Obsessive thinking is
a series of thoughts that typically recur, often paired with negative judgements
. Many times there is an inability to control these persistent, distressing thoughts and the severity can range from mild but annoying, to all-encompassing and debilitating.
What does obsessive thinking feel like?
Obsessions are unwelcome thoughts, images, urges, worries or doubts that repeatedly appear in your mind. They can make you feel
very anxious
(although some people describe it as ‘mental discomfort’ rather than anxiety).
What are obsessive thoughts examples?
Common obsessions include:
fears of contamination/germs
, causing harm (perhaps by hitting someone with a car that you don’t mean to), making mistakes (leaving the door unlocked), disasters (causing a fire), certain numbers (such as 13 and 666), unwanted violent thoughts (thought of harming a loved one), blasphemous …
What causes obsessive thinking?
Brain imaging studies indicate that obsessive thinking is associated with
a neurological dysfunction of unknown cause that forces thoughts into repetitive loops
. While some people find themselves obsessing for the first time, others may have had multiple episodes, the specific content changing over time.
How do I stop obsessive overthinking?
- Distract yourself. When you realize you’re starting to ruminate, finding a distraction can break your thought cycle. …
- Plan to take action. …
- Take action. …
- Question your thoughts. …
- Readjust your life’s goals. …
- Work on enhancing your self-esteem. …
- Try meditation. …
- Understand your triggers.
How do you have obsessive thoughts?
- Distract yourself. When you realize you’re starting to ruminate, finding a distraction can break your thought cycle. …
- Plan to take action. …
- Take action. …
- Question your thoughts. …
- Readjust your life’s goals. …
- Work on enhancing your self-esteem. …
- Try meditation. …
- Understand your triggers.
What medication helps with obsessive thoughts?
- Clomipramine (Anafranil) for adults and children 10 years and older.
- Fluoxetine (Prozac) for adults and children 7 years and older.
- Fluvoxamine for adults and children 8 years and older.
- Paroxetine (Paxil, Pexeva) for adults only.
- Sertraline (Zoloft) for adults and children 6 years and older.
Is Obsession a mental illness?
Obsessive-compulsive disorder is
a mental illness
. It’s made up of two parts: obsessions and compulsions. People may experience obsessions, compulsions, or both, and they cause a lot of distress. Obsessions are unwanted and repetitive thoughts, urges, or images that don’t go away.
Are obsessive thoughts part of depression?
The unpleasant nature of these thoughts can lead to several disorders and conditions that affect the mental health of a person. Excessive and frequent occurrence of intrusive thoughts in
a person invariably results in depression
.
What are the symptoms of obsessive love disorder?
- an overwhelming attraction to one person.
- obsessive thoughts about the person.
- feeling the need to “protect” the person you’re in love with.
- possessive thoughts and actions.
- extreme jealousy over other interpersonal interactions.
- low self-esteem.
Is there an overthinking disorder?
Some of her patients who deal with negative thoughts and anxiety have also experienced headaches, body aches and stomach problems, she said. Overthinking is also often associated with mental health issues like depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress and
borderline personality disorder
.
Why do I overthink so much?
Overthinking is
the result of one fact of human existence
: we all have patterns to our behavior. These patterns develop over time based on life experiences. And just as patterns are learned, they can also be unlearned.
What are the side effects of overthinking?
- Difficulty swallowing.
- Dizziness.
- Dry mouth.
- Fast heartbeat.
- Fatigue.
- Headaches.
- Inability to concentrate.
- Irritability.
How do you treat obsessive thoughts?
Pharmacological treatment can be effective in treating obsessive thoughts. People living with OCD may benefit from
selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)
, such as Zoloft, Celexa, Prozac, and Effexor. SSRIs are traditionally used as antidepressants, but they also help target obsessive thoughts.
What is thinking bad thoughts called?
Intrusive thoughts
are unwanted thoughts that can pop into our heads without warning, at any time. They’re often repetitive – with the same kind of thought cropping up again and again – and they can be disturbing or even distressing.
Why is obsession bad?
Obsessions
can paralyze us
. Other times, they can lead to compulsive behavior such as repeatedly checking our email, our weight or whether the doors are locked. We lose touch with ourselves, our feelings and our ability to reason and solve problems.
