I have bought the reassurance T-shirt

[PhilM]

I always try to re-iterate what is was like 20 years ago or maybe much more for some sufferers/ex-sufferers so I'm not going to bore anyone by repeating myself what life was like before the internet etc. but please read and take on board what people much more wise than me have to say when you get responses to your posts. I just feel and I'm not being mean that posting repeatedly - obviously or subtly - seeking reassurance will get us nowhere apart from short-term relief and then we want more and more.

The main advice I have sought and I think appropriately over the last year has been about coming off a long-term dependency on tranquillisers which has been a hard journey and maybe I have sought little bits of reassurance here and there with this issue but I don't mean that hypocritically. Even waiting for treatment there are things people can do to help themselves - endless reassurance seeking seems to me like a hamster on a wheel. Best wishes as a proud member of OCD-UK, Phil.

[Cub]

Maybe I'm wrong, but I think a bit of reassurance is okay. As long as it's not the wrong sort. Sometimes, a kind word is necessary to set us on our way so we feel safe rather than obsessed. Just a little at the right time - not a lot of the wrong stuff. Just a bit of encouragement.

[paradoxer]

It's always a tricky balance. Insight and support - Yes. Reassurance to assuage the siren call of OCD - No. 

[Caramoole]

2 hours ago, Cub said:

As long as it's not the wrong sort

That's the important bit.  Encouragement, sympathy, empathy....all fine but I think we can all identify the type of reassurance that Phil refers to and that's a no, no OCD wise

[PhilM]

It can be very hard as Claire Weekes put it - "feeling like a rudderless boat on a turbulent sea" but Caramoole is right above and that is exactly what I meant. Cheers, Phil.

[taurean]

I don't think,whatever my failures, that I ever bought the reassurance T-shirt. 

I was pretty sure even before diagnosis that my intrusions were irrational so perhaps the reassurance was simply that I have OCD and not some kind of madness. 

Anyway, my wardrobe is already chock full of T-shirts with no room for any more 

But seriously folks, if you find yourself about to ask for reassurance, you need to learn /refresh your knowledge of the cognitive side of OCD,  and wean yourself off responding to that urge.