Horrific intrusive thoughts how to cope?

[Queijo]

I’m having such awful intrusive thoughts atm, brought on by stress I think. Today as I was unlocking my door there was a car pulling into the end of the street and all I could think about was he’s got a gun and he’s going to shoot me in the head, and then incredibly vivid images in my mind of my brains splattered all over the front door.

On Sunday I was in the car and had such a vivid intrusive thought of the driver crashing head on and I felt how it was going to feel as I was dying.

Both of these caused instant and intense panic attacks. But I’m doing it more and more often, it’s starting to scare the fuck out of me. They’re SO REAL in my minds eye I immediately go into flight or fight

Sorry you are going through this, have you been to your GP? X

Ohhh you poor thing. Intrusive thoughts are utterly hideous!!

i would also suggest trip to
GP. Antidepressants and beta blockers helped me with the panic. CBT is pretty good too!

just slow your breathing as much as you can. Don’t try and fight the thoughts- that feeds them. Hard as it is, you have to learn to let them
wash over you and flow away again. I visualise them as sort of radio waves passing through my head and then out. Not really my thought- I’m just the receiver of them! Then off they go!

How would anti depressants and beta blockers stop these thoughts though?

I think this sounds a bit goady but I'm genuinely not meaning it that way. I have them too and didn't think there was any solution tbh.

I was on anti depressants for a while and they definitely reduced my intrusive thoughts.

I’m off them now and when I get intrusive thoughts I try to manage the physical symptoms by calming my breathing. I don’t try to push the thoughts out but I do acknowledge that it’s my brain playing tricks on me and that I’m safe. They usually pass and then I do something to try and calm me down/distract myself.

It is horrible though, I really feel for you.

This. You need to learn to accept them, not let them panic and frighten you.

It's just your brain being a prick. Fine, whatever, thanks for that brain, ok, right it's gone now, going to get on with my day.

Then they seem to hold less power.

Hard at first, because it seems so true/real/vivid.

GP if you haven't already x

@Cosycover the beta blockers help with the physical symptoms of the panic. I find that they turn into a cycle (IT> panic> more It). The blockers help break that cycle. Then I can work on the rest!

dunno why AD help, but they really did for me.

defo worth a conversation I think 😊