Dear Dr. Romance:
I live in Scotland and I think we are quite backward when it comes to mental health issues. I have
spoken to 2 therapists now about my obsessive thinking, both of whom seem strangely perplexed by what I percieve to be quite a common problem. I seem to ruminate all day about myself, seeking solutions for a mental health problem. The problem of which I talk is the fact that I think about having a mental health problem all the time. As you can see it is just a vicious circle, the reality is that there is no problem other than the thinking about there being a problem and that in turns leads to anxiety about the fact 'it's not normal to be thinking like this all the time'. Sometimes I can just accept it, other times I let it overwhelm me.
Hope this makes some sense, I'm looking for some guidance. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Dr. Romance responds:
In order to change obessive thinking quickly, you must replace the obsessive thoughts with more positive ones. For your problem, I'd suggest you do affirmations along the lines of "I, [your name] am relaxed and mentally healthy." Please read my article "Attitude: From Negative to Gratitude" You'll find specific steps there to follow. Also, I recommend two books for you:
I Deserve Love: How 
Affirmations Can Guide You to Personal Fulfillment by Sondra Ray and
White Bears and Other Unwanted Thoughts: Suppression, Obsession, and the Psychology of
Mental Control by Daniel M. Wegner
For more in-depth work to heal the underlying causes of your perseveration, read my book: It Ends With You: Grow Up and Out of Dysfunction 
Dear Dr. Romance:
I live in Scotland and I think we are quite backward when it comes to mental health issues. I have
spoken to 2 therapists now about my obsessive thinking, both of whom seem strangely perplexed by what I percieve to be quite a common problem. I seem to ruminate all day about myself, seeking solutions for a mental health problem. The problem of which I talk is the fact that I think about having a mental health problem all the time. As you can see it is just a vicious circle, the reality is that there is no problem other than the thinking about there being a problem and that in turns leads to anxiety about the fact 'it's not normal to be thinking like this all the time'. Sometimes I can just accept it, other times I let it overwhelm me.
Hope this makes some sense, I'm looking for some guidance. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Dr. Romance responds:
In order to change obessive thinking quickly, you must replace the obsessive thoughts with more positive ones. For your problem, I'd suggest you do affirmations along the lines of "I, [your name] am relaxed and mentally healthy." Please read my article "Attitude: From Negative to Gratitude" You'll find specific steps there to follow. Also, I recommend two books for you:
I Deserve Love: How
Affirmations Can Guide You to Personal Fulfillment by Sondra Ray and
White Bears and Other Unwanted Thoughts: Suppression, Obsession, and the Psychology of
Mental Control by Daniel M. Wegner
For more in-depth work to heal the underlying causes of your perseveration, read my book: It Ends With You: Grow Up and Out of Dysfunction