People with intrusive thoughts PLEASE READ

[The OCDJ]

First of all if u read back on my posts u will see how much I have suffered with intrusive thoughts I have been through every conceivable variation of the thoughts and suffered the extreme terror related to them even now as I recall the terror I get a shudder down my spine this in itself could potentially invite the OCD as my mind could tell me I was scared of the terror itself not the accompanying thoughts. I recognise this as the nature of OCD and refuse to let it bother me at all I will explain why later! First of all I am a deep thinker and have a diploma in psychology particularly dealing with phobias but I believe they relate closely to OCD and most importantly I have OCD and understand the illness so I have first hand knowledge of the disorder the reason I am saying this is I want people to trust in my interpretation of intrusive thoughts as someone who has been there and is feeling considerably better. It pains me to think of other people suffering the way I have as it is a horrible experience I don't like to regurgitate the emotions of the experience but I don't fear it anymore all I will say is it was hell I couldn't get out of bed I couldn't stop my brain I couldn't defeat it but that is all the past now and it no longer has a fear attached to it I just want to share with sufferers what has helped me: firstly medication I am on 60 mg of paroxetine and I believe the medication really does help with your perspective and mood in general. Secondly the help of others on this website I owe my life to the members really (I haven't seen polar bear on here recently does anybody know where he is) thirdly I smoked during the end of my pregnancy and it caused me anxiety as a result when my baby was born I looked for signs in the baby that I had harmed her I looked for delays in her development etc etc I came to see this as working the same way as intrusive thoughts simply put when you are anxious about something your brain AUTOMATICALLY looks for reasons to qualify the anxiety this helped me so much make sense of the way intrusive thoughts work and I feel it could help others. When you are anxious about the thoughts your brain naturally will look for reasons you are anxious and to the sufferer this is where we get terrified as your brain knows no boundaries. Let me stress this is a natural way the brain works you cannot control it so whatever you fear your brain will look for it and Create it. It's as simple as that! This is where us as OCD sufferers get confused and terrified but this just strengthens it.If you fear youre a murderer your brain will look for reasons to qualify this false belief that's all that's going on. THIS WORKS THE SAME WAY WITH ALL FEARS NO MATTER WHAT THE FEAR IS... If we fear the thoughts themselves, fear we accept the thoughts, fear we want or like the thoughts the brain will use this process and this is why the thoughts feel real but they arnt let me give you an example of how these thoughts/ fears are not based in reality but override logic and reasoning I was terrified I was a paodophile when this grip of fear starting weakening I was lay in bed with my baby and I started to feel anxious my mind registered the baby was touching my leg with her foot or something and I became more scared I accepted or wanted or liked the feeling so naturally my brain started looking for reasons to qualify my fear it felt like I did accept the thoughts it felt real all the while I KNEW it wasn't her foot touching me it was the bed cover but my brain wouldn't allow me to believe it I checked 3 times and it still wouldn't believe it why.. because my fear was real and rising so my brain wouldn't stop the searching process and this overrided the reality that there was no danger it wouldn't accept the reality that there wasn't even any contact with my baby! Upon this realisation I grabbed my baby and held her so close to me and as the anxiety subsided my brain stopped looking for reasons to be anxious because I felt more comfortable and this was the best moment of my life and my turning point. I just wanted to share to help and encourage others this is all that's going on and you can get better and get your normal feelings back as long as you learn to feel safe and comfortable in your self this involves when anxious let your brain do its natural process and search for your fear you must remain comfortable and safe even with the thoughts and feelings you will start to fear you are accepting the thoughts then your brain will look for reasons you are you must accept this natural process it will feel real at first and very scary it will feel you are doing it on purpose whatever you fear your brain will naturally search for it and create it but what will eventually happen is if you remain trying to feel comfortable and safe in yourself no matter what your brain will still automatically do its natural process (it thinks it helps you it's actually serving its purpose to protect you) and search for reasons to qualify your fear out of habit but all the false feelings and thoughts it creates will go away it really works why because you no longer fear it! At first sometimes I felt like I was trying to get like thoughts of harming my children when they sit on my knee but the feelings wernt coming... imagine how amazing I feel (this process alone proves my interpretation) it is all automatic and when you get a hold of it the relief is the best feeling in the world you become free I want you to experience it too xxx

Edited May 1, 2016 by The OCDJ

[Applefan94]

Hi I've posted on here for the first time the other day your post as really helped me. I'm seeking medical treatment for the first time and I've had this constant battle since I was 14. I'm now 21.

My appointment is on Tuesday this week I would love your advice on how I approach this. Reading the symptoms I've ticked every box at some point. But now it feels like a constant battle in my head. I keep telling myself if you can figure out this one you will be free but as soon as one worry goes another one appears. I'm really frightened that these thoughts are real. It's been such a terrifying experience.

[The OCDJ]

I know how terrifying it is I really do its almost like standing on the edge of a cliff! But you will get there I promise you. These thoughts are really not what they seem when u learn to devalue them u see this and it sheds a whole new light onto them. You can chat to me anytime x it's a great step that your taking seeing a professional I told my psychologist everything I kept running out of his room and being sick in the toilets but he was amazing and very understanding he'd worked with so many people with OCD he told me of a man he worked with who hadn't seen his family in 8 years and moved away from them because of his thoughts I would say be open and entially honest and everything will work out fine xxx