Something i find very hard to deal with, hope some one can relate and advise.

[Guest tln40]

Ocd is terrible for many reasons,but when one of your mains ocds is to do with keeping yourself and loves ones safe from whatever you fear?,how do you/can you try to fight against something that you are so sure keeps you and others safe,hope this makes sense.

[Guest WinztonZmith]

Hi!

While obsessing about the safety of your loved ones is a very common form of OCD, it can be especially challenging because of the strong emotions it provokes.

I do believe you need to explain what you mean when you say "fight against something that you are so sure keeps you and others safe". I assume you are talking about things you do(compulsions) to relieve the anxiety you get over their safety.

[Guest tln40]

Hi, sorry yes the rituals and compulsions that is what i meant.

[Guest WinztonZmith]

Yes, of course it's harder to resist compulsions the more anxiety relieving they are. But the hard truth is that you must begin challenging yourself. Resisting to do the rituals and simply learn to endure the anxiety. Then you learn nothing bad will happen.

I've had this type of OCD when I was in my teens. I had massive rituals that needed to be performed daily to keep my family "safe". When I had gotten over them, I couldn't possibly understand how I could have held such strange beliefs.

Another thing you'll need is acceptance. That is, you'll need to face the fact that bad things do happen and they may, god forbid, happen to your family. Doing all the rituals in the world won't change that.

Take care!

[Guest FobicFairy]

I agree with all Winzton has said and can't add anything more useful.

FF x

[Guest PartVie]

Also, sometimes people with fears of keeping others safe have trouble with excessive guilt. Is that true for you? If so, it may help to deal with that (whilst of course doing CBT/Exposure Therapy) it might even make the CBT/ERP easier.

[Guest tln40]

Winzton,ff,and partvie,thanks alot for your replies and help.

Partvie, what you said about guilt, yes i have alot of that, what sort of treatment would help with that.

[LondonTown]

Hi

I echo what the others have said and I experience this too and It makes total sense about the guilt thing that Partvie talked about.

On a bit of a comedic note (I hope noone minds) I remember about 10 or so years ago I was in my flat with my then boyfriend and we had a friend around for a cuppa. This friend found it difficult to let other people make drinks or prepare food for him - at the time I was concerned about harming people in lots of different ways and this included poisoning so I couldn't get it together to make him a cup of tea and it was made worse because I knew he was struggling with it too. In the end I went into the loung, teaspoon in hand and told him what was going on (not that I knew it was OCD back then) - we laughed and agreed to make our own cup of bloomin' tea :lol:

I really hope you don't think I am belittleing it - I still experience it now but sometimes I do laugh at it perhaps instead of crying!

I am trying to resist a compulsion at the moment - I feel that if I don't say to my partner be careful driving and / or don't speed something bad will happen - my anxiety is rising now as I write it because I feel by writing it, somethig will happen - bloomin' OCD Grrrr.

Anyway I feel I must tell him, there are twists and turns to it but on the whole I worry if I don't tell him and if he is later than usual I start to worry too, but can't phone him becuase then he might answer his mobile whilst driving and crash! So frustrating!

So I haven't managed resisting it yet - but I am going to try because writing this post is making me angry at OCD so tomorrow I am going to try and resist and sit with the anxiety / uncomfortable feeling.

As you mention in your post it is a fight - it really is especially when we feel our compulsion will keep someone safe. I can see there is a definite link as you said you have a lot too - perhaps CBT will help us with that (if I ever get any!)

Are you having CBT? Going to? Have you tired resisting the urges before?

Sorry, I must learn to shorten my posts

LT

[LondonTown]

* a left out the word guilt sorry "I can definitely see there is a link with guilt"

[Guest -Nizz-]

I deal with this form of OCD too. If you think something bad might happen, it doesn't mean it WILL happen!

It's a challenge :/.

[LondonTown]

yep - and i guess like winzton said it's about accepting that bad things do happen - that uncertainty that 'it might, or it might not' happen is difficult to handle

[Guest tln40]

Thanks alot for what you said nizz.

lt, i have had cbt before but when i did it i just could not face my fears no matter how hard i tried but also at that time i did have alot of really bad things happening so that probrably did not help matters, i am on new meds now so when thety start help more generally i am going to try again and just hope for the very best,

anyway I had better get some sleep now, doing this post with one eye nearly closed, thanks alot for your rsponses and also it did make me laugh aswell take carexx.

[LondonTown]

Night Night :original: