"Can't" Or "Won"t" - Avoidance - And Stopping It.

[taurean]

How many times do we read here that a sufferer can't do something - and we know that something stops them doing something they want or need to do? 

But of course they can do it - however they won't. Their OCD is telling them to practice avoidance; and the more we give in and avoid, the more rules and restrictions the disorder will impose upon us. 

We avoid because OCD uses an irrational core belief with each theme of OCD, and our mind believes this core belief, an alert is sounded and disorder and compulsing follow. 

Tackle and remove that core belief using CBT techniques, and practicing exposure and response prevention, and the "can't"  will become a "can".

 

 

 

 

[Franklin12]

Great point Roy. It's so common to read on here 'I can't do x', whereas it would be much better framed as 'I am afraid to do x'. I think framing it this way shows that it's a case of overcoming fear rather than simply never being able to do x. 

[taurean]

Exactly, and this is quite a simple way to see that. 

We are -effectively - worrying that the false negative irrational core belief, that the OCD seeks to impose on us, is true. 

Once we see that, we can set out to challenge it. 

[lostinme]

My therapist always says there is no such word as can't! 

Im starting to realise when tackling compulsions it's not that I can't, it's more like I won't because I'm afraid to face it. 

So yes tackling and removing our core beliefs through cbt and erp we can definitely change the can't to a can 

[taurean]

We have to not believe what the disorder is telling us - realise that safety behavioural compulsions are actually giving belief to the beast that is the OCD  and learn that if we stop compulsing nothing bad is likely to happen. 

When we start easing off those compulsions and believing our therapist, not the OCD,  that, for me, is when we begin to start winning and make progress. 

[lostinme]

5 minutes ago, taurean said:

We have to not believe what the disorder is telling us - realise that safety behavioural compulsions are actually giving belief to the beast that is the OCD  and learn that if we stop compulsing nothing bad is likely to happen. 

When we start easing off those compulsions and believing our therapist, not the OCD,  that, for me, is when we begin to start winning and make progress. 

Quite true Roy