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Ouija board as therapy.


Guest Tricia

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I didn't even manage to get it out of the plastic packaging, let alone strike up small talk with the other side...so to speak.

I guess the thing that frightened me was "what if?". Its always the things I am most sure of in my life that I doubt the most. Does that make sense?

I have the same thing with churches and gay-bars - I have a huge problem with going into either... anything that represents the antithesis of how I see myself. Its not the content, nature or people but the fear of my doubts.

By way of part exposure, I did go to a gay bar last year having been convinced by a friend that it was a good place to meet single, strait women. He was wrong, very ,very wrong.

I'm not sure how much my life is impacted by these doubts. I do spend a lot of time thinking/ruminating/obsessing about religion and sexuality. Think I'm might keep the lid on that can of worms a little longer :)

Oh I see, I didn't realise this issue is related to your OCD. I thought it was just curiosity or a bit of fun in your case. So what actually happened was a failed exposure attempt. It was probably over-ambituous; as a few people have said, this sort of thing should probably be top of the hierarchy stuff only, something to be done as the grand finale of therapy, if done at all. Too many mentally healthy people are greatly affected by ouija boards to make it advisable exposure therapy in my opinion. Edited by anatta
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I used to have (actually still have to some degree) obsessions about demon possession, selling my soul to the devil, getting cursed - you get the idea. This topic was a trigger for me, as I always dreaded the Ouija. You know what I did? I decided I will not be bullied by a wooden board with letters on it. I found some Ouija board image on the Internet and began pointing the screen with my finger (I don't feel like wasting money on this). I even pointed several times at "hello" and didn't point at "goodbye" when I finished. Apart from massive anxiety absolutely nothing happened. I'm still alive, I don't hear any voices, nothing is moving by itself in my room. And I am going to repeat what I did again, until my anxiety is close to zero. Really don't waste time on this, unless you have obsessions concerning it, like me. Then it's a good exposure.

By the way I do believe in spirits and spirit "world". I just don't think that you can contact anything by using a piece of wood with letters on it.

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The true way forward spirituallykin therapy is surely to find something wholesome to believe in - this can be through one of the religions or other wholesome fine thinking. .

My wife qand I attended the millenium dome in 2000 and were very interested readers of the material in the faith zone.

But whether you are religious or an atheist an approach to life where ww look for the good in everything, and seek to do good is spiritually great.When we do things for others and when we are in dialogue with others beneficially it lifts our spirits.

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I used to have (actually still have to some degree) obsessions about demon possession, selling my soul to the devil, getting cursed - you get the idea. This topic was a trigger for me, as I always dreaded the Ouija. You know what I did? I decided I will not be bullied by a wooden board with letters on it. I found some Ouija board image on the Internet and began pointing the screen with my finger (I don't feel like wasting money on this). I even pointed several times at "hello" and didn't point at "goodbye" when I finished. Apart from massive anxiety absolutely nothing happened. I'm still alive, I don't hear any voices, nothing is moving by itself in my room. And I am going to repeat what I did again, until my anxiety is close to zero. Really don't waste time on this, unless you have obsessions concerning it, like me. Then it's a good exposure.

By the way I do believe in spirits and spirit "world". I just don't think tphat you can contact anything by using a piece of wood with letters on it.

Obsession not problem , avoidance and not challenging ocd is !

Well done

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I used to have (actually still have to some degree) obsessions about demon possession, selling my soul to the devil, getting cursed - you get the idea. This topic was a trigger for me, as I always dreaded the Ouija. You know what I did? I decided I will not be bullied by a wooden board with letters on it. I found some Ouija board image on the Internet and began pointing the screen with my finger (I don't feel like wasting money on this). I even pointed several times at "hello" and didn't point at "goodbye" when I finished. Apart from massive anxiety absolutely nothing happened. I'm still alive, I don't hear any voices, nothing is moving by itself in my room. And I am going to repeat what I did again, until my anxiety is close to zero. Really don't waste time on this, unless you have obsessions concerning it, like me. Then it's a good exposure.

By the way I do believe in spirits and spirit "world". I just don't think that you can contact anything by using a piece of wood with letters on it.

What a fantastic positive post Mike and congratulations for the challenge.

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I used to have (actually still have to some degree) obsessions about demon possession, selling my soul to the devil, getting cursed - you get the idea. This topic was a trigger for me, as I always dreaded the Ouija. You know what I did? I decided I will not be bullied by a wooden board with letters on it. I found some Ouija board image on the Internet and began pointing the screen with my finger (I don't feel like wasting money on this). I even pointed several times at "hello" and didn't point at "goodbye" when I finished. Apart from massive anxiety absolutely nothing happened. I'm still alive, I don't hear any voices, nothing is moving by itself in my room. And I am going to repeat what I did again, until my anxiety is close to zero. Really don't waste time on this, unless you have obsessions concerning it, like me. Then it's a good exposure.

By the way I do believe in spirits and spirit "world". I just don't think that you can contact anything by using a piece of wood with letters on it.

See now that's how to use a Ouija board as exposure. Well done.

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  • 5 months later...
Guest Tricia

Personally, I still feel any use of the Ouija, whether for exposure or other, poses a risk.

I was re-reading Lee Baer's The Imp of the Mind, a few days ago. In it he discusses religious obsessions and a fear of the devil etc.

Lee Baer does not specifically mention the Ouija, but he does refer to the view of one of his colleagues, who is an expert on these kinds of obsessions.

"...continued to believe that her thoughts or exposure exercises were demonic or sinful, then he would never encourage her to do exposure therapy to such things."

Dr Baer goes on to explain that doing so has made patients worse. And that a therapist must ensure that a person with OCD doesn't truly believe such exposures are sinful or dangerous. He adds, "...our responsibility, after Hippocrates, must always be to first do no harm."

Edited by Tricia
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Guest Tricia

I actually felt like you when I read the paragraph from The Imp of the Mind, as it appears neither Lee Baer nor his colleague feels demonic forces are a danger (or even exist?!). I then wondered how that's different from other ERP where a person has overvalued ideas.

However, my issue is that it really is dangerous. I believe someone on this thread likened the Ouija to exposing oneself to a busy road and running in front of lorries to cure a fear of them.

Of course those who don't believe in the occult will not have any concern with using the Ouija.

Edited by Tricia
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Guest Tricia

Spend time in a church and get to know those with a religious belief, maybe, but I don't really see the connection. Can you explain, Legend!

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Guest Tricia

This kind of thing strikes me as a magical thinking type OCD, or at least very similar.

Yes, very similar, but I can't think of a case where someone with magical thinking, who stops touching or counting (for example), has come to harm (or their loved ones).

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Spend time in a church and get to know those with a religious belief, maybe, but I don't really see the connection. Can you explain, Legend!

fearing something due to ocd ,, so its easy to say go into a church as an exposure , but totally different to exposing oneself to a oujia board

same meat , just diff gravy imo. x

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Guest Tricia

fearing something due to ocd ,, so its easy to say go into a church as an exposure , but totally different to exposing oneself to a oujia board

same meat , just diff gravy imo. x

But going into a church poses no risk!

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But going into a church poses no risk!

yes it does ! according to ocd it does , its telling the sufferer he is going to heaven , but he doesnt want to ! so he is deliberatly diverting away from issue .. No way can i go into a church , because if i do , it will mean i definitly will go to heaven...

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Guest Tricia

No, I don't think they should avoid churches, GBG, the same as someone with a fear of HIV should attempt to shake hands with a person with the virus. Of course they'll both experience extreme anxiety.

However, we would never ask someone with a fear of their house burning down to do something that could actually start a fire in the house. In fact, I believe David Veale said he'd never ask anyone with a fear of being burgled to leave the door of their house unlocked. Which is far less dangerous than using the Ouija!

Legend, the only risk for the person with a fear of Heaven is the same 'risk' many of us experience when we face (harmless) fears.

What I'll ask you both is this: Would either of you ask a person with a terror of roads to run back and forth across a busy motorway?

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You seem to be stating it as fact that a Ouija board is physically dangerous but am I right in thinking this is a belief not a fact? just the same as any other belief such as going to church is dangerous. I have felt anxious in the past about gong into church (despite being an atheist) in case God punishes me for being gay, or whatever. these are anxiety based beliefs. Running into the motorway is basically guaranteed death, no belief necessary.

Edited by gingerbreadgirl
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