Repeated Thoughts About a Family Member Getting Hurt

Hey all!

Well, I have a niece who's almost 2 years old, and I really really love her from the bottom of my heart, but my brain always imagines her being hurt, in many ways, and my brain repeats her voice as she screams in pain, and an entire scene is constructed in details, and might go to even deeper details and more images as it stays longer in my brain. I try to stop this in any way, but I can't, and even if I manage, it gets back the day after and so on and so on. Sometimes I hear her voice if I'm in my room, and I jump in fear, thinking that there might be something wrong, and I run to her only to find her playing.

Any advice at all as to how to get rid of this? I have tried a lot of stuff, since this is a daily issue and I have to stop it in any way to maintain my sanity. But can you help me?

I'm sorry that it's so upsetting for you. Have you considered meds? They could help. Also trying to accept these thoughts and to ignore them helps, but if it's so upsetting and it doesn't go away maybe it's better to talk to a psychiatrist and consider meds. Good luck

what i do for obsessive thoughts is a form of mindfullness. i have a door at the front of my mind and the back of my mind. the thought comes in and the only attention i pay to it is to escort it out of the back of my mind. it is nothing more than a cloud passing through. it gets easier and easier each time i do it.

I'm afraid of those meds. People keep telling horrifying stories about them, though maybe they were misusing them, but I feel I should keep away. I did talk to a psychiatrist, but I didn't think he was right for me, although he seemed really good, and he knows what he's doing, but not for me.

Thank you so much!

I sometimes do the same thing more or less, but my mind slips too easily. It is hard to keep something like a good thought I really want, but no efforts at all in having negative thoughts. I sometimes listen to music and daydream a lot to escape, but those thoughts eventually come back.

Meds can give side effects, but not everyone reacts in the same way. Maybe meds would work well for you. But I don't take meds, so I can't say very much.
If you don't like the idea of seeing a psychiatrist, what about seeing a psychologist? They just talk with you and offer suggestions, they don't give meds.

I really think a talk therapy might help more than meds, but money is sometimes an issue especially if sessions are a bit expensive, although I have my family to help me, but they don't know that I even went to a therapist or what have you, and I have a problem asking for money. I do talk to my mom mostly if something bothers me, and mothers and their hugs are the best medication to any pain, but I don't like to bother her much.

Surely you wouldn't bother her, she would be happy to help.
If you need hugs, I can give my help too I'm not your mum, but at least these are hugs
Hope that you can see a therapist. I recently began. Hope that we both can have some improvements.

Thank you! Big hugs to you too! That's why I love this site, people are so loving and warming, more than hugs themselves. I wish you all luck with your therapist, and I'll try to find a better one for me.

Thanks Good luck to you too.

This is a good idea, mindfulness could be helpful to you. It may take some time to get used to but you can implement it. Those thoughts you are having are distressful and thus you pay attention to them. I hope your able to overcome this.

Bless you for I know how you feel, you must be exhausted
My second active bout of OCD coincided with my nephew being an infant (he's now a strapping lad of 20) I had the most upsetting intrusive thoughts and urges about him becoming ill or dying. It wore me out.
Please do go and see your doctor, I eventually had to give in and accept that my OCD had gotten bad again and go back on meds. This did help eventually once I got the right treatment. Take care.