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pure o - images of faeces and assocaitio from it


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"My mum is writing this on my behalf - I get intrusive thoughts of faeces and it makes me worried about what I say and stops me from eating and drinking or doing the things I love as I am frightened of association of the images with the things I love and so spoil the things I love.

I am being treated for OCD and take medication but I am struggling. Any ideas please to help. I don't want the images to come in the first place!

I am told to accept them and ignore them - I just don't want them and keep asking why?

Pl help. "

My son is with me and has let me post - I do hope someone will answer soon.

litlefoot.

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Guest yinyang

Hi littlefoot and mum,

Sorry to hear your son is struggling, it is very tough but well done on seeking help.

I've posted a link to a book here,

http://www.ocdshop.com/product_info.php?cPath=1&products_id=12

I own it myself and it's good in that it's aimed at the friends and family of the sufferer also.

Being told to accept and ignore the thoughts is the right advice but that is much easier said than done obviously.

I think rather than ignoring try to look at it as not engaging with the thoughts when they occur, rather than purposely trying to ignore them.

The more you try to not think of something, the more you will think of it, and that's half the battle.

He needs to be reducing the anxiety that come along with the intrusive thoughts and ultimately stopping compulsions altogether, but this will come with time and practice.

CBT will help teach him that the thoughts have no relevance, recognise his compulsions, and how to deal with them.

Assuring him that everyone experiences intrusive thoughts will help him also but please be frugal! This can easily turn into reassurance seeking on his part and compulsive behaviour.

I hope this helps a little and he starts feeling better soon

Yinyang

Edited by yinyang
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Straight truth, we don't know how to stop the images directly. If only we did no one would have any problems. We can, however, control our compulsions and over time that can reduce the frequency and severity of the images (which are obsessions).

You are being told thecorrect thing to do. Eat even when you gentle image. Don't shy away from them. Let the images come and don't do anything about them. Ignore them. Get it in yourself that the images can't hurt you. It's like a bully constantly showing you images.if you ignore the bully eventually here's bored and leaves.

Statue course. You can do this.

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I don't want the images to come in the first place!

I am told to accept them and ignore them - I just don't want them and keep asking why?

Hi Littlefoot's son. :)

It's hard, I know, but the advice you've been given about ignoring the images is the right thing to do.

One thing which makes it easier to ignore them is to stop asking why they are there.

There is no answer to that. They just happen.

You're no different to anyone else because you get them. Normal people get horrid images popping into their heads sometimes too. The difference is they dismiss them without giving them any meaning at all. With us the images stick around because we ask 'why am I thinking this? There must be a reason I'm thinking such disgusting thoughts.'

And they won't stop as long as you keep asking 'why?' This keeps your brain locked onto the images while it tries to find a reason they're there.

If you had your fingers tightly wrapped around something it would be hard for someone to prise the object out of your hand. In the same way your brain can't stop thinking when it's desperately trying to solve an important puzzle. The images will keep coming as long as you're trying to solve the puzzle of why they are there and what they mean.

Pushing them away only makes your brain look even closer at what it is it's trying to move, so that doesn't work either. Well you wouldn't try to manoeuvre a big box out through a narrow doorway with your eyes half shut would you?

Practise saying something like this to yourself:

'OK, I get these images in my head. So what? It happens. It doesn't mean anything. The things I'm seeing in my head aren't a reflection of the kind of person I am or the kind of things I choose to think about. They are just pictures passing through my head, nothing to do with me. I can carry on doing what I want to do even while they are there.'

Once you understand you aren't responsible for the content of all of your thoughts you can accept them more easily. Once you've accepted they're just there, signifying nothing, you can happily ignore them and get back to eating, or concentrate on whatever you want to think about.

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Guest Tinkerbella1

Hi,

I know it might sound a bit eperimental, but try looking into the psychodynmaic approach. Long story short its a theory created by Freud that believes we create meanings for issues within our subconcious, maybe this will create a better understanding. Theres no harm trying! Hope this helps

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Thanks everyone for these ideas. he's trying ..with these.. .... X fingers ..... Something will click and he'll accept and find it easier to apply the strategies so the images fade more and normal life resumes again .... Soon. We are all very worn out by the ocd scourge!!!

Any more ideas always welcome as I'm having to keep playing therapist between appointments and I find practical ideas that others who have suffered find work seem to resonate more .... Even starting to get him to look at me typing onto this site..... Maybe he'll take more responsibility and curiosity will get the better of him if he can see these ideas help him.

Many thanks .

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