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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 9 of 9. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by fiona on September 7, 2002, at 9:12:16
I am having a problem with my head at the moment. Words keep getting stuck in it. This week it's "avuncular", and it's driving me mad. It just pops into my head and repeats it's self over and over. It doesn't mean anything either, well of course it means something, all words mean something, but it doesn't have any personal meaning to me. Awhile ago it was "epstein", which still comes back now and then to bug the hell out of me. I can't sleep for it, and it interupts my train of thought a lot and confuses me so that I have no idea of what I was talking about in the first place.
Does anyone else have problems like this? Would this be classed as obssessional thoughts? Or is it just a quirk? I know that I have obssessional thoughts already, but they are very different, they are usually very gory (about car crashes and stuff) so these words don't really fit, or do they?
Help! I am going nuts.Fiona
Posted by Dinah on September 7, 2002, at 9:21:58
In reply to I'm driving myself nuts!, posted by fiona on September 7, 2002, at 9:12:16
It happens to me on occasion. I've always considered it to be similar to a song stuck in my head. It's usually a multisyllable word like serendipity or avuncular. :) Phrases also sometimes get stuck in my head, or snatches of poetry. Are the words that get stuck in your head melodic ones? Do you ever get short words like dirt or fuzz stuck in your head? I never do.
I have OCD which I suppose could cause it, but I've always just considered it more of the perfectly normal music running through your head phenomenon.
Posted by Robin David John on September 7, 2002, at 9:40:00
In reply to I'm driving myself nuts!, posted by fiona on September 7, 2002, at 9:12:16
> I am having a problem with my head at the moment. Words keep getting stuck in it. This week it's "avuncular", and it's driving me mad. It just pops into my head and repeats it's self over and over. It doesn't mean anything either, well of course it means something, all words mean something, but it doesn't have any personal meaning to me. Awhile ago it was "epstein", which still comes back now and then to bug the hell out of me. I can't sleep for it, and it interupts my train of thought a lot and confuses me so that I have no idea of what I was talking about in the first place.
> Does anyone else have problems like this? Would this be classed as obssessional thoughts? Or is it just a quirk? I know that I have obssessional thoughts already, but they are very different, they are usually very gory (about car crashes and stuff) so these words don't really fit, or do they?
> Help! I am going nuts.
>
> Fiona... Try the word I love myself ..it works ...
Posted by fiona on September 7, 2002, at 9:41:02
In reply to Re: I'm driving myself nuts! » fiona, posted by Dinah on September 7, 2002, at 9:21:58
No they are never short words. They are usually pleasing to the ear, but then they stop being so once they have gone round my brain fifty times! I suppose it is like when you get a song stuck in your head, but I find it more annoying. The thing about getting a song stuck in your head is that you can always replace it with another one. Not so with words, because I don't pick the words, they pick me and if I tried to choose another word it wouldn't work, the old one would still keep popping up.
Sometimes I will have to say it out loud to get a bit of relief, to try to expell it from my head. Sometimes that will work for a little while, but this time nothing I do will get rid of it. :(
Posted by Dinah on September 7, 2002, at 9:57:12
In reply to Re: I'm driving myself nuts! » Dinah, posted by fiona on September 7, 2002, at 9:41:02
It sounds like it bothers you more than it bothers me. Usually I leave it as background music, but if it's bothering me I'll
1) Try to figure out if it means anything.
2) Sing it.
3) Make a game of saying it in different ways with emphasis on different syllables or with different emotions or intonations.
Usually though, the more I can ignore it as background noise, the faster it disappears.
Good luck.
Dinah
Posted by fiona on September 7, 2002, at 10:07:31
In reply to Re: I'm driving myself nuts! » fiona, posted by Dinah on September 7, 2002, at 9:57:12
I will try your advice. I think changing the intonation and emphasis might help, especially with avuncular having such a strong emphasis on the "vun" part. That is maybe what makes the word attractive to my brain, the undulating intonations.
Thank you
Posted by madison88 on September 7, 2002, at 18:13:40
In reply to Re: I'm driving myself nuts! » fiona, posted by Dinah on September 7, 2002, at 9:57:12
couldn't resist adding my own bit. i also have OCD, so that is probably it. i will get words stuck in my head and it will take me awhile to even notice i am saying it over and over. usually it is a word i have heard or seen sometime before i realize i am repeating it.
there are times that i realize that i am repeating a word, but i can't figure out where i picked it up. i once had "Beech" stuck when i was walking down the street. i turned around and walked from where i had come, trying to figure out where i picked the word up. it was on a street sign a couple blocks back. i didn't even remember noticing the sign. freaky!!
i can get the words out of my head easier than before i was on meds. Dinah had good advice.
Posted by Robin David John on September 7, 2002, at 23:08:12
In reply to Re: I'm driving myself nuts!, posted by madison88 on September 7, 2002, at 18:13:40
> couldn't resist adding my own bit. i also have OCD, so that is probably it. i will get words stuck in my head and it will take me awhile to even notice i am saying it over and over. usually it is a word i have heard or seen sometime before i realize i am repeating it.
>
> there are times that i realize that i am repeating a word, but i can't figure out where i picked it up. i once had "Beech" stuck when i was walking down the street. i turned around and walked from where i had come, trying to figure out where i picked the word up. it was on a street sign a couple blocks back. i didn't even remember noticing the sign. freaky!!
>
> i can get the words out of my head easier than before i was on meds. Dinah had good advice.Try the word ..Peace , love , joy , and compassion for yourself
Robin
Posted by Ted on September 9, 2002, at 13:13:26
In reply to Re: I'm driving myself nuts!, posted by madison88 on September 7, 2002, at 18:13:40
>I'm driving myself nuts!
I'm already nute. I don't need to be driven anywhere. :-)
> couldn't resist adding my own bit. i also have OCD, so that is probably it.
Agreed. I have same symptoms and I have OCD. While on zoloft (SSRI), it went away because SSRIs work on OCD as well as depression.
Ted
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