Can I get medication to stop obsessive thoughts?

[Brainwontstop]

Just that really.
Is there anything that will help me? I’m not sure I’ve titled it right but it’s the only way I can describe it.

It’s directed at my next door neighbour. They have an malinois dog that barks constantly and tries to bite people in the street. It also tries to scale the fence while my kids are out.

I can shut the doors and turn my telly up, use white noise or whatever but I want to sit outside and listen to the birds or my kids and can’t so all of the earplugs suggestions won’t work. I also WFH so need to be able to hear in my own house yet often I can’t.

Ive reported it to the police and council but they don’t care. They remove the dog at times so it might not bark for a week if an incident happens but then starts up again and this happens on repeat.

Anyway. Now I'm obsessed with this dog. I can’t sleep for thinking about the dog. If it’s not barking I’m worried it’s going to bark. If it is barking I’m stressed it’s barking. It’s consuming my every thought and I just want to learn to live with it since it’s going nowhere.

Is there anything I can do?

I suspect there's a form of talking therapy that would help. Saying that, citalopram really helped with my anxiety and intrusive thoughts so maybe. See your GP and see what they suggest.

Thank you! I don’t want to sounds weak and pathetic but I honestly am consumed by it at the moment.

Yes you absolutely can. But before resorting to medication I would self refer to the NHS online for therapy. It can be just as effective as taking prescription drugs for anxiety. When you have a very specific pervasive thought it can be especially effective. If you self refer someone will contact you within 2 weeks and take if from there according to which treatment they believe is the most effective. One treatment that could work nicely for you is called Neuro Linguistic Programming which essentially helps you to recategorise the traumatic memories in your brain and make them become more mundane. This is done through thought repetition amongst other techniques. By becoming bored of a thought, your body then becomes less reactive/ triggered by it. It can be very effective in managing specific phobias. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is more widely used and can also be very effective in managing anxiety.
I would also make a drs appointment. They might recommend medication. If they do, i would still recommend a talking therapy to put tools in place for when you come off medication.
I would also start exploring other opportunities for moving, although realise that this can take time.

Google NHS mental health CBT and there will be a short self referral form. Then make a drs appointment too.

You absolutely can get the help to deal with this issue. Best of luck. Xx

https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/mental-health-services/find-nhs-talking-therapies-for-anxiety-and-depression/

Here you are! I hope that helps. And no, you certainly aren't weak or pathetic!! You are strong and proactive. Xx

Thankyou so much. I will do this. I also get therapy through my workplace but have never needed it but maybe I should do this too.

I honestly don’t know if it’s rational any more. I went outside, our flies the dog and I just burst into tears. I think it’s a disproportionate reaction as it’s just as dog!

You could also do something practical such as put some trellis up above your fence so that you're less worried about the dog scaling the fence. It seems that it's not just the barking issue but also the fear of this particular dog.
Are you generally scared of dogs? If not I would encourage you and your children to spend a little time with a small friendly dog just so that the experience of this dog doesn't put them off all dogs.

For what it's worth, I think this is a quite rational response to a very bad situation. Because it's not only the alarming noise of the dog (that's bad enough), it's knowing that the owners, your neighbours, don't care. That they are selfish, unpleasant people whose anti-social tendencies are affecting your life.

I’m not scared of dogs I actually do love them. We have a large dog of our own who is quiet and calm and a normal family breed. I have no problems with other dogs but this one makes me uneasy.
It seems intent on killing me whenever I see it. Teeth bared, smacking its head at the glass, running a lap of the garden and getting half way up. It’s a 7ft fence but knowing malis it could and it does not have friendly intentions 🙁

Police don’t care because it’s secured behind a fence or on a lead when out (no muzzle) so they deem it safe.

Moving isn’t an option as I’m in negative equity sadly.

It's not 'just a dog'! It's a menace of a dog. A large potentially aggressive dog that is causing fear and constantly invading your quiet space and sleep!
Besides which, I like many people, are absolutely completely and totally petrified of spiders. They are a 1000th of the size of a dog and can't harm me, but my god, the fear. That is an irrational fear. Being intimidated by a large biting dog that barks constantly is entirely rational.
Don't dilly dally re a therapy referral. It can be really hard to make decisions when you are anxious. The NHS will honestly provide you with more than you can get privately or through your work and many people (understandably) prefer employers not to know. I have had so much therapy over the years and have paid a lot for it. The NHS has, without a shadow of a doubt, had the most straightforward and effective approach. I guess that it's because their programme has been created by a whole group of psychotherapists and heavily tested and reviewed. I think that if you were just to fill in the form right now and send it off you will feel so much better for being proactive. The NHS might, having initially contacted you, then put you on a 3month waiting list. They might initially send you access to a specific app to work through on your own with someone to support you online. They might offer you that and a weekly face to face session with a practitioner over Zoom/teams. Or they might offer you a group therapy session. They will recommend options but you will still be in control. If there is a wait, then you could see if your work can offer you something sooner and can also see the Dr. But I would personally at least sign up for NHS help today. You can always change your mind later on. But as I have said, they are really good!
Best of luck. Honestly, you can get over this! 😁

Lithium or risperidone?