Jump to content

Tip From Taurean - How To Use Detachment To Defuse Intrusions


Recommended Posts

The laurels go to my friend lostinme for the germ of the idea to make this post. 

To non-sufferers, our unwanted negative OCD intrusions are seen as mental chaff, nonsense valueless rubbish to which they would not give time of day. 

In time, acquiring CBT knowledge, including cognitive understanding of how the disorder works and applying exposure and response prevention, we can nullify their power and also ease them gently away, seeing them as mental chaff. 

Meanwhile though, we can defuse their power and help us to focus away by practicing detachment

Think how someone you know, without OCD, would view your intrusions. See if you can view things as they do (this is called the "OCD twin"  method). 

Now, imagine that you are on the outside of yourself, viewing perhaps from above (this is called the "helicopter view"  method). 

From this position, see how irrational your intrusions are, how they are generated from a false core belief allocated by OCD to play on a fear threat or revulsion theme, or a turning on its head of one or more of our cherished core values. 

See the core belief(s) as generated by the lies deceit falsehoods guilt feelings and demands for certainty of the OCD monster, and that they are nothing to do with you, say nothing about you as a person. 

When you realise and understand this, it is very empowering :)

 

Link to comment
5 hours ago, taurean said:

The laurels go to my friend lostinme for the germ of the idea to make this post. 

To non-sufferers, our unwanted negative OCD intrusions are seen as mental chaff, nonsense valueless rubbish to which they would not give time of day. 

In time, acquiring CBT knowledge, including cognitive understanding of how the disorder works and applying exposure and response prevention, we can nullify their power and also ease them gently away, seeing them as mental chaff. 

Meanwhile though, we can defuse their power and help us to focus away by practicing detachment

Think how someone you know, without OCD, would view your intrusions. See if you can view things as they do (this is called the "OCD twin"  method). 

Now, imagine that you are on the outside of yourself, viewing perhaps from above (this is called the "helicopter view"  method). 

From this position, see how irrational your intrusions are, how they are generated from a false core belief allocated by OCD to play on a fear threat or revulsion theme, or a turning on its head of one or more of our cherished core values. 

See the core belief(s) as generated by the lies deceit falsehoods guilt feelings and demands for certainty of the OCD monster, and that they are nothing to do with you, say nothing about you as a person. 

When you realise and understand this, it is very empowering :)

 

:biggrin::goodpost: 

i know exactly what you mean.. I was sat on my bed and thought about everything and thought the same and after I got up and thought of it that way then i had a great day after:clap:

Good :Tipoftheday-1: x

Edited by Snowdog
Link to comment

It's a powerful tool to use - we need to work the main CBT of course, but when we need a powerful lift, this provides it! :robot:

How good that it gave you that powerful lift just when you needed it snowdog :)

 

Link to comment

Thanks Roy it's a good post to have posted :goodpost: It takes time to put into practice but it's worth it:yes:

                                                               :Tipoftheday-1:

Link to comment

I think - although we can see that others would view our intrusions as of no relevance or concern, the error messages we are getting from the disorder make them seem real and threatening - such that our "fight or flight" response is awakened and we can enter into a vicious cycle of distress.

But if we can "spoke" the wheel of the cycle with this technique, when we learn to do so, we can stop the cycle of distress developing and shut down the fight or flight response.

If anyone reading is not sure how a vicious cycle develops, go to the main OCD-UK website, and put "vicious flower diagram" into the search field. 

 

Link to comment

I remember when I first read about the OCD twin and helicopter methods it was like a eureka moment. Those tools have been so helpful for me in my recovery and I wish I'd known about them years ago.

Link to comment

Unfortunately I feel there are many who use this forum primarily as a vehicle for reassurance seeking, so a positive thread such as this one with tips towards recovery is likely to be ignored by those in distress. I wish there was a way of reaching those people.

Link to comment

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...