The most helpful thing

[Guest artstar69]

Hi everyone,

I haven't posted in a few years but I've been tackling my OCD head-on recently and want to connect with others who go through the same stuff.

I want to start a positive thread where we share the thing that has helped us the most, not just in terms of the gymnastics of managing OCD, but in learning live the best and be the best we can while having our condition.

The thing that has helped me the most is forcing myself to stick to something I can do and am good at, in my case writing and art-making, that gives me a sense of achievement and mastery that is separate from the illness. It still affects me while trying to stick at these practices, but I can do it, and well, nonetheless

What about you?

xox

[taurean]

Getting some private top draw latest-thinking mindfulness-based CBT from a young qualified clinical psychologist who also holds a PhD was really helpful to me and lots of great techniques came out of that.

The mindfulness workbook for OCD by Jon Herschfield & Tom Corboy I found good for self-help and it is topical.

A key thing for me is appreciating that OCD has common ways of working whatever the theme.

And exposure and response prevention linked separately with leaving intrusions be and refocusing away.

Ths book "Brainlock" by Jeffrey Schwartz told me why my thoughts get stuck in loops.

And keeping busy and eating sleeping exercising and relaxing well are really helpful.

The forum users helped me fine tune my management strategies for my OCD.

I have a good understanding as a result of how my problems function, and anxiety can mushroom.

Edited August 7, 2015 by taurean

[gingerbreadgirl]

acceptance - acceptance of all thoughts, no matter what they are, not trying to fight them.

learning to stop trying to 'solve' things.

But mainly acceptance.

[taurean]

Agreed. This is key.

Fighting and connecting with intrusive thoughts strengthens them. And attempting to neutralise a "bad" thought, or trying NOT to think of it, does the same.

Leaving thoughts be, not engaging with them, not listening to the meaning OCD gives them, weakens them.

So we can't "make them go away" but we can weaken their support base, to enable us to in due course calmly note them and then refocus away.

Key ideas I learned from that modern mindfulness-based cognitive behavioural therapy have been shared by me with the forum.

:original:

[taurean]

Another really helpful thing I find is to deploy detachment .

The concept of the "impartial observer" works for me.

This "observer" looks down as if from above, peels off the layers on the OCD "onion", outs the OCD and reminds us that we need just use the basic CBT skill of acceptance, not engaging, then refocusing away to beneficial involved distraction to counter it.

Everyone can use their " impartial observer" - and he levies no charge for his services !!!

[Guest artstar69]

Thanks for replying guys!

Mindfulness has helped me so much as well! I agree it really is key. It's not easy to maintain an observer stance, especially when a new obsession starts and you don't realise it's OCD till it's too late lol, but it's amazing how powerful just not engaging and accepting is when you manage it.

I find if I do any form of mindfulness practice before bed, then it sets me in that mode of thought for the next day and I'm much more self-aware when I'm falling into traps

[ashipinharbor]

I feel like this thread could do some good.