-defeating thoughts and that is the nature of the disorder.  There are a lot of obsessive thinkers who don't have any mental problem, in fact it allows them to accomplish incredible things.  Creative people have obsessive thoughts but they are creative thoughts and are used to create.  Anyone who gets involved in anything that requires intense concentration and focus has what could be called obsessive thoughts.  If you think about work while you are working out, that is obsessive thinking, but if it's creative and useful it's not part of a problem.  Too often on this website people seem to imply that thinking is a bad thing, but as Voltaire said, I think, therefore I am.  Peace, all.

[AnnieBrooke]

However, the o.p. is intensely fearful and wonders if she is going crazy. This is not just "I think, therefore I am." When it gets to the point of lying awake all night going over frightening scenarios, seeing a counselor is good to try.

[Paxiled]

Obviously was responding to the post that was made in response, not the original post, as it was inaccurate as to how anxiety works.  Often I'm trying not to let responses to posts that are being read by people who don't actively participate but do read stuff here lead to people getting scared.  So the response said obsessive thinking causes anxiety, and that's not in fact true, lots of people as I said have thoughts we might call obsessive or intrusive but aren't bothered by them in the slightest.  Anxiety causes the obsessive thoughts that bother anxious and depressed people, not vice versa as, again obviously but sometimes  it does need to be stated as a calming statement, that all humans think, it's what defines our humanity, and it's only when that thinking becomes a problem that it's a concern.  So again, if you note, I was responding to a response, not the original post.  Peace.

[artemesia2]

Maybe what I should of wrote instead of anxiety,  uncomfortable emotional feelings.  I was told if one is obsessed with whatever its not psychological obsession.  Its a diversion.   A psychologist said this to me.  "All marked by obsessive thinking"  First time I saw this thought.   I am creative. I like to draw , paint.  I've been in several juried shows.  

[Paxiled]

This is my point, artemesia, as it arises a lot on this website.  If you're an artist and are good enough to have been in shows, let me ask you, where did the thoughts that first made you sit down and make art come from?  Truly, from nowhere, right?  And when you sit down to paint, one could call the ideas that drive you to do this intrusive or obsessive thoughts, as again, they come from nowhere and are so persuasive you sit down and make something beautiful that makes others think.  So I always try to make this difference known, that all thoughts are intrusive, and all of us who do things are obsessing when we do them, if you want to look at thinking itself as obsessive.  I keep saying this to less the fear some seem to have about the very act that makes humans a unique species, which is, we sit around and think about all sorts of things.  If these things don't bother us or harm anyone, it's not a problem.  Peace.

[AnnieBrooke]

My suggestion would be to seek therapy, to find out why you have this destructive anxiety.