Same as it ever was...

[Symps07]

Hi all, I hope you are all well (or as well as can be ),

I've not been here for a few months & my OCD has been up & down.

Before Christmas, I was waking up with anxiety & it's started again the last week or so.

I say anxiety, because I feel the anxiety before I am actual aware of what it is that I am supposed to feel anxious about.

I think I know what my OCD is about, it's mainly to do with morality & religion. I'm not particularly religious, but went to a CofE School & went to church with the Cubs, so I was raised with religion around & believed that it was a given that I was going to heaven, even once I had stopped going to church into my late teens I still had that feeling.

I keep feeling guilty about everything, homelessness, famine, children starving in the third world, etc... I just keep thinking how am I or anyone supposed to life our lives when there are people suffering in the world. How can I spend money on myself, when i would be better spent on someone whose starving or needs medical help?

It doesn't help that I see adverts for charities on TV & the internet everywhere showing the troubles of the world. Everyone triggers my OCD, & if it doesn't, then I think it should & I trigger myself!

I know what I should do. Work my OCD. Don't ruminate & do some exposure therapy & keep working it. But it is so constant & everytime I try, I feel guilty because I think that I should be thinking about it!

On top of that, I keep thinking about death & what's the point of everything.

It's all a bit of a bummer tbh! :-/

I'm not looking for reassurance, just wanted to get it off my chest with people who understand the **** OCD through's at you!

Kind regards,

Mark

[taurean]

Hi Mark. 

I think the OCD plagues us more when we connect with it, give it belief and meaning and then get caught up in carrying out compulsions. 

This strengthens the cognitive distortions, the resultant emotional reaction.

The themes are simply the manifestation of OCD - it matters not which ones they are - and they aren't going to be nice. 

I suggest that you work out what core beliefs are underpinning each theme, then devise a plan to challenge them, seeing them for the lies, exaggerations, revulsions they use. 

And with that theme about the horrible troubles of this world, I think some reframe is needed together with a minimisation strategy. 

None of us can, by money personal assistance or anything else, stop the world's famine, wars, human rights misuse. 

But we can do something about them strategically if we wish - become a supporter of an aid charity, raise funds for aid, withdraw our support for companies who empower their staff to provide charity support.

[taurean]

1 hour ago, taurean said:

Withdraw our support for companies who empower their staff to provide charity support.

Don't think the word withdraw makes sense - think I must have meant "show". 

[Symps07]

Hi Roy,

Thank you for your response, it's brilliant!

I know that you're right in everything you say above, but it is nice (& I think, important also) to hear from someone else who knows what it's like to have OCD.

I am trying to do as you say, but as you know, with OCD, it's never so simple!

thank you for you advice, I shall keep fighting!

Kind regards,

Mark

[gingerbreadgirl]

Hi Symps,

Sorry to hear you're having a rough time Nothing to add to Roy's wise words, but just wanted to send you some words of support xx

[Gemma7]

Hi Symps

You really are taking the responsibility of the world on your shoulders! Like Roy said i think you need to realise that you are just one person and that feeling guilty over things doesn't actually help any of the causes you feel so passionate about. In order for you to help anyone in the world you need to put your physical and mental wellbeing first. That means getting rid of OCD so that you can invest your energy into what you want to do, not what OCD says you should do. 

Good to hear from you though despite the OCD

[Symps07]

13 hours ago, gingerbreadgirl said:

Hi Symps,

Sorry to hear you're having a rough time Nothing to add to Roy's wise words, but just wanted to send you some words of support xx

Hi Ginger,

Thank you & nice to hear from you again  How are you keeping these days?

9 hours ago, Gemma7 said:

Hi Symps

You really are taking the responsibility of the world on your shoulders! Like Roy said i think you need to realise that you are just one person and that feeling guilty over things doesn't actually help any of the causes you feel so passionate about. In order for you to help anyone in the world you need to put your physical and mental wellbeing first. That means getting rid of OCD so that you can invest your energy into what you want to do, not what OCD says you should do. 

Good to hear from you though despite the OCD

Hi Gemma,

I know you're right, but as you know, with OCD, knowing what's right & 'feeling' whats right often feel like totally different things.

Think I need to slow myself down & keep working on overcoming my OCD!

Good to hear from you also! I hope you are keeping well?

[Gemma7]

16 hours ago, Symps07 said:

I know you're right, but as you know, with OCD, knowing what's right & 'feeling' whats right often feel like totally different things.

Think I need to slow myself down & keep working on overcoming my OCD!

Good to hear from you also! I hope you are keeping well?

I do know, OCD is really hard, all we can do is try and try again. 

I'm doing ok thanks, just fighting as usual

 

[Symps07]

You're right Gemma, I just get fed up of all the ups & downs! It becomes so frustrating!

Still, it's the weekend & I intend on relaxing & enjoying it! Hope you do too