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You can't so much will yourself to stop thinking about something, but you can work to change how you react to these thoughts. Tell yourself to stop thinking about a pink elephant. What are you thinking about now?

I would suggest two things: get organized and practice meditation. There are so many different tools available these days for organizing your life. KeePass is an excellent tool for managing all your accounts and passwords. It uses encryption that's currently impossible to crack, and all you have to do is remember the master password. Use a service like Google Calendar to record all events and have it send email or text reminders. Write in a journal as often as possible to clear your head and organize your thoughts, then review that journal often so you can see those thoughts in a different light.

Meditating is an amazing tool for centering yourself and calming an overactive brain. How to Meditate is one of the better books on the subject. The Relaxation Response is excellent as well. It's a discipline that you practice and become better over time. It's just like riding a bike. Don't expect yourself to get it on the first try.

Overall, it's not so much your thoughts as it is your reaction to them. Mindfulness meditation will help you observe the thoughts as they occur and rather than getting caught up in them and experiencing all the fear, doubt, and worry, you'll recognize their irrational nature and allow them to pass on their way.

I understand your concern. Here's a different way to think about it, though: right now, you don't have much social support to help you through problems that come up. If you use these sessions to develop social skills and form better social relationships, those relationships can help you through problems that come up in the future. But if you don't use the sessions now, maybe you'll use them up when some other problem comes up, and it will help you cope with that. But then you won't have any left for the future, and you won't have the sorts of social relationships you want to help you cope with them.

So that's another way of thinking about it that may or may not encourage you to seek out individual therapy. Another option is to use a book and basically try "therapy on yourself." This book, [Dying of Embarrassment],(http://www.amazon.com/Dying-Embarrassment-Social-Anxiety-Phobia/dp/1879237237/ref=pd_rhf_cr_s_cp_3_R3P5) is very well reviewed and is specifically designed for people who are working through it on their own, so it may be worth checking out. It's based on the principles of cognitive-behavioral therapy, and it only costs $15 or so. If that sounds like it might be helpful for you, give it a try. I think you'd be surprised how much having a book to guide you through, and using the book to help you schedule in the things you're going to try, can help keep you accountable and make sure you don't give in to that voice that tells you you can't do it.

There seems to be a misconception in some young women about their own value. You are more than sex to a man. There is a great book called Mars and Venus on a Date by John Gray. Get it! It explains better than anyone could the stages of a relationship and why it is wise for both partners to wait a while before being intimate.

Good luck!

Man, this comment nails it. The problem is your mothers, not yours. Finding a way to deal with it while you (OP) are living at home is the hard part. If she is cruising for a fight there is little you can do to satisfy her but give her one. This is why she gets along so well with your sister. Your best bet is to save your pennies so you can move out and limit contact . This book helped me a lot. It's painful to accept that someone you lve can be a toxic influence in your life, I know, but only by accepting it can you find the right antidote for you.

Parent-child love can often involve loving each other, but not liking each other. It's what happens when you know someone so deeply.

How do you think your parents will react if you decide to stay in Australia? You should be prepared to answer some tough questions about how you intend to support yourself.

Toxic Parents

Emotional Blackmail

Someone sent me a PM suggesting that I read this book. I just bought it for kindle and I'm on the first chapter. It seems promising so far, which gives me some hope. It's reassuring to know that I'm not the only one.

This book is one I have been reading and may be helpful. It does seem to mostly be an endless reiteration of these four steps which since I have a copy in front of me I'll just partially transcribe them and you can see if it's something you're into.

Step 1: RELABEL-identify your deceptive brain messages...

Step 2:REFRAME-change your perception of the importance of the deceptive brain messages...

Step 3:REFOCUS-direct your attention toward an activity or mental process that is wholesome and productive...

Step 4:REVALUE-Clearly see the thoughts,urges and impulses for what they are...

That's the basic gist of it, I'm not affiliated with the authors in any way nor am I encouraging you to buy the book, I checked it out from the library. Also you might try brushing without toothpaste as I believe it is the abrasives that pose the greatest threat to your enamel, so if you can sate your addiction without the paste it'll probably pose less of a threat to your dental health. Best wishes.

Wow. My partner and I are the same ages and I'm finally undergoing therapy with Lexapro after dealing with depression and GAD most of my life. Our relationship nearly ended last November mostly due to my overwhelming insecurities with myself and anxieties that he was getting sick of me. I've been feeling some of the same dread lately, which I guess is what lead me back here.

My first piece of advice would be to stop being ashamed of/guilty about your emotions. As my therapist has to constantly remind me, try as we might, we can't control how we feel. I find trying to fight off the anxiety only makes it worse for me. When you feel that urge to poke and pry through your SO's personal things, try taking a step back from the situation; combat your paranoia physically rather than mentally. Breathing exercises work wonders for me, or simply getting out of the house to go for a walk or pace through the aisles of a nearby supermarket. Sometimes I'll go somewhere else and read a book.

It's also a good idea when you feel an anxiety attack coming on to recall the last time you ate. Low blood sugar does a number on me emotionally, and eating sweets/junk food will just lead me into a worse crash later. I feel best after I get something healthy in my system.

I also struggle to approach my partner for help when I'm feeling down on myself. Thankfully, he is very understanding, so when I do work up the nerve and tell him, "Sweetheart, I'm feeling anxious right now and really need some help," he's always happy to oblige me. Think about what you can ask your SO to do that will reassure you and help prevent you from breaking down when you're having an episode. For me, it's usually a simple cuddle and a word of encouragement if he's there, a supportive text if he's not. Make sure he realizes your doubt stems from your anxieties, and ridding yourself of them is not simply a matter of "doing enough"; they're something you have to work through on a regular basis.

Definitely try to see a good therapist again. Mine is amazing, and I can't believe the amount of progress I've made with her in half a year. Most of my advice I've given you comes from her and a workbook I purchased located here. I hope I was helpful and not too longwinded. :/ Let me know through here or PM if you need anything else.

I believe that this book will help you out:

http://www.amazon.com/The-Introvert-Advantage-Thrive-Extrovert/dp/0761123695

It first goes into details of the difference between introverts and extroverts. Then it describes how to work with crowds, strategies for relationships, and even strategies on having an introverted child.

Read this book:

http://www.amazon.com/Introvert-Advantage-Thrive-Extrovert-World/dp/0761123695

Beginner/Self-help level:
A New Guide to Rational Living

Therapist/Clinical level: Reason and Emotion in Psychotherapy

Well, it sounds to me your counselor might be right. I would suggest that you approach the issue from two sides:

1. Focus on not snooping no matter how strong the urge.
   
   If you find yourself worrying and trapped in the same loop of thoughts ("I am sure he is seeing someone else" -> "I need to check his textmessages" -> "I hate myself for doing this" -> "He is going to hate me for doing this" -> "He has no reason to be with me" -> "I am sure he is seeing someone else") just think about something else. Leave the room, the apartment. Call someone.
   
   
2. You need to tackle the underlying issues on your side.
   
   I would suggest some proper therapy. You could try Schema Therapy. Check this book: Reenventing your life a lot of the cases and descriptions there seem parallel to your situation.
   
   Don't be hard on yourself ("I am a crazy bitch"), this only worsens the problem. Your boyfriend loves you obviously - and the fact that you are not only incapable of comprehending but also of merely accepting this is what will destroy your life in the long run.
   
   The fact that he is patient and supportive and that you are very conscious and active about it is enough reason for hope: You will make it but you have to tell your scumbag brain that it needs to stop telling you that you are not loved! Your man loves you the way you are, deal with it.