Mars

Thank you Gemma7, Ashley and Polarbear. I become so confused not knowing if it's OCD or not, if I'm overthinking or just hoping it's OCD and not that I have hidden motives that I'm unaware of. I'll start working through break free from OCD again. i am so over this and just want it to end.

Hi I posted sometime ago on erp for my obsessive thoughts and Polar Bear made an excellent suggestion for erp which I have practiced. I would like to move on to another level. However I don't understand how to set up an appropriate erp. My therapist is not an OCD specialist so it is hard to get answers though she is good with CBT. Also I don't understand how for example if you have pedophilia OCD telling yourself that your a pedophile is supposed to make you not obsess about it or make you get over it. My obsession is that I believe that because I was flattered and had intrusive thoughts about a possible relationship. I was not sexually attracted but felt affection and confusion (and I still don't understand why I had those thoughts) when a student had a crush on me that I could have done something terrible (the obsessive thought that I could have acted on these thoughts is terrifying). Sorry for rambling on but I hope I make sense.

I've been reading pulling the trigger and it makes so much sense in how I started with my obsessive thoughts and kept them going. I am scared that this is really rumination and that the clarity I have will lead to more anxious thinking to disprove my acceptance of these thoughts. So when is it CBT and when is it not?

Thank you for kind words and advice. I am feeling a little better. I downloaded and listened to the therapy part of Pulling the trigger and it helped. I also spoke to my therapist on the phone and she recommended using sensory distractions. I will look up Mark Freeman.

Hi, I was feeling ok and managing my thoughts but they came back a few days ago. I am so tired of fighting the anxious thinking. I was sure I have OCD but I'm not sure anymore as I keep imagining that I could have actually acted on my thoughts and that I am so lucky that I didn't. I find it hard to remember exactly what happened and to get it straight in my head about being flattered by a student of mine 3 years ago. I know I didn't imagine having sex with them but feel so guilty that I imagined being friends or going out on a date. I feel sick writing this down and disgusting. I am seeing a therapist but she doesn't really know that much about OCD and thinks I have anxiety. She said that she would treat it like OCD but she is not using erp only talking about managing anxious thoughts. I just need to talk with people here as it helped last time.

Thank you ?

Did you see your therapist?

Same here but it is the doubting disease

Are you ok? Remember Ocd is a bully, ignore it

Hi Jampot, I had the same feeling yesterday, try to stay calm and focus on what you need to do to get better. Remind yourself it ocd and thoughts come and go.

I have similar doubts. Sometimes I go down that rabbit hole and it terrifies me. This quote is quite helpful and makes me remember that ocd is a bully. Our imaginations know no boundaries, so nearly everyone experiences intrusive thoughts that are rooted in violence, sex, blasphemy and beyond. For most people, these thoughts come and go. But for sufferers of OCD, these thoughts trigger debilitating anxiety. It’s not easy getting rid of the thoughts. OCD sufferers compulsively try to neutralize or disprove them. But the more they obsess, the stronger the thoughts get. The faster they come. And the more they play into their biggest fears. This leaves sufferers questioning their character and constantly seeking reassurance that they’re simply not capable of acting on their thoughts. And so begins the never-ending cycle of obsessions and compulsions. Unlike some forms of OCD where a sufferer engages in a visual ritual (like hand washing), some OCD sufferers get stuck in their minds performing non-observable rituals over and over again. To their dismay and frustration, sufferers obsess over the meaning of their thoughts. Even worse, ill-informed therapists might request that their patients dive deeper for an understanding. The truth is, those intrusive thoughts are completely meaningless. Because the brain experiences a misfire between areas of communication, they don’t actually speak to someone’s character. Intrusive thoughts can be a totally manageable condition. With proper therapy, people with OCD can live normal, happy lives.

Hi Alice36 I'm in a similar situation and would really appreciate self help recommendations.

Hello, can you see someone asap. They can't possibly take your children, try to stay calm. Don't try to stop the thoughts, try and distance yourself from them, let them pass, they are thoughts and thoughts come and go. I'm only new here so I feel that I can't give you much practical advice but try to practice your breathing, can you download or watch an online guided meditation or mindfulness video clip. They honestly help. Remember when we are anxious our minds are like muddy water in a glass. We need to practice being calm and letting the thoughts settle so we can find clarity and space. Make space for your thoughts. Let them be there and then they will fade away.

Thank you Polar bear. Your advice is valued. How do I expose myself to the obsession? I'm not even sure what the obsession is anymore. Sorry to sound dumb but I want to end this thing. I'm tired of wasting my time/life with it. Also I'm scared of opening up to the therapist in case it's not Ocd and it's something more sinister. I'm not sure if I thought the thoughts were intrusive or unwanted. I thought I was working things out. It was only later the thoughts started to panic me.

I'm not sure what to say, are you seeing a psychologist? Try to find out as much as you can about ocd so you know what you are dealing with and arm yourself with knowledge. Our imaginations know no boundaries, so nearly everyone experiences intrusive thoughts that are rooted in violence, sex, blasphemy and beyond. For most people, these thoughts come and go. But for sufferers of OCD, these thoughts trigger debilitating anxiety. It’s not easy getting rid of the thoughts. OCD sufferers compulsively try to neutralize or disprove them. But the more they obsess, the stronger the thoughts get. The faster they come. And the more they play into their biggest fears. This leaves sufferers questioning their character and constantly seeking reassurance that they’re simply not capable of acting on their thoughts. And so begins the never-ending cycle of obsessions and compulsions. Unlike some forms of OCD where a sufferer engages in a visual ritual (like hand washing), some OCD sufferers get stuck in their minds performing non-observable rituals over and over again. To their dismay and frustration, sufferers obsess over the meaning of their thoughts. Even worse, ill-informed therapists might request that their patients dive deeper for an understanding. The truth is, those intrusive thoughts are completely meaningless. Because the brain experiences a misfire between areas of communication, they don’t actually speak to someone’s character. Intrusive thoughts can be a totally manageable condition. With proper therapy, people with OCD can live normal, happy lives.