Challenge Club-Merged Threads

[Caramoole]

Thanks Patsy, it was nice to *meet* you as well :grin:

I look forward to hear of your next goal

[Caramoole]

So let's see who we've got

Me - Checking Blood pressure

Sally B - Checking the lamp

Two Shoes - Letting husband wash up

Hayley - Not checking behind her

Adamski - Not asking for reassurance and working on contamination

Louise24 - Cutting down time in the shower

Matt - Trying to keep occupied & busy

NickNickNick - Sitting in a dirty chair

IrnBru - Reduce checking

Caveman - Stop cleaning toilets at 6.30 am

Patsy - Reduce checking

Xena - Not checking envelope contents

Queenie - Resisting cleaning rituals

[Guest NickNickNick]

This is truly an incredible thread, Cara.

Well done on the idea!

And now that you've summed things up nicely, you can edit that summary as people progress through their rituals.

Again, this is a great idea and very encouraging to watch people conquer their 'bad habits' so-to-speak.

[Guest SallyB]

Well - it was my day off yesterday so no checking before work. However, I did manage to stick to not checking the light again. In fact I think that I will now add another light to the equation - so that is the spare bedroom light and my bedroom light to just look at to make sure that they are off rather than peering under the shade directly at the lightbulb. So here goes......................

[Guest xena]

Hello all, i am going to try and put a letter in an envelope without checking more than once................................

[Caramoole]

Well done Sally, you're storming ahead here

I've added you on the list Xena Good Luck

How's anyone else doing?

[Caramoole]

Well I've had a rogue difficult(ish) day today Having had two pretty good days, today the anxiety crept back. I did wait two hours before checking my B.P, it was up (no suprise there) so I fell into a 10 minute session, checking it about 5 times. Haven't checked since though despite being sorely tempted :crybaby:

Now, where's the rest of my team, how you all doing...little achievements are ok, anything's an improvement in this battle, Feedback please

[Caramoole]

Well done Patsy and thanks for the update

Good Luck with the CBT tomorrow, catch you soon :grin:

[Guest Kitty]

Well, a sort of success for me too!

I told some of you guys about this the other day, but I had a workman in to put a digital TV aerial in my room at home on Monday. He drilled a hole in the wall, he touched loads of my stuff (had to move my furniture, TV, Video, Hi fi etc) also moved my video collection and got them all mixed up (after I had categorised them into alphabetical order etc ). Anyway, everything felt 'wrong' in there on Monday night and I felt desperate to clean. But..........

I DIDN'T.

I got up on Tuesday, thought to myself - 'I have to clean in here'. But.....

I DIDN'T.

It's now three days since it happened and all I've done is move the furniture back. Still haven't cleaned anything.....

Does that count, guys???

Luv Queens

xx

[Bobby Chariot]

yay Queens!

David xx

[Guest C*]

well done guys... you're making such great progress!!

[Caramoole]

Well done Queenie I think that looks like a huge achievement :grin:

You're on the list

[Adamski]

Howdy people

Well i posted my plans a little while ago. It is with regret that i have to say i have not been doing so good. But until i can pull myself back from all the struggles i have been having recently i see this perhaps as an opportunity to perhaps slightly amend my goals and objectives. i think at the moment the important thing for me to do is to just keep going until it gets a wee bit better. The more and more i experience this wretched problem the more and more i spend time trying to beat it, and with that i find out new ways and ideas to cope. On top of that i meet new sufferers and make a stand for them in the way they have helped me i guess. So I AM JUST GOING TO KEEP GOING!!!!

See ya

Adamskixx

[Guest SallyB]

Hooray! :crybaby: I managed both lights today - first time I've ever been able to check the bedroom light without looking up under the shade. I will stick to the same task for tomorrow and then try a new task on my next working day. Still got to think about that!

Thanks so much for the idea - it really helps having a target - I know that once I've committed myself to it then I have to do it.

Sally

[Guest Saffa]

Well done all of you. !!!!!

saffa

[Caramoole]

Well Done Sally, that's great, clever you :grin:

And glad things are going well with the CBT Patsy

Adamski, don't worry just keep going at your own pace day by day, there are good ones and bad ones....I know that only too well.

I'm with you today I've had 3 really good days and today I've been usless, haven't made any success and the checking got me today... but it hasn't for the last few days so that's still progress I suppose. I'm disappointed but I guess if it were THAT easy, make a decision and that's it, then none of us would be here posting. Today my own advice fell on deaf ears :crybaby:

Roll on with the Good Times and here's to more successful Challenge Beaters

[Guest Newbloke]

Hi all. I just wanted to say well done to everyone doing the challenge. You should all be proud of yourselves. These are major leaps in your recovery. It feels good to achieve this doesn't it. Newbloke.

[Guest SallyB]

Did really well with my checking yesterday. Aswell as the not peeping under the shade at the lights I have been trying what I call my "one check" system where I give myself one opportunity to check each thing. Ok so sometimes I do it a lot more - but somehow my brain responds to the fact that it might only be getting one opportunity to check so it better make the most of it and do it properly. It has really help with the front and back doors which are always my worst bits It will be good to see how its goes on Tuesday which is the next day I will need to check the house fully before going to work as it is my day off Monday.

However, I will make the commitment to leave the house on Monday and walk the dog - usually I don't go out of the house at all on my day off to avoid the checking so will set myself the task of making sure I get out once.

Sally

[Caramoole]

You sound to be doing really well Sally with your progress, Well Done You

I had a blip Thursday and a slight one yesterday but back on track today of one check this morning and none since.

I know it's really hard NOT to do it but in truth, once you make your mind up not to check it is actually far, far less painful than the checking actually is and can be much easier than you think, it's that first urge that's the worse. What do you think Sally.

Well the Challenge Club has now been officially open for one week so I look forward to hearing what the others have achieved, remember ANYTHING, no matter how small is worth a pat on the back.

Just let me remind everyone, Memberships are still open and are all free

[Bobby Chariot]

Well, i've decided not to feel so guilty about my cleaning. If i want to stay in and clean on my birthday i will dammit!

It's just the way my mind works - if i see something i feel needs doing, i do it there and then 'cos otherwise it'll only prey on my mind. If i didn't do it, i'd feel far worse.. (odd really, 'cos it still half sounds even to me like i'm giving in to compulsions, but it just doesn't feel the case - my OCD in the past several years has largely been of the pure 'O' flavour - reckon i'm just taking more care and pride in myself and my immediate surroundings now i'm not so wrapped up in my thoughts!)

To be honest, when i was really bad i had enough trouble getting out of bed, let alone cleaning. It's not affecting my life anything like the intrusive thoughts and checking were a few months back! I'm aware it could become another 'flavour' of my OCD now i've been fighting the other issues i had, but i reckon as long as i keep it within reason, there's no need to feel bad about it!!

...oh and i'm (mostly! ) doing a lot better on the checking these days too

("oops" he said, editing the post slightly for a very minor reason...)

[Caramoole]

Nothing wrong with cleaning or checking and editing your posts as long as you're doing it because you want to, as long as it's not tormenting you

[Bobby Chariot]

Thanks Caramoole!

Think that's the big difference. It got to the stage where i'd be so angry with myself, but unable to stop the checking.

Having really got on top of things i'm probably extra-vigilant of my own behaviours and do worry a bit that they may be compulsive rather than normal (wonder why that is, lol). Not that anyone really knows what normal is anyway. So what if i'm cleaner than the average these days - i'm also happier than the average!

I'm still pretty much plagued by the intrusive thoughts, but really try not to attach the same significance to them that i used to, and certainly have a lot more faith that i'm not a bad person for having these thoughts. I also make a conscious effort not to feel guilty over the thoughts too...sometimes easier said than done, but i can generally challenge/get over things a heck of a lot quicker than i used to.

every day IS a challenge. but it's a challenge i enjoy taking!

take care all

David

[Guest Sammyhostie]

Im going to try and stop checking my pulse when I get nervous, because then I get even more nervous, then my heart rate goes up, then I get palpitations, then I check, and on and on and on until Im so scared and breathless I hyperventilate and think im going to have a heart attack and die!

It is so horrible. Even just writing that down made me think of it!

Ive found taking those natural tablets "Kalms" is really helping me to "Kalm"(!)down.

[Caramoole]

Been there, done that (still do under pressure)

I'd go on a walk and be secretly checking my pulse to see if I was about to expire at any moment. If you read my posts you'll see that is one of my recent problems, blood pressure checking, same thing really.

One thing worth remembering is that a healthy heart can beat at 200 beats and be okay, palpitations although un-nerving mean very little, just an unpleasant sympton (but they unfortunately act as a reminder)

Conversely, if you were to set off and run, or dance, or cycle you would find that you would use up the extra adrenalin and blood pressure and pulse would actually fall, I've tried this and it is true.

A couple of books I would recommend for this type of problem are:

Self help for your Nerves and Peace from Nervous Suffering both by Claire Weekes (type that name into an Amazon search [note: Weekes has an 'E' in it])

They're quite old fashioned books but identify clearly EVERY symptom you can identify with.

Welcome to the club, I've added you to the list and look forward to your progress Sammy

[Caramoole]

So let's see who we've got

Me - Checking Blood pressure

Sally B - Checking the lamp

Two Shoes - Letting husband wash up

Hayley - Not checking behind her

Adamski - Not asking for reassurance and working on contamination

Louise24 - Cutting down time in the shower

Matt - Trying to keep occupied & busy

NickNickNick - Sitting in a dirty chair

IrnBru - Reduce checking

Caveman - Stop cleaning toilets at 6.30 am

Patsy - Reduce checking

Xena - Not checking envelope contents

Queenie - Resisting cleaning rituals

Sammy Hostie - Checking Pulse