Does everyone?

[mellymel]

Does everyone have obsessive, ruminating thoughts regardless of what their fear is? Or is it just people with ocd, that have a fear of hurting themselves or others? Because it seems like everyone with anxiety, no matter the type, obsesses over what is wrong with them...

[Nicolette]

jessed03 wrote a message to me in my inbox when i asked him this. from what i can understand almost everybody with anxiety has ruminating thoughts and is obsessive about their health or whatever they are afraid of. i will quote what he said to me. i asked him if the fears i have of hurting my little child are had by everybody and if my fear of being a bad mother means i have ocd. he said...

"OCD and anxiety are like neighbouring states. They are very close. Imagine you live in New York - and you want to quickly go across state to visit your family in Vermont. You may go across the state border for a few days, and stay in Vermont. Anxiety and OCD are like this. You may live with anxiety, but you may often cross over slightly, and have symptoms of OCD. This is very different however, to suffering a full-blown OCD condition. You are still suffering anxiety, however you have overlapped that tiny bit into OCD territory. It's like when you overlap state slightly, and visit Vermont. You may overlap it at times, but you don't live there. Your condition is much more mild than OCD, and is much more related to anxiety. However not everybody will cross that border slightly."

i think you are just having symptoms of it related to your anxiety rather than suffering ocd. but yes, we are all obsessing over something or other :)

[NixonRulz]

I have had the same feelings.

We obsess because we worry. We worry becasue we have anxiety disorder.

I agree with Nicolette that if you have anxiety, regardless of the type, you will tend to obsess on anything you cannot find the absolute truth to.

Intusive and horrible thoughts are just a symptom of anxiety, that is an absolute proven fact.

You won't go and hurt yourself or anyone else because of an anxiety disorder.

The thought scares you so much you tell yourself it must be real.

How many times have you thought the alarming thought and did nothing but got scared.

I rest my case!

[mellymel]

Thanks guys :)

[jessed03]

You know Mel, if you ever have a child that uses this forum, their screen name would be MiniMellyMel...

It would be the best screen name on the WHOLE forum :)

[mellymel]

You know Mel, if you ever have a child that uses this forum, their screen name would be MiniMellyMel...

It would be the best screen name on the WHOLE forum :)

Hahaha...well, lets hope I don't screw her up that bad that she will need to lol 😛

[kbuzz1]

I actually don't. And this is what really pisses me off about my anxiety. I just have a nervous feeling ALL the time for no reason and it drains me of all my energy. I almost wish I had ruminating thoughts so I knew where my anxiety was coming from and I could set up a plan of attack.

[jessed03]

I actually don't. And this is what really pisses me off about my anxiety. I just have a nervous feeling ALL the time for no reason and it drains me of all my energy. I almost wish I had ruminating thoughts so I knew where my anxiety was coming from and I could set up a plan of attack.

This is the worst kind really. Not for the pain, but because you have no idea how to tackle it. I had it like this for about 1.5 years after my initial problems went away. Just nervousness about nothing. I wasn't scared of people, of health etc.. I was just nervous all the time. I just had to live with it on or off.

I dunno what to suggest really. I'm not sure what made this nervousness go. I had a period for a long time, where I was busy virtually ever second of the day. I meditated an AWFUL lot, and done relaxation tapes twice a day. Over time it just seemed to fade. It doesn't go though, if I live really unhealthily, I'll feel it come back. I think it's all momentum for me. If I get into the habit of being calm, I'll stick at calm, but sometimes the habit comes in of being nervous, and I really know I've gotta break it fast. I had a couple of health problems though, maybe that caused it.

Made me wish I had a fear, so I could just overcome it, and file it all away.