Fear of being/going insane

[Caramoole]

Such is the overwhelming power of fear and anxiety when we're in the midst of a bad spell of OCD, many fear that they're actually insane or insanity is imminent. Who's felt that way or indeed, never felt this way. It will be interesting to see how common this is (or isn't)

[PolarBear]

For decades I was sure I was a sociopath and a psychopath due to the thoughts I had. Who else but one of those would murder thousands of people in their mind?

[LizzyHoy]

I said 'no' because I don't think I did feel like that. It might have been different if I had spent longer living with it before I knew what it was. Thankfully I had a very resourceful mum who went to the library (pre-internet in our household!) and found out that the things I was talking about were symptoms of OCD. So there was probably only about a year or so that I had OCD thoughts without knowing that they were OCD (and if I remember rightly the thoughts hadn't become 24/7 at that stage).

Edited March 28, 2015 by LizzyHoy

[Guest Captiinbirdseye]

for 7 years until i found out about OCD i believed i was going insane on the verge of becoming a serial killer a Socipath a Pyschotic man or that i had just been born evil. Even at the worst moments now the thought may creep in to my mind but now i have a good understanding of why these thoughst are happening what they are and teh fact they are not me and i do not need to fear them im still learning everyday to try and not attach feeling to the thoughts and with medication and help im in the best place ive been for 7 years still cant get out the house but i will i will win has all of us who face it head on will win. but i no longer have a fear of being shitzophrenic or insane but i can really relate to what your saying.

[Guest eden1616]

well for me it didnt exactly scare me but i just thought i was insane. like i didnt panic like omg what if i am insane it was kind of just like well great maybe i am insane more of a nuisance really but i still felt like i was going crazy. although that was more due to the fact that i was hearing things so i dont know.

[Guest anatta]

What are you thinking of when you say 'insane', Caramoole? If you mean psychotic, then no. Legally insane (i.e. too out of touch with reality to know that criminal actions were wrong), then no. Psychopathic, then no. I have thought I was on the road to becoming hysterical (in the ordinary sense of the word, not the loss of speech or certain senses) and doing compulsions that might loosely be called 'insane' reactions by some, like criminally harassing people I'd got into online arguments with that had triggered me, to make them answer my questions or continue the argument. Personally, outside of legal contexts, which have their own definitions, I only use 'insane' to mean psychotic, but if you're using it far more broadly then I'll vote yes.

Edited March 28, 2015 by anatta

[Caramoole]

What are you thinking of when you say 'insane', Caramoole?

I only use 'insane' to mean psychotic, but if you're using it far more broadly then I'll vote yes.

I suppose I am using it as a very broad, coverall term that means that someone fears they will lose complete control and not be in charge of their behaviour or senses. Although they are all very different in reality, some may use insane, mad, psychopathic, psychotic, schizophrenic, deranged....etc, etc

It's meant very generally in this instance

[whitebeam]

I used to feel I could be heading for a breakdown - this would entail a loss of control I imagine, so I have said yes - but I never thought I would go insane as such.

[Melanie]

I did.... Do... I was afraid that I was delusional...