GreenJet68

Thank you both so much, I will try my best to keep the radio on and things to distract from constantly looking for noises. It’s an old convertible so the noises from scuttle shake and the more rattly roof often trick me into thinking the belts are about to snap.

Hi everyone, I’m majorly into cars and have been for a very long time. I’m having problems at the moment worrying about my car breaking after needing to spend quite a bit of money in recent times at garages so I really can’t afford any bills. I am constantly worried about things going wrong in a big way, listening out to every little noise. Most of the time I’m driving without the radio on constantly analysing what the car is doing. I can’t sell the car and get something more reliable financially at the moment, and it’s almost a better the devil you know thing. The constant checking and catastrophising is driving me up the wall. I had the timing belt changed today at £340 and have just been driving around looking out for weird noises, in spite of the mechanic saying the car is in good shape. Really don’t know what to do with myself. I start cbt in April, this is one of many things at the moment. I am trying to drive more often with the radio on as I read in a self help book doing the opposite of what the anxiety wants you to do is effective, but I don’t always succeed. Thanks for any help you might be able to offer.

Hi everyone, hope you are well, I’m struggling presently with insomnia, nocturnal panic attacks and have always had OCD. If any of you have GAD or panic disorder, how does it combine with your OCD, and do you have any coping routines or mechanisms? thanks as ever.

I’m literally doing this right now ?

Yes absolutely, overthinking and over reading conversations, replaying them in my head afterwards, becomes compulsive mental checking/review, totally get where you’re coming from.

I’m so sorry, please give the CBT a go, and give it time. Think of all the thousands of people on here and in the wider OCD community that have benefitted from the treatment, if not at first then eventually with time, dedication and some grit. You’re absolutely worth it, be good to yourself and reach out if you ever need anything.

Good for you, so pleased it went well. Think it’ll be good if you can go again at some point to hammer it home that everything is fine.

Thank you, I’m starting to wonder whether GAD is there as well as the OCD, wonder if it is a potential comorbidity? Trying to avoid the spiral of ‘do I have OCD now’ haha.

I totally understand the writing down thing, while I’m in a rough trot at the moment even writing my first post on here felt so cathartic. The air traffic control chatter suggestion is a new one! I used to use a white noise machine but I’m trying it out again tonight, already quite sleepy. Hope it works… How long was it before you began to make progress with night terrors?

Hi northpaul, thank you for replying, Yes I’ve promised myself some reading time before sleep and a phone detox about half an hour before bed. Which radio stations do you listen to?

Over the last few days I’ve had a panic attack in the night every time I’ve tried to sleep, usually between 3-4am. I’m on my own and starting to feel a sense of dread about going to bed tonight. Can anyone offer any help or advice please? Sorry that this isn’t strictly OCD I just don’t know who else might know what to do.

A lovely positive thread and it’s so nice to read of you playing with your grandchildren. I hope I can emulate your long-term success with fighting OCD. You definitely deserve all the fruit and nut your teeth can handle. Have a great evening.

Thank you I will have a look into Dr Burns’ work now. Can completely relate to planning for the worst case outcome all the time.

5th night in a row with a 3-4am panic attack. Does anyone have any advice as to what can be done? I’ve not had them at night like this before, it’s disorientating and hard to control.

A similar book is ‘Because We Are Bad’ by Lily Bailey