gunz123

Rumination is your choice and not automatic. It’s another compulsion. Think of the rumination and urge to confess as angry bus passengers and your the driver. Ask yourself “who’s drinking the bus? You or the passengers.” At the end of the day you’re in charge. You can’t stop the thoughts but you can influence how long they persist by treating them as irrelevant. As for the discomfort not much you can do other than being mindful and present in the moment. Do something active.

Been through this before. Easiest solution is to stop confessing as that’s your compulsion. Easier said then done. Just sit with it. You’ll feel very guilty and miserable for a while but eventually (may take weeks or months)) it lessens. Also don’t do backdoor compulsions like ruminating on why it’s not a good idea to confess or convince yourself this one doesn’t need to be confessed. This will perpetuate the obsessions. Cut it all out.

As you practice the exposure and stop the compulsions eventually you won't care whether what you're thinking is true or not. I know it sounds hard to believe but it's true. Why not try it. The worst that will happen is your in the same place you are today.

Just because your fear can't happen for a few months doesn't mean you can't do exposures I've had fears that are going to happen months from now. Just write down on an index card all the horrible things you think are going to happen. Then for the next hour do nothing but live your life normally. So don't do any compulsions. So don't do any compulsions then repeat this exercise in an hour. Keep doing it until the anxiety is minimal. Keep doing it until the anxiety is minimal

Very well said.

The best way to manage that not feeling right feeling is to treated just like your obsessions. What I mean is realize this is just what you have to go through to get rid of it It is neither good nor bad but simply something your brain wants to do. Eventually through this process you should habituate to this feeling so that you will get so used to it it won't feel bad anymore. Once you stop tagging it as having any importance your brain were going to let go of it. Finally, realize that although you can't control this process mediately, by doing the above actions you can influence mediately, by doing the above actions you can influence it.

You have doubt. Sounds like anxiety which is part and parcel of OCD. Your present solution of ruminating is only fueling this OCD. IF YOUR GOAL IS TO KEEP THE OCD ALIVE AND IMPORTANT THEN KEEP DOING WHAT YOUR DOING. If that's not your goal. STOP ruminating, analyzing or going away this fake problem. That is within your control. Stamp this topic as OCD despite your perceived legtimacy of it.

Your posting on an OCD website. Are you honestly saying there was no anxiety/doubt accompanied by it?

An OCD thought can seem real. Part of the disorder can distort your feelings just like it can bring up thoughts. Like Dr. Phillipson has said trusting your feelings with this disorder is as smart as asking the Devil directions to heaven. Another way of looking at it is that although an OCD can seem like a real thought, a real thought, something along your true values, will never seem like an OCd thought. Try to trust that if the thought was initially accompanied by anxiety that it is best to put it into then OCD spectrum. Now you'll probably have some doubt but it wouldn't be OCD without doubt and:or guilt. Good luck.

PB is 100% right. Change your behavor and eventually your feelings will catch up.

If you can't make the exposure naturally (ie getting your hands dirty if you have germ issues) then write down your triggers and read it to yourself. Then don't do the compulsion. If you get a different spike when doing your other exposure, then just sit with it and don't do any compulsions.

Think of this way. If you try something new and it doesn't work what have you wasted but a little time.

I understand. But at least with my proposed solution there is a light at the end of the tunnel. With your solution, doing the compulsions, it is endless. THink of this method as a means to an end,.

Nothing but letting the anxiety go through you. It will not last forever. You ever been in the ocean? Probably, right? What happens when you encounter a wave and you try as hard as you can to stand still when the wave comes crashing on you. It's pretty hard to stand up and not get knocked down? Well, what if you didn't have to stand up to the wave but your goal was to merely float in the ocean. Alot easier, right? Think of the thoughts as large waves coming at you. You try to stand up to them directly, you'll lose ever time. However, if you float then they won't affect you as much. So the next time this thought overtakes you, say to yourself, I'm going to do nothing but accept this thought. I'm going to manage this "problem" despite the overwhelming need I have to solve it. Then just do nothing. Eventually, the panic/fear will subside. It may come back again, but do the same thing again. Eventually your brain will calm down.

Ok. It happened. Now what. You have two roads to chose from. One road is endless and you can feel guilty over this event the rest of your life. The other road is acceptance. Maybe this even is truly as horrible as you imagine. Ok. Keep living your life despite this feeling. You must separate yourself from your feelings. Just because you "feel" guilty is not important. Live your life, with your natural life choices, even with this ******** hanging over your head. It will not be easy but nothing worth doing is.