So scared. Please help!

[Prescottdanni123]

So, I have struggled with intrusive thoughts before, but normally I am able to igbore them and tell myself that they are intrusive thoughts. But a couple of weeks ago, I was watching This Morning and they ha Dan exorcist on talking about demons and the the thought 'The demon can have my dog'entered my head.

I began worrying that my dog was going to go to hell. Then I started asking for signs. I opened my YouTube app and said "God if you are OK with me asking for a sign, let the first video play with no issues,". The video started playing. Then I said "God, if my dog is going to go to hell, please let the 2nd video start running with no problems," the 2nd video started running without problems. Was this God answering? People in the bible asked for signs and God answered them, so is this what he is doing with me? Can we ask God for sigbs in this way? If he didn't answer then why is he letting me live with this worry instead of putting my mind at risk? I literally feel like I am being mentally and physically crushed right now.

Hi Prescottdanni123, we are really sorry to hear you are feeling this way right now.

We hope you don't mind but we've included some links here that may be of help.
Mental Health resources. You can also go to the Samaritans website or email them on [email protected]. Support from other Mumsnetters is great and we really hope you will be able to take some comfort from your fellow posters, but as other MNers will tell you, it's really a good idea to seek real-life professional help and support as well.

NHS: Where to get urgent help for mental health
NHS: Looking after your mental health
MIND: Coping with mental health problems during coronavirus
CALM: The Campaign Against Living Miserably
NHS: Help for suicidal thoughts

We hope things look a lot brighter for you very soon

The Bible is made up stuff.

Avoid watching disturbing content. Agree with making yourself think more positive thoughts

What coping strategies do you have for your instructive thoughts? Have you had any help with these? I can’t answer your religious questions but I’ve had OCD/instructive thoughts and remember that crushing feeling and didn’t want to leave you unanswered when you’re feeling that way x

Thanks for your answers. I've been in contact with a few christian counselling organisations for talking therapy. I thknk a christiab counsellor would be best for the things that I need to discuss. The earliest I can see someone is in about eight weeks time.

Would it be worth asking for this post to be moved to the Christian prayer and chat group? How do I go about that? Not that you haven't all been great, but with the nature of my thoughts, it might be better to get some other christians' perspective.

Hi @Prescottdanni123 I get some intrusive thoughts as part of Schizoaffective disorder (not saying that you have this disorder at all).

The thoughts used to be a lot more frequent but I take anti psychotics now and the thoughts only occur now at stressful times.
My thoughts involve causing harm which are very distressing to me as I wouldn't ever cause anyone deliberate harm.
I actually get a voice in my head saying to me why don't you do X harm?!

The things that have helped me with the thoughts as well as medication are:

Telling a trusted person.. in my case a psychiatrist who listened to me & reassured me.
Telling myself it's just an intrusive thought and you have nothing to fear (difficult at first).
Thinking of the thoughts as a type of stress or anxiety reaction.

I think that with the nature of your thoughts you need to tell yourself that things like demons are basically NOT real.

I know the exorcist may have been talking about demons but exorcists have to justify the fees they charge for the job they do. So he was probably telling stories.

And I wouldn't bother waiting for any signs from God... if God is real I think they are probably just really busy with all that's going on in the world!

I really would look into asking your GP if you can get some CBT or other psychological therapy to help with intrusive thoughts? You shouldn't have to put up with them.

@SommerTen

Thanks. I am planning on speaking to someone but waiting lists in my area are so long at the minute. I've been told that it could take a couple of months to speak to someone, which isn't much help to me in this present moment. A lot of private counselling also has long waiting lists and is too expensive.

the the thought 'The demon can have my dog'entered my head.

Are you worried that this thought somehow opened a portal and gave a demon permission to take your dog's soul?

Because - nah. They can't get in with idle thoughts. You'd have needed a whole set-up: pentagram, salt, the saints' names backwards, etc. That demon stuff is HARD.

Honestly, I wouldn't think about this anymore. Your dog is fine.