Mental Health Worrying about mental health

[Giancarlo]

Hello everyone, I hope you are well. I was wondering if anybody could help me. I always worry about my mental health because I don't feel the same as I used to. I am always reading up on mental illnesses, usually paranoid about becoming mentally ill. Does reading and thinking about a mental illness make you more prone to developing it? or can it cause development of symtoms without an illness actually being present? And how obvious is a mental illness when you actually have one yourself? Sorry if these are stupid questions, any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[CosmicG]

Yes worrying all of the time about anything is going to most certainly increase the overall likeliness that something may or may not occur. Thoughts tend to become reality if you let them linger long enough.

What kinds of feelings are you having right now? Are there any specific mental illnesses you are particularly worried you may have?

 

[Giancarlo]

At the moment I am worrying about schizophrenia, I don't know why but I started reading about it and getting paranoid then started thinking about it a lot, only in the past couple of days though, it's hard to take my mind off of it

 

[Giancarlo]

I know it probably sounds stupid to think about it but I can't help it I'm just about having a panick attack

 

[CosmicG]

What symptoms are you experiencing in relation to schizophrenia? Real schizophrenics do not know they are ill in most cases without being on medication. Sounds more like your obsessing and it is causing you to have really bad anxiety.

I often find myself in thought loops where I just cant stop worrying about a certain something or other and it sends me into panic attacks..

 

[Giancarlo]

None really just being so paranoid about it and because I'm thinking about it so much it's putting little thoughts that are kinda like voices in my head, I know they are only thoughts though and it's most likely just because I'm obsessing. I've just been scared to even think about anything in fear of voices coming into my head, so stupid but like you say it's just anxiety, finding it hard to take my mind off it though... my head seems to be my worst enemy at times. Thanks for replying to me, it's been comforting just having somebody to talk to.

 

[CosmicG]

Of course no worries that is what this place is for! Based on your other thread it makes me wonder if you are not just experiencing symptoms of depersonalization caused by the excessive nature of your MDMA intake. I have been through that too and let me tell you it gets better in time no matter how bad it may seen now. It is all in your head man you will be fine. I deal with obsessive thoughts on a daily I suggest meditation and simply trying to keep your mind occupied.

 

[Giancarlo]

You could be right, maybe a bit of dp and anxiety? It's as if some of the thoughts in my head aren't mines. I have seen some improvements but the past couple of months have been a struggle, I try to stay strong! have you fully recovered apart from the obsessive thoughts? I must try meditation I've been keen on it for a while

 

[Giancarlo]

Also I haven't slept in 24 hours could that have anything to do with it?

 

[CosmicG]

Its hard to say for me personally i take Alprazolam and Etizolam daily to treat my anxiety and Lamictal for bipolar. I also like to experiment with MXE quite frequently along with copious amounts of high grade marijuana smoked daily.

I am sure there are others here on the boards that live much healthier lifestyles that would be more then willing to give you a more appropriate response however overall I feel much much better then I did though still believe my chronic anxiety stems solely from drug abuse of loads of psychedelic drugs and lots and lots of E as a young teen into my early twenties.

And yeah go to bed sir.

 

[Giancarlo]

Yeah I saw you're thread about MXE, I will need to look into it! I've been trying to sleep for the past 7 hours, just 5 minutes ago I was dosing off then heard somebody in my head say "doctor" in a really deep and creepy voice! Have you tried ginseng and gingko biloba for your anxiety?

 

[CosmicG]

I tried various nootropocs before finally settling for benzos but have not heard of the ones you mentioned. You dont have anything you can take to help you sleep maybe benadryl or something?

 

[keeping]

the worst thing you can do is google illnesses and self-diagnose. reach out to someone you trust and can confide in. my mum is my rock.
if you feel like a panic attack is imminent, get outside and take walk - whether you want to or not - t really does a world of good.
for insomnia, try melatonin supplements; you can get them from any old health shop.
hope you get through this soon, merry xmas.

 

[Giancarlo]

Thanks for the support keeping and merry Xmas to you too! I've been alright the past few days but now I'm panicking now, it's just sometimes when I'm trying to fall asleep I think about having schizophrenia and then a random thought or voice comes into my head and it totally freaks me out, my ears are ringing now and I feel sick, is this just purely anxiety?

 

[ParappaTheRapper]

I think its really easy to self-diagnose with the internet. A mental illness is defined by its interference with job, social, etc. So if you find a symptom and have it and worry etc, thats not really, having, it. You know what im saying?

Sounds like GAD more than anything.

When i was in really bad extended benzo withdrawal i got this horribly. A new thing each week. One time I convinced myself I had a tapeworm. Lol

 

[Giancarlo]

Thanks for the reply. I know what you mean, the internet is what started this for me, ever since I read about symptoms of schizophrenia it's been on my mind! Think I'm gonna see my doctor and see if I can get some counselling or something. How did you stop worrying about these kind of things?

 

[engineercchad]

I think with schizophrenia, there's a definite component of not having a clue that behavior is inappropriate.

As for the insomnia: start exercising a LOT. It helps. I can vouch for that.