Does anyone else have obsessive thoughts without compulsions?

[chocoluvva]

Just that. I fixate on things and annoy myself by the way I keep thinking about them but I don't have OCD.

Anyone else suffer from this?

[SayCheesePlease]

what is it you fixate on?
is it things you've said to someone, should have said?

[marykat2004]

yes, I totally do that. ALL the time. Drives me insane. I was wondering the same thing... is there a condition called just Obsessiveness, not OCD?

[SayCheesePlease]

no idea, sorry, i think ocd comes in different forms

perhaps its not what you didn't say but who you didn't say it to? - i say this because a close friend was like this, and i remember it was with a particular few people that got her in this state

[Debs75]

Yes I do, really stupid things which I just can't get out of my mind. Sometimes they are things which just pop in my head and other times they are things which happened years ago and they come back to haunt me.

I also have a form of OCD which comes on when I am stressed. I get obsessed with numbers, patterns and how the letters in words add up. I can waste hours going over a saying and rearranging it to match my pattern

[frugalfuzzpig]

I'm sort of in between.

I do have compulsions but many are hidden so nobody would see them - when I'm obsessing about something, say a conversation that has happened or that might happen, I will not just obsessively think about it but I will HAVE TO repeat things excessively in my head (like what I'm planning to say, or what somebody else said) until I wear myself out. I can't divert my thoughts into something else, and that need is just as strong as the few other physical compulsions I have (checking) - but to an outsider it might seem like 'just' an obsession IYSWIM?

Not that there's any 'just' about it of course - anxiety is hell whatever form it takes :(

[SayCheesePlease]

the past is the past debs

by over thinking about what happened, you'll miss the now
when you're in this position, do you have support or do you ride it through alone

[ashtrayheart]

Yes I get this, also with reading and re-reading emails I have sent.
And I was told on mn yesterday there is 'no such condition as over thinking' hmmm.

[chocoluvva]

Thank you for your replies.

I've diagnosed myself with Generalised Anxiety Disorder - default setting is to worry about the worst case scenario and to worry about things that aren't really all that serious eg DS slightly underperforming at school.

But I fixate on things. I annoy myself and wear myself out always thinking about things and overthinking everything. The current fixation is with my DD and her boyfriend. It makes no sense - they're both 17, not 14, he's very nice, they both seem very happy and I'm happy for my DD but I constantly think about them and worry that DD will 'make a fool of herself' , that she might fail to take advantage of opportunities in order to spend time with him, (even though she has a place at uni for September) etc etc. I know it's silly but it doesn't stop me.

ashtrayheart - I read and re-read emails too and feel "haunted" from time to time too Debs75.

I don't have panic attacks/hyperventilate - so I wouldn't think beta-blockers or diazepam-type drugs would be helpful. I also have quite a lot of anger. I'm rarely ever properly relaxed even though I don't have a hectic lifestyle.

I would just like to turn my brain off sometimes to get a break from myself!

Has anyone done CBT with or without meds?

[TheOrchardKeeper]

Sounds like you 'catastrophize' things. It's best to speak to a professional of course but that's my main symptom for GA.

You often think it's one worry but as soon as you 'solve' whatever it was you just worry equally about something else (and really fixate on it).

I find mirtazipine & beta blockers have really helped. Especially the BBs as they slow you down a bit & it's harder to get as panicky/have panic attacks.

[TheOrchardKeeper]

CBT works well without medication if you're really against it btw. Though it doesn't suit everyone.

[TheOrchardKeeper]

(beta blockers can still help even if you don't have PAs as I find they calm me down regardless. Should really speak to your GP though about the best thing for you).

[ashtrayheart]

Beta blockers help me a lot, for general anxiety. I have diazapam occasionally and I used to be on citalopram which did help but I came off as I got fed up of the numb feelings.

[chocoluvva]

Thank you for your replies again.

theorchardkeeper - 'catastrophise' things. YY - my usual response is to assume the worst about everything. But I don't get in a noticeable flap about it.

If I've nothing to worry about I'll worry that there's something I'm overlooking.

My head gets 'full' very easily. I dwell on negative and positive events. It's exhausting. Even spending an evening watching tv leaves me feeling like I've been on an epic journey.

But as I don't get panic attacks or pace about/chain smoke/drink etc I'm not sure if meds would help. I've physically slowed down too much if anything - I used to rush around but I ran out of steam about twelve years ago and now it takes something really major to get the drive to get on with things quickly. It's just my brain wiring that's stuck going round and round an endless loop. Hence the query about CBT.

[Debs75]

SayCheese The old things that haunt me are usually things which I feel I should of handled differently. I do try and ignore them and focus on the here and now. No one else knows I over think like this. I think most of my family would think I was bonkers

[chocoluvva]

Do you find you feel like your head is 'full' more easily than other people?

[mouses]

hang on? ... is there a name for this thought it was an everyday occurrence that everyone gets??

I do this all the time, its exhausting! my brain don't stop going over things (usually negative) I can be sitting down in a quiet room but feeling tense, stressed and drained from it all.

today was a conversation (a row!) I was going to have with dp. I went shopping and the whole time I was in a 'zone' repeatidly going over what I will say, and going over different senarios depending on what he might say.

when I did get back i was so highly strung (if that's the word) i done my usual 'everything needs cleaning' regime! couldn't sit down, felt restless, had to do something?

my worse one is a vision I get of a police man knocking on my door to say my ds's are dead. and I don't react as a normal mum does and they think I killed them!

thankyou OP you might have helped me understand this, I never told my psychiatrist about it as I thought it was normal? x

[sisterofmercy]

It is especially common during teenage years and I think it doesn't switch off in some of us.

[WithanAnotE]

OP there is something called Pure O which is just the intrusive thoughts elements of OCD. I don't think it has a formal medical label but is recognised as a variant of OCD.Try Googling on this.

Also, I struggled with this and found ADs extremely good, providing about 75% reduction in my rumination and intrusive thoughts after a few weeks. The relief was amazing and long lasting, albiet I still take ADs (and am happy to continue doing so).

[chocoluvva]

Oh wow - thank you for the 'Pure O' reference WithanAnotE. Do you mind me asking which ADs you take? I sometimes wonder if I'm mildly depressed as I have such frequent anger, no get up and go and feel like crying if I know I have to be even remotely busy. There's no way I could hold down a 'proper' job.

mouses - I don't think it's normal. I occasionally embarrass myself by being seen to have a 'conversation' with an imaginary person. I didn't realise I wasn't normal until I was in my thirties.

sisterofmercy - that sounds very plausible.

[ColouringInQueen]

This is ringing lots of bells with me too. I have suffered from depression and anxiety and recently the ruminating has increased and is proving v diff to manage. Completely get the brain full feeling too.

[BillStickersIsInnocent]

Yes I have it, I used to have compulsions too when younger but they have pretty much gone now.

The obsessions are manageable for me through medication most of the time. I'm relapsing at the moment though, haven't slept a wink because of the thoughts. Feel terrible.

[WithanAnotE]

Chocoluvva
None of the experts I actually do consult with have gone a bit nuts that I can have intrusive without compulsions.

I have taken a variety of meds for various reasons. However, since taking my first one (Citalopram, 5 yrs ago) I have never had the intensity of the thoughts. I currently take a Venlafaxine, Mirtazapine, Quietiapine mix, but this is mainly to address other issues.

The only one that didn't 'work' for me at all was Sertraline, but others will tell you it's great.

Sorry!! It's a bit of trial and error but the 'AD' menu is quite big so there will be something there that will work for you.

I am a massive fan of therapy. However, therapy is fantastic at addressing my other problems. TBH the drugs really helped the best for me on this one.

[Helpyourself]

There was a documentary broadcast recently set in Bedlam. I found the professionals' explanations really helpful and it gave me a lot to think about. I have waves of anxiety and obsessiveness and watching the programme really helped.
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