I was have been having intrusive thoughts about home invasions since I was a younger.

I recently had a silly event happened that made me anxious about home invasions. I have had these thoughts since childhood and only ever felt anxious about it. It cause me to have OCD like tendencies ( although I have not been diagnosed with It).

I was wondering if you can help me find coping techniques to becomes less anxious about it. And in general have better mental health.
Asked by Raye
Answered
04/14/2021

Raye 

 

I understand you are struggling with intrusive thoughts, trauma, and coping in a healthy manner. You stated your concern of obsessive-compulsive disorder as a result of trauma and intrusive thoughts daily affecting your life. It appears you are struggling with anxiety and tendencies of OCD. I will discuss each disorder and different ways to address your concerns in a healthier manner.  I suggest you seek professional help with a therapist or doctor for an accurate diagnosis and proper treatment to your behaviors.  I will assist you with some information about your report of behavior along with interventions to help make a decision to your needs. If you are experiencing intrusive thoughts, you are struggling with self-perception negatively along with self-doubt lacking confidence withing. Your thoughts start to become embodied by your inability to redirect the thought creating anxiety.  Most times intrusive thoughts are deflected, and one tends to spend more time doubting that they are making the right decision rather than being confident the decision is accurate. If you are experiencing obsessive compulsive disorder as a result of intrusive thoughts, you are exhibiting fear of the unknown focusing on a sense of control.  OCD struggles often are exhibited from exhaustion of inanity to control the thought of fear of keeping things in line.Anxiety can be triggered by trauma or inability to process or cope with negative feelings or thoughts.  If you are experiencing self-doubt and excessive worrying you began to over generalize and create narratives of negative thoughts that falls in the category of social anxiety and anxiety category.  Anxiety is inability to stop worrying and control the negative thoughts resulting in a decline in daily activities and fear.  Based off your information and the discussion you are experiencing one if not all and is struggling with coping in a positive manner.  I suggest you work with a therapy to identify your thoughts and patterns of behavior to replace with positive ways to cope and regulate your feelings in emotions.  A therapist may utilize CBT skills to identify and patterns with you and increase healthy responses and reactions.  A therapist may also utilize Dialectical Therapy to increase self-esteem mad your ability to self sooth. If you are experiencing both anxiety and OCD it will be best to work with a therapist to sort out your problems and explore your feelings to decrease negative coping skills and self-defeating behaviors.  I hope this message gives you some clarity and understanding as you decide how to go further.