I Feel Like I’m Losing My Mind” | Reasons + How to Cope

There must have been times when you have wondered, “Am I losing my mind?” because let me tell you that I have thought about the possibility of losing my mind (at least once this past month!). If you’ve ever thought, “I feel like I’m losing my mind” then it could be a result of a mental health symptom such as anxiety or panic and even depersonalization.

The thought in itself can be too distressing and can make you feel more anxious and stressed than warranted. After all, who wants to feel like they are losing their mind and sanity!?

Hopefully, there are ways you can stop feeling and thinking this way. The more you’re self-aware of this line of thinking, the less likely you are too *actually* lose your mind. Understanding the reasons why you might be thinking this can be one of the first things you can do to stop feeling this way and so out of control of your mind.

In this blog, let’s explore the signs and reasons why you feel like you’re “losing your mind” and ways you can cope with this errant thought.

“I Feel Like I’m Losing My Mind” – The Signs!

When you feel like you’re losing your mind, it’s not just the thought that follows but also a lot of emotional and mental reactions. Usually, if someone is feeling or thinking this way then they may be dealing with a lot of stress and/or trauma. They might also be experiencing symptoms of an anxiety disorder or other mental health disorders.

If you feel like you’re “losing your mind” but are unsure, then here are some signs that your thought might manifest that you can watch out for;

You may experience;

• Racing thoughts
• Feelings of being in danger
• Rapid heart rate or shortness of breath
• Headaches or stomach aches
• Feelings of detachment from reality
• Feelings of panic or doom
• Thoughts of anxiety
• Thoughts of something being wrong
• Sleeping issues

Why You Feel Like You’re “Losing Your Mind”

Just like every person is unique, their experiences with the thought, “I feel like I’m losing my mind” may also be unique. Let’s look at some of the reasons why you may think this way and why this thought might be triggered;

1. Stress:

One of the common reasons you may feel like you’re “losing your mind” can be stress. A challenging job, family conflicts, or general events causing stress can all cause you to feel like you’re losing your mind or common sense. Stress triggers the fight-flight-freeze response and releases cortisol and adrenaline that can make you feel hyper-alert and lead to spiraling thoughts.

2. Anxiety:

You can feel heightened anxiety because of a stressful situation. With anxiety, you may feel like you’re losing the control you have over your life and mind, making you think “I’m losing my mind”. You may experience obsessive thoughts, feel detached, lose concentration, feel dread, and be unable to stop racing thoughts if you’re dealing with anxiety.

3. Panic Disorder or Attacks:

Panic disorder or panic attacks in itself can be a frightening experience. If you’re experiencing one, then you may feel out of control and think like you’re losing your mind. Panic attacks are sudden and can make you feel like something terrifying is happening when nothing is happening. Rationally, you may be aware that it’s OK, but your mind may convince you that everything is wrong.

4. Depersonalization:

Long-term dealings with panic disorder can cause you to experience depersonalization or derealization. These experiences can cause a disconnect between your identity and thoughts making you feel like you’re losing your mind.

What to Do When You Feel Like You’re Losing Your Mind?

To cope with the thought, “I feel like I’m losing my mind” there are certain ways you can try. It’s important to know that you may only feel like you’re losing your mind but you might not *actually* be losing your mind. Nonetheless, you should not push aside these thoughts and hope that they’ll vanish if you ignore them.

If you feel like “I’m losing my mind” then it could be an indication that you are under too much pressure or stress, feel too anxious, or may be struggling with poor mental health.

Here’s what you can do when you feel like you’re losing your mind;

1. Practice Self-Care

As I mentioned, thinking “I’m losing my mind” can stem from being under too much stress. When stress is triggered, it can put you in a hyper-alert state. You can try focusing on self-care practices to deal with stress. Try to engage in the “relaxation response” or try to engage your parasympathetic response aka the rest and digest response. You can try these activities to relax;

• Deep breathing exercises
• Mediation or other gentle movement exercises like tai chi or yoga
• Exercising
• Talking to a loved one

2. Try Talk Therapy

Another thing you can do to cope with the thought, “I feel like I’m losing my mind” is to engage in talk therapy with a professional. Talking to a professional may help you figure out what’s causing you to think and feel the way you do and what you can do to solve the problem.

Many times, it could be anxiety disorders or panic disorders that may make you think this way. Talking to a professional can help you learn more about the disorders and what you can do to ease the symptoms of these disorders.

3. Limit Social Media Use

Another thing you can do to stop thinking this way and cope with the feeling of “losing your mind” is to limit your time on social media. Spending too much time on social media can make you see other people’s life highlights and that can make you draw comparisons that can only make you feel losing control of your life and eventually your mind.

4. Avoid Overthinking

If you feel like you’re losing your mind then one reason could be that you’re overthinking too much. Overthinking can make you ruminate on your past or draw unnecessary attention to future worries. Because you spend too much time overthinking about things that you can’t change or that haven’t happened yet can also make you lose your mind.

You can avoid overthinking by practicing the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding technique. All you need to do is list 5 things you can see, 4 things you can experience, 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell, and one thing you can taste.

Wrapping Up…

Various things can make you feel like you’re losing your mind. From being over-stressed to feeling overwhelmed, you may have the thought, “I feel like I’m losing control”. By learning the common reasons this thought may arise and what you can do to cope with this kind of thinking, you can feel better and back to feeling sane.

Let this blog be your guide to understanding why you feel like you’re “losing your mind” and how to cope with this thinking. If you’re still unsure how to go about coping with this line of thought, you can connect with a professional by clicking the link below.

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So, how do you cope when you feel like you’re losing your mind? Let me know in the comments below or you can leave me a message at info@calmsage.com.

Take care!