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Practical Advice Can anyone advise me? Intrusive thoughts.

Empress00

SF Supporter
#1
Hi,

I had a traumatic mental health admission in September where security guards attacked me and the police arrested me and took me to the mental hospital. Since then I have been having a lot of intrusive thoughts worrying that bad things are going to happen in my life in the future even though I am safe(r) now and out of hospital.

I worry I will be attacked on the street, have my handbag stolen and be locked out my house unable to call anyone, or that I will end up homeless or someone will accuse me of a crime and I'll end up in prison.

I'm going to speak to my psychiatrist tomorrow but I only see them every 3 months and have to manage by myself, alone much of the time.

Does anyone have any advice on how to stop worrying all the time? Is it something that will get better as time goes on and I'm further away from the admission? I've seen a couple of books on Amazon about intrusive thoughts so that could be a start.

I'm even googling what to wear in prison and feel like I might be accidentally manifesting bad things which is making me worry even more.

Thanks in advance x
 

Holding my breath

SF Pro
SF Supporter
#2
Sorry to hear you are getting intrusive thoughts. Have you heard of DBT? It can be quite helpful in reframing and redirecting thoughts. There are various techniques which I have found quite helpful at times. One of these techniques is called ‘check the facts’. If you are anxious about something that might happen, you check the facts, or in other words, identify what is real, what you know to be factual, what information you have that you know to be true. This can then identify that your anxiety is not based on facts that you know and can therefore be reframed. Not sure I’ve explained that overly well but there are lots of techniques, perhaps worth a look.

Hope this helps xx
 

Empress00

SF Supporter
#3
Hi-thank-you so much for your helpful response 😊. Logically I know there is little basis as to why I am feeling this way, but a lot of bad things have happened to me in the past when I was least expecting it, so now I think I just expect the worst all the time. Thanks x
 

LumberJack

https://youtu.be/pfRdur8GLBM?si=wpkJ2fUipnmZ6rWI
#4
Hi, I have had a long struggle with intrusive thoughts, and I recently was in the psych ward, where I felt more traumatized coming out than I did before going in. I am still having recurring nightmares and I have absolutely lost any ability to trust anyone in “the system,” meaning any mandated reporters, first responders or my medical team.

I still struggle with this quite a lot. There is a book that I used that I found helpful. It’s called “Overcoming Unwanted Intrusive Thoughts” by Sara Winston. My experience with the technique she recommends is that it does help in the short term. I’m not having any fewer intrusive thoughts or any less frequently. I am better at tolerating them when they occur, and not making it worse by trying so hard to push them away that they actually get stronger because I give them so much attention.

Other than that I practice meditation (awareness of the breath), and deep breathing as a coping mechanism. The thing about breath work is that I have to practice it when I’m feeling relatively calm, so that I can go straight to it when I need it. Keeping the instructions on hand and attempting to learn it on the fly is not a good idea in my experience.

According to my medication management NP, I will see fewer intrusive thoughts about the hospital as time goes on. It has been 6 months and I’m still pissed about it. I do think about it less often than I did when it was fresh. It still bothers me many times a day, but I also have other things to obsess over, so it’s like all the worries are competing for air time in my head.
 

Empress00

SF Supporter
#5
Hi Lumberjack,

Thank-you for your response detailing your own personal experience with this, it sounds like we have some similarities in what we have been through and I am sorry to hear that you have been experiencing this as well, as it is not pleasant.

Before this last admission, I wasn't really worrying at all, despite previous MH admissions, but they changed my medication this last time so it could be any number of factors causing it. I agree that it probably takes time to get over a traumatic admission, so that in itself will help as I get further away from it.

I ordered a couple of books off Amazon today on mindfulness and one on how to get rid of intrusive thoughts but I find being busy helps. Unfortunately I spend most of my time and days alone, so I'm going to start trying more of a routine with my days.

Thank-you so much for responding, I hope you have a good evening and feel better soon xx
 

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