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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 16 of 16. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by wisekaz on October 13, 2007, at 4:23:31
Hi There
I suffer from severe panic attacks and obsessive thoughts about the world (and panic about them) They range from how big the world is, to trying to work out which way the world is spinning, feelings that everything to do with the world is fake and on and on it goes. Does anyone else out there get anything similar? What do you do to help?
Posted by d0pamine on October 13, 2007, at 5:58:39
In reply to Obsessive thoughts about the world and panic, posted by wisekaz on October 13, 2007, at 4:23:31
9 years ago I stopped all consumption of TV and movies. I have no TV. My thoughts are much more rational for it.
Posted by wisekaz on October 13, 2007, at 6:01:46
In reply to Re: Obsessive thoughts about the world and panic, posted by d0pamine on October 13, 2007, at 5:58:39
Were you stressing over what you saw and heard on the tv?
Posted by d0pamine on October 13, 2007, at 7:41:18
In reply to Re: Obsessive thoughts about the world and panic, posted by wisekaz on October 13, 2007, at 6:01:46
I was aware that the things I was seeing were having an adverse impact on my thoughts, my imagination and even my dreams and that they were largely not based in reality. I see the mind as a bit of a machine and the information it obtains by means of its input (eyes, ears, etc) to be a bit like code (programs). Once an idea is allowed inside, the mind has a limited number of options as to how it can deal with it. For instance, one generally can't choose to simply forget something that they've seen or heard. I would also argue that one can't simply disregard it when making future decisions or even when simply having random thoughts during down time (assuming one's mind ever has down time in the presence of a continuous bombardment of so called entertainment). Any given piece of so called entertainment viewed in isolation may seem to have little impact on anything, but the cumulative effect over time changes much about who you are and what and how you think. As benign as it may seem, I assure you that the consumption of entertainment is the absorption, adoption, and acceptance of programming, the programming of your mind, and nobody is immune to its impact.
Posted by d0pamine on October 13, 2007, at 7:44:46
In reply to Re: Obsessive thoughts about the world and panic, posted by d0pamine on October 13, 2007, at 7:41:18
I apologize for my thoughts on this subject not being relevant to this board.
Posted by johnj on October 13, 2007, at 9:08:08
In reply to Re: Obsessive thoughts about the world and panic, posted by d0pamine on October 13, 2007, at 7:44:46
I liked your thoughts on the subject and I think for many tv, newspapers, etc., are very bad for negative thinking. I have worry, ocd, panic and too much internet and tv definately make me feel hopeless. Thanks for you thoughts.
johnj
Posted by chiron on October 13, 2007, at 10:13:15
In reply to Obsessive thoughts about the world and panic, posted by wisekaz on October 13, 2007, at 4:23:31
I've had a couple of incidences when I have not taken my Xanax & I start having weird/psycho/negative thoughts about life & the world. I recognize at the time I am in a zone that will go away, but it still is very real & uncomfortable. One entry:
"Some anxiety and depressive thinking about the world in am. Called friend to try and get some light-heartedness"
Posted by Phillipa on October 13, 2007, at 10:38:29
In reply to Re: Obsessive thoughts about the world and panic, posted by chiron on October 13, 2007, at 10:13:15
I don't read the newspaper or watch the news anymore exactly for that reason and have heard it can have a negative impact. Phillipa
Posted by Racer on October 13, 2007, at 11:58:40
In reply to Obsessive thoughts about the world and panic, posted by wisekaz on October 13, 2007, at 4:23:31
>
>They range from how big the world is, to trying to work out which way the world is spinning, feelings that everything to do with the world is fake and on and on it goes. Does anyone else out there get anything similar?Ironically, those are the sorts of obsessive thoughts I rather welcome! The worst of my intrusive-obsessive thoughts are about me, and my own worthlessness. Sometimes I recognize that these are thoughts I've internalized from things I have been told all my life by my family -- I'm in my mid-40s and many of them still feel entitled to tell me how little value I have. Most of the time, though, when I'm in a cycle of this sort of worthlessness, I just cry. That's not very helpful, though, is it?
Unlike some of the others here, I have found television helpful to distract myself. Then again, I do not live alone, my husband has us signed up for approximately sixteen bejillion cable channels, and I have the complete first season of "Rocky and Bullwinkle" on DVD. I'm not limited to what's on networks. Distraction helps me a lot. Books are also good -- sometimes. Sometimes they help provide other grist for the obsessive mill...
Meditation may help, along with cognitive behavior therapy, which teaches you to replace problematic thoughts with more beneficial versions. (I'm not a big fan of CBT, by the way, but a lot of people here have found it helpful.) Activity may help. A whole host of medications can help.
Medications: SSRIs, anxiolytics, anti-psychotics, and no doubt other drugs I'm not thinking of right now. SSRIs have helped me with the obsessions, but they've also caused too much apathy for me to be willing to stay on them. I'm treatment resistant, though, with a lot of weird reactions, so that's not necessarily going to apply to anyone else. Some anxiolytics may help, although I've not had much luck with them, so I'll leave that to someone else. Anti-psychotics sound much more frightening than they are -- most are also used as anxiolytics, and they can be wonderfully effective. I've heard really good things about Seroquel, as being low in side effects.
Hope that helps.
Posted by your#1fan on October 13, 2007, at 12:43:02
In reply to Re: Obsessive thoughts about the world and panic, posted by chiron on October 13, 2007, at 10:13:15
i have obsessive thoughts about what im going to do in the future......whats going to happen next. what am i going to do. Its actaully a self-fufilling profecy because everyday something bad happens to me (lose keys, get imbalanced, call the doctor a million times, call my friends a million times, going around in circles)
Zyprexa or Lithium would be good for this.
Posted by Maxime on October 13, 2007, at 15:01:20
In reply to Obsessive thoughts about the world and panic, posted by wisekaz on October 13, 2007, at 4:23:31
Hello
I do the same thing. I wouldn't say that I panic attacks, more like anxiety attacks. It prevents me from sleep.
I worry about everything that is going on in the world and depersonalization ( your example of:feelings that everything to do with the world is fake).
I need help. I've meditation and yoga, but it hasn't worked yet. I don't believe the answer is in meds. I believe we have to stop our minds from going there. I also find it annoying that I worrying about things that I have no control over.
You are not alone.
Maxime
Hi There
>
> I suffer from severe panic attacks and obsessive thoughts about the world (and panic about them) They range from how big the world is, to trying to work out which way the world is spinning, feelings that everything to do with the world is fake and on and on it goes. Does anyone else out there get anything similar? What do you do to help?
Posted by Jay_Bravest_Face on October 13, 2007, at 19:51:47
In reply to Re: Obsessive thoughts about the world and panic, posted by d0pamine on October 13, 2007, at 5:58:39
I have been (and still sortof am...) in that terrible place. I know WAY too much about politics, and politics overwhelms me. There is just so MUCH..ohhh...pain...hurt...greed...hate. I now take regular breaks from the media, and turn to music (creating my own...which doesn't sound that great, but lets me express myself.) And, I listen to tons of great stuff at max volume. Classical, metal, hardcore, punk, jazz. The pharmaceuticals help..lol.
Jay {Endlessly Rocking..Endlessly mocking...hahaa..Hey, it rhymes?}
Posted by wisekaz on October 14, 2007, at 22:04:48
In reply to Re: Obsessive thoughts about the world and panic, posted by d0pamine on October 13, 2007, at 5:58:39
Sorry for slow reply. Thanks for your thoughts on TV etc I appreciated the input!
Posted by wisekaz on October 14, 2007, at 22:06:20
In reply to Re: Obsessive thoughts about the world and panic, posted by chiron on October 13, 2007, at 10:13:15
does the lighthearted chat with a friend help?
Posted by wisekaz on October 14, 2007, at 22:11:43
In reply to Re: Obsessive thoughts about the world and panic » wisekaz, posted by Maxime on October 13, 2007, at 15:01:20
Thanks Maxime. I guess panic attacks/anxiety manifest themselves in many different ways. Mine is with the physical shape and structure of the world. I have to be continually aware of which way the world is spinning, what shape Australia is and which way it is lying,how big the world is etc. I am unable to go outside as everything seems tooooo big and open yet inside I find it worse because my mind plays tricks on me about what is happening outside! So I stay seated in one seat all day long too scared to move. Am sure the zoloft will start working soon! I hope!
Posted by Sigismund on October 15, 2007, at 3:00:03
In reply to Re: Obsessive thoughts about the world and panic, posted by wisekaz on October 14, 2007, at 22:11:43
>Mine is with the physical shape and structure of the world. I have to be continually aware of which way the world is spinning, what shape Australia is and which way it is lying,how big the world is etc.
Do you mind me asking......
Do you need to be continually aware of the way the world is spinning etc so as to forestall something bad?
Or
What are the consequences of you not being aware of these things?
This is the end of the thread.
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