In this week’s episode of A Healthy Push podcast, I cover a thought many anxiety sufferers may have at one time or another: Am I going crazy?
I’m diving into:
Common reasons these thoughts pop up in the first place
How anxiety is affecting your thinking
What you can do to address and overcome it
Am I Losing My Mind?
Let’s start by answering the question by offering some clarity and reassurance: No, you are not going crazy and you are not losing your mind. As humorous as the premise may be, for many of us, these thoughts are far from a joking matter. Anxiety, especially when it’s not being addressed or improved upon, can be an exhausting experience. Eventually, as your brain and nervous system feel as though they can’t take it anymore, you’re left with the helpless conclusion of, well, maybe I’m just losing my mind. These thoughts can be scary, and I want to break down some of the reasons behind them because when you understand why they pop up it helps you to work through them in a healthy way.
Why These Thoughts Pop-Up
Anxiety is very subjective, varying from person to person. And while these reasons I’ll discuss certainly aren’t universal in every way, my hope is that they offer some form of clarity and comfort. You are not alone!
You’re Experiencing a lot of Feelings
If you’re experiencing things like panic attacks, depersonalization (feeling detached), or just really persistent symptoms that are causing you distress, it’s no wonder you’re misinterpreting these things for something more - aka possibly going crazy. When you experience sensations and symptoms that are overwhelming, cause you to feel disconnected from reality, and feel dangerous, it can easily make you think that something more serious is happening. But when you’re experiencing lots of feelings, it’s a good sign to pull back on taking your feelings so seriously (and your brain), because when you’re feeling really anxious, your brain doesn’t have a whole lot of clarity.
2. Giving Your Thoughts Too Much Attention (“What-If Thoughts”)
Another reason these thoughts of going crazy can arise is from giving your thoughts too much attention. Typically when people are struggling with the fear of going crazy, they’re having lots of intrusive thoughts (repetitive and distressing thoughts), what-if thoughts, and worst-case scenario thoughts… and they’ve gotten really good at trying to control them or get rid of them, which just isn’t helpful and fuels the anxiety. Our brain's job is to think and they’re good at it. They’re also protective and creative, so it’s no wonder it’s throwing some extra thoughts your way when you’re experiencing lots of anxiety. But instead of fighting your thoughts or trying to control them, practice pulling back on how much you’re entertaining your thoughts and work on just letting them come and go without trying to do so much about them.
3. Your Brain is Creating False Alarms
When your brain is in constant overdrive, caused by anxiety or otherwise, it will look for ways to protect itself. As the negative thoughts and fears build, your brain starts overanalyzing, heightening your fight or flight responses, and assessing would-be threats (even though these fears are irrational and do not warrant attention). It’s not a conscious choice, it's more of a physiological reaction; an uncomfortable one at that. But here’s the good news… rather than interpreting all of this as your brain being broken or you going crazy, it’s important to slow things down and see this as your brain actually just doing what it’s designed to do… it’s protecting you.
4. Lack of Control
As your symptoms and thoughts start to spiral, you can feel helpless, as if you don’t even have control of your own mental, physical, and emotional well-being. While this is not the case, and you do in fact have control, it can be a very unsettling reality to live in. Like gasoline on a fire, as the perceived lack of control builds, your anxious thoughts and feelings follow.
5. Lack of Understanding
Lastly, and something that can be tied to almost all of the reasons listed, is the general lack of understanding about your anxiety. How is it presenting itself? Why is it presenting itself? How are you responding to it? These are crucial questions that require answering. If we don’t truly understand our anxiety, how are we expected to address it, and respond to it in a healthy way?
Here’s something really important to recognize: Anxiety doesn’t lead to you going crazy because anxiety is rooted in heightened awareness, not in detachment. When you’re struggling with anxiety, panic disorder, and agoraphobia, you are very aware, very in tune, and very much with it. So you’re not fighting not to go crazy, you’re very with it, sane, and aware. You’re honestly just fighting your thoughts and feelings!
What You Can Do (Solutions):
Here are some simple tips to address the fear of going crazy:
Acknowledge these thoughts as anxiety (rather than focusing on the fear). You are not going crazy, these are anxious thoughts, and they will pass… a lot easier if you practice allowing yourself to have them.
For example, when you’re thinking and worrying… Am I going crazy? Could I go crazy? What if I am losing all control? Say to yourself: “I know what this is, it’s anxiety. It’s okay for me to feel this way. I’m just feeling overwhelmed and my brain is sending me some false alarms.”
Avoid desperately reassuring yourself of your own sanity. This will only inflame your anxiety and make things worse. Once you start acknowledging these thoughts and feelings for what they are (anxiety), the fears of going crazy will start to fade.
Be vulnerable, and share your thoughts with someone. Anxiety can be an isolating experience, especially for those who have reached the “am I crazy” stage. Sharing your thoughts with someone you trust can be extremely helpful, and can offer you the reassurance and comfort of … you’re not going crazy at all, and you’re okay.
Take small steps to support your nervous system. Don’t underestimate the role your general health can have on your anxiety. And remember - your mind and body are connected! Move your body, eat nourishing foods, drink lots of water, and stick to a sleep schedule. The more you take care of your nervous system, the more it’ll take care of you (and your anxiety!)
Seek a therapist or coach for additional support. Still feeling like it’s all just too much to manage? Seeking a therapist or mental health coach can offer you the support and guidance you need while allowing you a safe, vulnerable place to express your feelings. Not to mention, they may also teach you healthy and practical approaches, so you can start addressing your anxiety with purpose and direction!
I really hope what I’ve shared with you in this episode has been helpful. And if you’re looking for even more support on this topic, I highly recommend you check out my mini-course on Freedom From What-If Thoughts. In it, I specifically touch on the fear of going crazy and the fear of losing all control. I also give you tons of simple and practical approaches to anxious thoughts that will help you to quiet your mind and experience the peace and freedom you deserve!
Alright, until next time, keep taking healthy action!