Try it

[Guest Tulsas]

As a postman the one time I can count on getting a break from the thoughts that plague and near enough destroy me is when I throw letters into a sorting frame.Monotonous but great theropy because you have to throw up 300 letters within 5 minutes.This is a great insite into why we should try and focus on other things that really are important in life instead of the false messages that are sent to us by the brain...how many of you write to this brilliant site and find themselves so involved in what your writing that the intrusive thoughts and feelings you have tend to take a back seat...

Anyway.My point is this..When I go out on my post round delivering letters, the thoughts hit me REALLY bad.I know being by myself on my round is also one reason it heightens cause in the office,mingling with other people it tends to (again)take a back seat..(not always though).

Last week my friend who takes his walkman out on his round to listen to the radio forgot it.He complained to me "I'll have to listen to the bloody traffic going by.Do you know how boring that is"...I thought,"I wish I could.Instead of whats going through my head"...Anyway,I did.I listened to everything around me..The traffic, a baby crying,people talking...even the sound of my shoes walking on the pavement.. At first I really had to make an effort..not to ignore the thoughts, but to really concentrate on what was happening around me..by the end of the week it had become second nature...the thoughts and the stupid songs that ruminate themselves still try to get through but they are not as powerful as they were....do your best my friends..REALLY try to listen,feel and get involved in whats around you.You've nothing to lose..Please don't think I am brushing of how hard it can be..I couldn.t (and sometimes still can't) watch tv cause of the noise going through my head...But I will fight on.........

[Guest Smudger]

That's great Tulsas, I'm glad you've found something that works for you!

I doubt anybody thinks you're brushing off how hard it can be at all-it's good, positive advice on a way to combat the ocd. Good work matey. :hug:

[Guest hope125]

Hi,

What a positive message, thank you.

It really is great advice, any useful strategies we can pick up from one another is wonderful. My therapist looked at that type of thing with me, she encouraged me to focus on all that is going on around me, while having a shower, concentrate on the feeling of the soap on your skin etc..

The following techniques are things i have done during CBT which i have found to be quite calming: I'll try my best to explain them properly - i am not a therapist so please excuse me if i confuse you!

Technique 1

1) sit very still, try to relax, choose an object in the room you are sitting in and with your eyes trace round the shape noticing the different textures, shadows etc... Continue until feeling calm.

Technique 2

1) lie down - look inside the body and focus on an area like the stomach and relax, picture it is a lovely, warm and comforting place.

2) next you say to yourself - it is ok to feel like this, i will feel differently , tomorrow, next week, next month, next year, but at the moment i feel like this, and it is OK to feel like this ( a bit yoga ish!!)

3) You continue to do this until you feel like you have brought your anxiety down to a level you can cope with.

Technique 3

1) if a particular thought bothers you - you accept your discomfort and then start to tap your knees - fairly quickly - stopping every 3 minutes until you feel your anxiety has calmed.

Hope this has helped - these srategies look rather odd written down like this but these are the type of things i do with my therapist when i am feeling extremely anxious.

Take Care everybody

Hope

xxxxx

[Guest Tamsin]

Hi all :blushing: .

Great advice Tulsas and Hope.

I find that playing chess helps me a lot, when I can motivate myself to do it. Feelings have practically gone by the end of the game!

Having said this, sometimes can't do anything to change the 'not right' feeling, like last night when I was out, and couldn't get away from the feeling that my jeans were too short (which they are, but that's not the point!). Just had to try and function with the feeling still there, but hate it when I know that it won't change until I go home, and in this case, get out of the dodgy jeans. Have learnt to accept this now, and I try to ride it out. The anxiety doesn't really go down for me on these occasions, whatever I do. End up stuck in my head, and am aware that I'm acting strangely, but I just can't help it. Grrrr!

Any suggestions (technique 2 no 2 is the kind that I resort to using in these circumstances - it's really all that I can do, until I change the bothering situation)?