Astra

Hi all! So I'm trying out 'worry time'. Its something I've been told about in previous treatments I've had, but never really gave it a go but am trying to now. One thing I wanted to ask is how do you do it? Now I know that might sound odd but when you assign your 'worry time' and then go and do it.. what are you meant to do? I know the principle behind it is that you delay your anxiety until then and then let it all out. However when I've been doing it, I seem to just get into OCD cycles. Is this what's meant to happen or is it a case of just letting yourself be anxious? Or can it be both? Allow yourself an allotted time to do your rituals to help you stop doing them at other times? Thanks in advance!

Thanks VNDO

Hi! I'm not sure if this is something I'm allowed to post, so if I'm not - admin folk please feel free to delete this! I've recently started a blog and as part of that I'm going to be talking about mental health - specifically OCD (which I suffer with). Its going to be an honest viewpoint of my struggles, my challenges and my successes with OCD. What I do, why I do it, how I do it, what the outcomes are. It will not be me giving any type of advice (other than what any normal person would do and encourage following scientifically evidence treatments e.g. CBT!) and I will not be providing reassurance to those seeking reassurance for an episode of anxiety. I just wanted to know whether anyone would be interested in reading that? If not, I'm happy to just keep it to notes app on my phone - but if it is something people would enjoy or find useful then I'm more than happy to share thanks!

Hi dksea and cookiemonster, I think my instant response is that I should be able to picture his face - which I probably guess is linked to the OCD. Another thing is that when I do try picture him I sometimes picture my ex. This causes me anxiety too - but I know I do not want to be with him.. not one tiny bit!! So then get frustrated that I can't picture my partner's face. Another thing is that that same ex, I always worry that I'm going to call my boyfriend the wrong name and say my ex's name... Which is soo annoying and I constantly worry about that. I know I sometimes then get sucked into an OCD 'checking loop' (e.g. looking at pictures or *trying* to picture my partner's face and saying his name in a pattern until I'm sure I haven't said my ex's name). It's just all a bit of a stress. I think because it isn't something I can definitely say, like, 'oh that's OCD' I struggle to deal with it because in my head I SHOULD be able to picture my partner whenever I want to, my ex's face SHOULD NOT come into my head when I try picture my boyfriend's face, my ex's name SHOULD NOT come into my head when I try think of my boyfriend's name or go to say my boyfriend's name. (alongside this, another thing which probably makes it worse is that me and my partner had the same name ?.. so I'm stuck with hearing it forever) Sorry for the rant.. just need to get it out of my system and get some help!

Hi all. Not posted on here in a while! Just wanted to double check whether anyone else has heard of this.. I have relationship based OCD and for some reason, alongside that, I'm sometimes unable to picture my boyfriend's face. We've been together for several years so I definitely know his face. It can happen whenever I think of him.. whether I'm mention his name and try picture his face, or when I just want to picture his face. It may sound trivial bit it's really upsetting and causes me a lot of anxiety. I've been thinking about speaking to talking therapies to see whether or not it's anything they can help with.. Any thoughts/advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

He said 'it isn't typical OCD' but I do show some 'obsession' tendencies Right now I'm with my partner and feel much better - if I didn't want to be with him that wouldn't be the case? My thoughts/doubts/worries always seem to amplify when I'm not with him and have time on my hands.. if that makes sense?

It came across as he thought it wasn't OCD. He said I have the obsessive side linked to relationship concerns (or something like that) and he suggested me and my partner schedule time to spend together..?

Or should I re-read what I just asked and take that as me seeking reassurance which is an OCD trait - so I've kind of answered my own question?

Thanks Caramoole Yeah I may do - my problem is I don't like to offend anyone or be rude which I'm worried I'll come across as - but I know I have to look after myself and not worry about this. I don't have another session for over a week (due to work commitments) so I'll have a think. You mentioned in your post about me being sure it's OCD and not a relationship issue - that's one of my main worries. I keep checking my feelings. Then I'll read something and it'll settle my worries and I'll be happy and confident and know I love and want to be with my partner. Then the doubt returns and I'm anxious and constantly question and then get some relief somewhere along the line and it all seems better. I know I want to be with my partner. He is amazing, it's just I've been suffering with this for over 2 years now and it just has me Feeling crappy all the time. From your experience - does what I'm going through suggest OCD?

Yeah. I self referred initially.

How? I still want treatment.. do I just ring the service?

I believe they are a trainee - on my first session he advised his supervisor may sometimes sit in and he sometimes might record the sessions? Other that than - I've not been wowed by him. I've had CBT in the past and the therapist then was great..

Hi all Ive been receiving CBT regarding my relationship focused OCD. Things were going ok initially - but on this weeks session he made it out that it wasn't typical OCD and he thinks there's an underlying issue. I explained that me and my partner have had a rough patch recently but I know I want to be with him. i get doubts about the relationship and whether it's 'right' and used to always go into a cycle of checking my feels until it felt right. (I now don't do this all of the time - not sure if I'm not reacting to the thoughts by not going into a cycle?) i always feels anxious when I have a doubt or unwanted thought about the relationship - and my therapist has said there MUST be an underlying cause. Now I'm struggling as he's made me question whether it's OCD or not which is causing me to feel constantly anxious.. anyone got any advice?

Does anyone have any advice on how to 'tackle' this? I am currently received CBT - but on my last session - the focus of my OCD was not on this area (it was relationship OCD, but not questioning the 'do I love him' or making me doubt I love him part). I have the Thought Challenging tables to use and the thinking pattern charts.. but I struggle to 'nip it in the bud' and stop the thought from progressing. As soon as I have the thought I automatically go into "OCD mode" - this is what I struggle to stop. Also - my response to the thoughts (that sometimes my mind tells me I believe it, and then I believe it, then feel horrible and start checking whether or not its true) gets in the way as I think "if I believed it for a few split seconds, then that must mean something" - and it makes it extremely difficult for me to combat the OCD. Just wanting to know if anyone had any suggestions/techniques they could advise? I know breathing can help - but as I say, I instantaneously and automatically go into checking, panicking mode.. so looking for any pointers? Thanks

My OCD is bad at the minute. I know I want to be with my partner but my OCD keeps kicking in and making me doubt the relationship, the love, the OCD. It makes me keep feeling like I don't want to be with him. But I know I do. Then when I think I don't want to be with him I panic and sometimes believe it and then panic. He is the most amazing person ever. I want my life to be a life with him. I know that... the OCD is just bad at the minute. Last week I felt great - id tackled this part of my OCD and it felt great - and then I thought 'oh I seem to have controlled that 'focus' of OCD' and then boom it came back. Just wanted to vent as I feel very much trapped inside of my head at the middle. I don't want to talk to my partner about this - he knows I have OCD based on the relationship and accepts that - but I see it hurts him when I talk about it. So I'm just using this place as a place to get everything out. I want to be with my boyfriend, for life, as partners - this I know. The OCD just makes me feel conflicted and I hate it as I then stress and panic about it (the beauty of OCD, eh?)