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I'm resurrecting this thread as it's such a good positive thread for us to record our achievements even if small. 

I've realised I've got to double down on beating ocd or it's going to end up running my life so I'm determined to do it. 

So - this morning I used a bin in the gym I'd been avoiding using cos you have to touch the lid. Made me feel proper guilty but I didn't put it right. 

I also deleted a message I'd drafted confessing/apologising to my friend for a past misdemeanor. I'd kept it "just in case" but no more. 

Also did some compulsions which I'm annoyed about but trying to focus on the positives! 

What has everyone else done? 

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Worked my system regularly.

This keeps my ERP up to date, and I keep looking for positive interpretations and centering in the present. Gentle exercise, good company and happiness help. 

Saturday mornings are a joy. My friend runs the local tearooms and cafe on Saturdays together with a team of two Saturday girls. 

There is a regular Saturday clientele and all of us are great friends. 

Sometimes Julie joins me, but her favourite time is for lunch or tea in the week. 

This  on Saturday venture :

Gets me out of the house and taking exercise (a six-minute walk, using mindfulness). 

There is fun, enjoyment, social interaction and good food. 

The Co-op is next door for buying a newspaper and other requirements. 

There are two ATMs close by if needed plus a postbox and other useful shops and a bakery. 

I love Saturday mornings. And keeping busy happy mindful exercising and doing any necessary shopping is great distraction plus beneficial. 

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Going to try to not ruminate on a new panic that got triggered today, where I did something that seemed ok at the time although not perfect and now I think someone else might be thought badly of because of my decision. It could happen and I feel anxious but going to aim to let the bad feelings stay and not pursue the thinking any further. It's very obviously my usual theme so I guess I can manage to assume my worry is exaggerated although I really wish I could just fix it!
Also going to try to repeat today's feat, of not checking the cooker within the last ten minutes before leaving the house, for the next couple of weeks or so.

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 Thanks for resurrecting this gingerbreadgirl . I like threads like this and I need a boost of positivity.Lovely and encouraging to read others facing their fears!

Today I put my laundry in the dryer and didn't rewash after an intrusive thought that they might be contaminated and need rewashing.

Also, I've been having an ongoing theme lately that I'm scared that objects aren't mine as soon as I put them down somewhere (especially outside), and that they are contaminated. The longer they're out of my hands the worse it is. It's a pretty weird one I know. But anyhow I am working on putting things down and then picking them back up. 

 

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If we don't challenge those "rules" that OCD puts down, our lives will stay restricted by avoidance and fear. 

So, who's going to break one of those OCD restrictions today?

First time you do it, there will be an anxiety surge. But as we repeat it, in a structured manner, and realise nothing bad is actually going to happen by doing it, relief and reduced anxiety will follow :)

 

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Nice one @taurean, @leif and @Nellie

I love reading about the things people do to challenge OCD.  One day i hope we will all be able to put OCD in the bin for good :)

This morning I am avoiding ruminating about something that I really really want to "sort out" - it's knocking on the door but I'm not opening it, I'm going to the gym instead.

I have also been cutting back on my cleaning compulsions/hypervigilance around cleaning and already my anxiety about it is lessening.  

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7 hours ago, gingerbreadgirl said:

This morning I am avoiding ruminating about something that I really really want to "sort out" - it's knocking on the door but I'm not opening it, I'm going to the gym instead.

Wise choice!

I've been having something niggling at me the last couple of days. I made a spontaneous decision to challenge a contamination fear the other day. I didn't think it would actually bother me too much but it was one of those that afterward started bugging me and I keep getting waves of anxiety around it. So doing my best to just move on with my days, letting the fear be there in the background...so far doing ok.

A few things seem to be helping:

  1. I can actually hear your posts in my head, taureen, about your often reminders to gently but firmly to redirect the thoughts! and I noticed how I was walking along thinking about some nice memories that made me happy when the intrusive thought leapt in and then I was able to redirect back to the happy thoughts. :)
  2. I seem to be automatically remembering now all the other times I've felt this way after an exposure and how it always goes away eventually

 

 

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OK well as I posted in another thread, I'm having a bit of a rough time. So my challenge for today is to pick myself up off the ground yet again after being thrown from the horse.

I will try to take it easy today, not purposefully encounter any big triggers and just try to let the anxiety ride itself out and just try to play out my day as I normally would.

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On 18/05/2019 at 16:35, gingerbreadgirl said:

Great post leif! I also hear roy's words often funny you should say that! 

Ahh how nice. I have a rich deep bass voice (consequence of my earlier years of choral singing), to help you with that visualisation :)

Seriously though, I am very happy for people to latch on to the specifics I give out, because I have picked up lots of "goody bags" along my therapy journey, and want to share them out :yes:

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10 minutes ago, gingerbreadgirl said:

That sounds like a good plan leif. I've also been thrown from the horse a bit today so going to try and do similar to you :) 

:) excellent we will give each other strength

 

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6 minutes ago, taurean said:

Ahh how nice. I have a rich deep bass voice (consequence of my earlier years of choral singing), to help you with that visualisation :)

Seriously though, I am very happy for people to latch on to the specifics I give out, because I have picked up lots of "goody bags" along my therapy journey, and want to share them out :yes:

oh lovely added visual--I will hear your advice in deep soothing tones :)

I really appreciate all the help you do offer here--so nice for you to stick around and help people

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1 minute ago, leif said:

oh lovely added visual--I will hear your advice in deep soothing tones :)

I really appreciate all the help you do offer here--so nice for you to stick around and help people

Thank you leif. 

I thought when I retired I would get bored and be desperate to carry out some structured voluntary work. 

But we have both been busy, and neither of us currently want any ongoing regular commitments. 

So it suits me to spend time here, as and when I wish or am able, and share the pearls of wisdom I have collected on my therapy journey. 

I treat that as casual voluntary work :)

 

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I used to think my voice was my fortune, as it seemed to be much appreciated when I was chatting to customers/potential customers over the 'phone. 

Things only went pear-shaped when they actually got to meet me :laugh:

Back to the thread. 

All the wildlife are enjoying the new garden as much as we are - and it's giving them and us a beautiful positive focus. 

A couple of things of an OCD type came up this week. But I didn't listen to them and channelled my thinking into caring for the new lawn with regular watering, so all the squares of turf knit together, combined with how long should I wait before giving it its first cut. 

Great refocusing and not connecting. What happened to those intrusions? They faded away. 

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I've had a tricky day today and I must admit I've done a lot of ruminating and my mood went from fine to very low in the space of hours. Too much caffeine I think!

But anyway this evening I've tried to get back on the horse and not engage, with varying success. Feeling in a better place now and tomorrow is a new day. 

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Very pleased to see the Challenge Thread rise back up, it was always very useful.  I think it helps to try and set fairly specific challenges (although they'll overlap into other area's) and use it to chart progress, discuss problems, identify helpful methods/tips and get feedback on all of those area's.  The thread works best when it works on the challenges rather than discussing general OCD problems, they're usually better on their own thread.  Good Luck everyone :)

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My challenge will be to manage a gradual reduction in meds from 20mg Citalopram to 10 mg. 

Don't think the med affects the actual OCD in me, but being cautious. 

Planning to start in probably a couple of months - we are taking a break after working on improvements to our bungalow and gardens. 

Meanwhile the challenge is to keep on encouraging others. 

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I can still feel the residual effects of yesterday's surprise exposure so will be continuing to just let those feelings be while I continue with my day as normally as possible.

I will also be going to a place that will likely bring up more of the contamination feeling from yesterday.

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My main challenge today has been cutting back on ruminating which I've done quite successfully for the most part. My biggest issue is that in the moment I genuinely think I'm sorting out a genuine problem - but I have been trying to catch myself in the act and just say, enough. 

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Yep what genuine problem? 

I was explaining how my OCD works to a friend this morning and she was amazed. Because to someone else it seems bonkers. 

And of course it is. 

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On 20/05/2019 at 16:53, gingerbreadgirl said:

My main challenge today has been cutting back on ruminating which I've done quite successfully for the most part. My biggest issue is that in the moment I genuinely think I'm sorting out a genuine problem - but I have been trying to catch myself in the act and just say, enough. 

It does seem genuine......it's almost like any other muscle memory, it becomes the default, go to mode.  You're doing the right thing and trying to catch yourself and change the response.  Keep at it GBG :)

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