I'm always imagining the worst

[MrsSawdust]

Specifically, horrific accidents that could befall my dd. I imagine them happening and how I would react. I regularly upset myself with these trains of thought.

Am I normal?

I have no advice but just wanted to say, I do the same and I feel your pain. Its awful but I can't help it.

Well I do that all the time...constantly. I am not sure if this is any comfort to you because you don't know me and I may/may not be normal! I am not sure either but you have my sympathies.

By the way, I sometimes wonder if I do it because my first DS was stillborn, and I have been made aware of the mortality of my children in this way if that makes sense? Is there anything like this which could explain your feelings? Anything happened in your life to make you feel this way?

Strikeup I'm sorry about your ds.

As for my experiences, my mum was killed in a car accident so that has made me acutely aware of the mortality of everyone in my family. I do wonder if that's why I worry so much about dd.

You're just catastrophising - it happens to us all at one time or another, best thing to do is take a step back in your mind and look at what you're thinking about from an outsider's perspective. It should make you realise it's irrational, and fearing the worst is more of a hinderance than a help. Good luck

I do this, especially if 'down'

rationalise it. Tell yourself that this will not happen BECAUSE xxxx

make yourself visualise what would happen if eg she wandered in to the road - you would go and get her, and she would be fine.

I CONSTANTLY do this, it is like I am subjecting myself to some form of torture. I often find myself trying to hold back the tears when in public places because I have just been imagining some thing terrible happening to DD.

I do this, and it isn't just confined to my dc- I worry about my DH and my dad too, and imagine all sorts of "what if" scenarios.

DH got quite cross with me at the weekend, because I happened to mention that I had seen a lot of single magpies lately, and that always makes me think something bad is coming. I have become stupidly and illogically obsessed with magpies since seeing lots of single ones just before my mum died. I know it is to do with the time of year, and their nesting habits etc etc, but I can't help worrying about what is coming next .

Very common

I do it sometimes

I find clearly saying "STOP" to myself (aloud or in my head) and mentally changing the subject is enough to jolt me out of it

Imagine the thought like as a wispy cloud on a breezy day... there, it's gone

I do this - e.g. if my DS1 has a pain, I will think it is undiagnosed leukaemia. This is because I had undiagnosed pre-term premature rupture of the membranes - I 'knew' my waters had broken but didn't push the doctors hard enough for a scan etc. and unfortunately the baby died. Bereavement midwife said this is very very common in people who have previously thought the worst and the worst has happened iykwim.

It is awful isn't it. It is happening less and less now although I can still be up in the night worrying sometimes. Could CBT help if it is actually affecting your day to day life?

I do this, I am currently having CBT training as it apparently linked to DD1 passing away.

With my subsequent children I go overboard when they are very small or sick. I used to check them ridiculous amounts of times during the night or if they were sick I would think they were going to die.

I am getting a lot better with CBT training, it really is great.

Sorry, I pressed post too soon. If it worries you (or others around you, as mine did) ask your GP for advice.

To echo other posts on here- talk to your GP if your thoughts are starting to impede your life to the point that they are making you constantly anxious or may be picked up upon by your children. I also constantly assume the worst, usually surrounding illness rather than accidents and like others this has worsened since I suffered 2 missed miscarriages last year (I also have a magpie problem). Catastrophic thinking can also be a mental form of OCD and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy would be really useful if you do think that things have become unbearable as I have had this in the past for similar thought patterns. Telling your mind to 'stop' is definitely a good strategy and some people say that you should imagine you're wearing an elastic band and ping 'stop' whenever a catastrophic thought comes into your head. It's a hard one though because you do have to help your children to keep safe but at the same time they may actually be more likely to be affected adversely by your fears than an actual accident.