my mind keeps going to the past, anyone else the same?

[coffeelover3]

I think it's cos very little is happening. My mind has started playing things from my past over and over. I'm remembering things and feeling combinations of embarrassment - from things I did/didnt' do - to regret, to nostalgia, to more regret, to not having enjoyed my life more at the time, to making "wrong" decisions, to not making decisions I should have but just coasting. Its starting to drive me a bit mad. Memories just crop up all the time, even if I'm cleaning the kitchen or washing dishes for the 100th time. I think it's cos everything is so boring at the moment, nothing happening, not meeting anyone, not seeing anyone my mind is going to places I'd rather forget. And so many dreams that leave me uneasy. Anyone else the same?

I am also thinking a lot in general about my life, whether I'm happy and what I want out of my life. I lost 2 close relatives, not to covid, last year and thinking life is too short. Think I'm going through a midlife crisis too!

Not read all the posts on here but another yes, I could've written this post! I feel like I'm constantly cringing at the moment having flashbacks of embarrassing moments or feeling guilty for things I've done in my past! It's so much worse because of lockdown. I've just had a baby so it could be my hormones too

@biddybird

I have done this all my life.

Me too. And unfortunately there is lots of really negative stuff that keeps invading my mind. I wish I could just live in the present.

I’ve just come back to this thread as really want to understand this better and what else can help as it puzzles me. I really feel affected by these negative thoughts which are unwanted and regular even when I’m otherwise such a happy and positive person, I just can’t stop them or their impact on me.

I’m interested in the hormone idea and keen to find out about this .
could it also be gut related as I know there’s a close link between a healthy gut and brain and equally a link between an imbalance / lack of good bacteria and anxiety for example ?

Also are many of you what would be described as ‘sensitive ‘? I am really haunted all the time by whether I’ve done the wrong thing and Definitely a deeply sensitive person so often have ‘too much‘ empathy or understanding of other people’s feelings and mind far too much about small things ! It’s really hard and getting worse as I no longer trust my judgement of whether I’ve done something wrong (dh always has to help me see I haven’t).

@VirtualLearning I am definitely a very sensitive/empathetic person like you described and to my own detriment. I've started learning to let the thoughts float away like a balloon when they come and not try to give them meaning or force them away as that never works and means I spend more time thinking about them. It is very normal in lockdown. In normal life we have lots of distractions and we're looking forward to things. Try not to be too hard on yourself about it. It is affecting a lot of people at the moment it seems

I do this all the time, I even have conversations with myself making myself sound like a loon