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Suggest Treatment For Unpleasant Intrusive Thoughts While Having Stress

Posted on Thu, 22 Jun 2017

Question: Hello I am going through a very stressful time. Having disturbing thoughts about babies dying in violent ways and being injured. They are so intrusive and make me cry so much. I am easily worried about all stuff and feel anxious. I heard on news yesterday that a baby was found dead in a car and died from heat exposure. I constantly think about the baby dying and it's crippling me. I'm devastated and so so sad for the baby. Keep thinking about how she died. It's crippling me. What's wrong with me. Do I need medication/counselling. Is it really about the baby dying or am I suffering from something. Any ideas/ medications. Why am I feeling like this. I have two small children. Youngest is 2. Since they were born, my anxieties have become so much worse.

Answered by Dr. Alexander H. Sheppe (28 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Consultation

Detailed Answer:
Hello, and thanks for your question.

What you are describing are obsessions, defined as unpleasant intrusive thoughts that cause anxiety. There are two ways to treat this. The first is medication, an SSRI such as escitalopram or sertraline. The more effective way is with therapy, specifically. cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT. Either one of these will help you.

Dr Sheppe
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Raju A.T

Follow up: Dr. Alexander H. Sheppe (15 minutes later)

This is a very brief answer. Is it anxiety. Am I speaking to a psychiatrist. I feel the answer is too vague.

Answered by Dr. Alexander H. Sheppe (4 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Followup

Detailed Answer:
Yes, I am a psychiatrist with over 10 years of experience. I believe I answered this question very specifically: what you are describing are obsessive thoughts causing extensive anxiety, such as is sometimes found in OCD. I outlined the gold standard treatment options above: SSRI medication or CBT.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Yogesh D

Follow up: Dr. Alexander H. Sheppe (45 minutes later)

Apologies. I hope I didn't offend you. It's just that I keep have horrific visions of a child over heating in a car. Crying out and not being rescued from her child car seat. I'm so disturbed by that. People are reassuring me saying the child would go into a deep sleep with dehydration and overheating. Why can't I just accept this as life and just move on??

Please see above questions. Why can't I just accept. Why am I mulling over. I keep having disturbing images. It's affecting me so much.

Answered by Dr. Alexander H. Sheppe (12 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Followup

Detailed Answer:
This is a very classic obsession -- you can't get rid of the thought and it is clearly bothering you very much. Again, the only way to make this stop bothering is with treatment: medication, an SSRI such as escitalopram or sertraline, and therapy, specifically cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad