What have you done today to make you feel PROUD?

[lostinme]

I Spent another 4 hours out and about again today on my own so I'm feeling really pleased

It's a great post to see so much positivity and everyone doing so well.

But remember guys as Roy says it's a marathon not a sprint and don't forget the cognitive side also it's just as important if not more so.

Your all doing so well, keep up the good work 

[Rucker]

10 mile run today in desperation because I haven't trained for the Great North Run next week.  I've done it a few times but not for 3 years now. I've gone from 0 miles to 8 then 9 now 10 in two weeks .... knees are killing ;)  Still chalking it off as an achievement.

[taurean]

It is an achievement and a very fine one. Well done

 

[Miranda123]

Today I have been helping clear up at work. I work at an engineering company actually in Finance but myself and my boss (the only other female) decided a lot of rubbish needed clearing in order to make space for some really big jobs we've got coming up. I;ve been lifting, lugging, kicking metal into skips, jumping up and down on it all to flatten it  before i even started i felt my chest getting tight and have been obsessing over my breathing since i woke up but i decided it wasn't going to stop me. It felt good to get my heart beating fast for a reason other than being anxious for once!

 

[Haayleey96]

15 hours ago, Wonderer said:

What a great post! I walked my son to the school gate this morning despite his dad being there and offering to do it and let me wait in the car, it sounds so silly but I was panicking about panicking this morning! I also spoke to a friend on the phone who is the focus of my obsession at present, I knew I'd feel guilty  while talking to her but we stayed on the phone for over an hour and had a nice catch up  xx

That is fantastic! Well done on persevering and facing up to the challenge! Super proud! 

[St Mike]

I managed to borrow the 20th anniversary edition of Brain Lock by Dr. Jeffrey M. Schwartz from my community library. My first secular psychology book and OCD book I have ever borrowed! 

[taurean]

It's a good book Mike, you will enjoy and learn

I have taken a day off from DIY and had a day's fishing, and been in a nice mindfulness state all day. 

Also been chilling out by the lake listening to beautiful classical music on my pocket radio whilst catching and returning loads of fish .  

 

Two needed some medical treatment from my fish "first aid"  kit, as they each had a small wound in their side. Doctor Roy provided treatment free of charge. 

 

[lostinme]

Such a great thread guys and everyone is doing so well 

keep up the good work, we can do this 

Today I've sorted lots of things to go and do a carboot tomorrow, outdoor exposure as well as selling lots of items I've been hoarding for a long time 

[bwelagain]

Such determination is being shown by all in achieving all of these things despite having ocd.

Well, I woke up anxious with the self-doubt trying to take centre stage again.

But, I managed to walk into town to return something for a refund to a shop.

Also, bought take away food to take home that I actually felt like ( since ocd came back in March it has made me so ill that I lost about 30 lb). Prior to becoming ill again I was a real foodie, ocd lost me my appetite.

Bought a cup of tea and sat drinking it in the busy pedestrian precinct, watching all the people going past, seeing all my triggers, having intrusive thoughts and images, whilst trying to tell myself to relabel it all as ocd even if it feels real. None of this is easy, but if we relinquish avoidance as a 'coping' strategy, it allows us to do things like going out amongst people, despite feeling the discomfort/anxiety.

I walked home, appreciating the wee bit of sun, even although ocd tells me I don't appreciate the nice things in life anymore as it tries to tell me I am bad.

It has been a hard day, but it beats hiding in bed, allowing ocd to rob me of the happy life that is rightly mine.

[taurean]

1 hour ago, lostinme said:

Such a great thread guys and everyone is doing so well 

keep up the good work, we can do this 

Today I've sorted lots of things to go and do a carboot tomorrow, outdoor exposure as well as selling lots of items I've been hoarding for a long time 

Wow how about that, look at you - a real difference lost, that's so good. 

I have had a stall on a market - it can be lots of fun, so go for it

 

[lostinme]

Thank you Roy  Feeling really proud of myself over the last few days, looks like I'm back on track  also made myself two cuppas again today. 

Just hope the weather holds out for me 

 

[taurean]

47 minutes ago, bwelagain said:

Such determination is being shown by all in achieving all of these things despite having ocd.

Well, I woke up anxious with the self-doubt trying to take centre stage again.

But, I managed to walk into town to return something for a refund to a shop.

Also, bought take away food to take home that I actually felt like ( since ocd came back in March it has made me so ill that I lost about 30 lb). Prior to becoming ill again I was a real foodie, ocd lost me my appetite.

Bought a cup of tea and sat drinking it in the busy pedestrian precinct, watching all the people going past, seeing all my triggers, having intrusive thoughts and images, whilst trying to tell myself to relabel it all as ocd even if it feels real. None of this is easy, but if we relinquish avoidance as a 'coping' strategy, it allows us to do things like going out amongst people, despite feeling the discomfort/anxiety.

I walked home, appreciating the wee bit of sun, even although ocd tells me I don't appreciate the nice things in life anymore as it tries to tell me I am bad.

It has been a hard day, but it beats hiding in bed, allowing ocd to rob me of the happy life that is rightly mine.

You are on the right track bowel,keep going. Keep attributing to OCD then refocusing away. 

This is part of The Four Steps approach from the book "Brainlock" by Jeffrey Schwartz - you can check out the steps by putting "The Four Steps"  into the search field on the main OCD-UK website. 

[taurean]

5 minutes ago, lostinme said:

Thank you Roy  Feeling really proud of myself over the last few days, looks like I'm back on track  also made myself two cuppas again today. 

Just hope the weather holds out for me 

 

Are yes the English weather, hope you get lucky with that. 

[lostinme]

19 minutes ago, taurean said:

Are yes the English weather, hope you get lucky with that. 

Let's hope so Roy 

[bwelagain]

As the night wore on, my anxiety kept going down to the point where I actually felt relaxed.

Have just been singing along and dancing to the radio. Can hardly believe I spent all those months in bed, afraid to live my life due to intrusive thoughts. 

I know I have to do cbt and erp to fully recover, but I have seen a modicum of my former well self emerge tonight. I feel so hopeful and positive right now.

Keep on standing up to ocd.

We can lead happy lives again, we just have to fight for the happiness and peace of mind we deserve.

[taurean]

good take on things bwelagain

 

[orange]

I washed two sweaters that had been sitting for a really, really long time because I touched them with the glove that touched the garbage can. It seems so silly now! Part of the reason that I could do it was last night I was throwing a weed in the garbage can and it bounced upwards and hit my lip. For quite a while I was worried about animals licking the garbage can, dog and raccoon poop, etc., etc. But after putting mouthwash on my lips (he he, yes a compulsion but to not do that would be like flooding). But I got over it fairly quickly. And am okay now. So the sweaters seemed like almost nothing compared to my lip.

Great idea for a post. Helps us to feel like we are getting somewhere.

 

[changemynametosomething]

     i pulled 100 kg (200 lb) for four repetitions at squats in the gym today! (im a girl) and i did it after a night with panick, and while being so angry and sad, but i just said, fk it, lets try♥️

i accept the fact that i had a setback on everything today, and im going to pause all of my ocd and troubles to tomorrow, because i have not slept much, im not doing this to myself today. im worth more.♥️ 

im not gonna go in my old footsteps after my setback today, im gonna accept that i can fail at times, and that thats ok. i will not see it as failure, but a minor fail just today.

and accepting that is a part of going in the right direction.

funny story, after my little meltdown i accidently walked passed a mirror, my hole face was black from makeup everywhere, and my hair was like standing right up, i had to laugh at that?

i did something similar in a mental hospital some years ago, i was alone in my room, and managed to clog the toalett. didnt know what to do, so i was just standing there with a broom, trying to sqoush it down the toalett, and while doing it, i got a look at myself in the mirror. i was like: yeah, isnt this just rock bottom?

  i laughed so much at myself?

Edited September 2, 2017 by ocdishell

[lostinme]

Well guys I had a rough anxiety provoking day and felt a little disheartened with myself, I've been up since six this morning, packed the car, unpacked it and set up, packed it back up and unpacked again. I was really anxious with how busy it was especially when everyone starts unpacking the car for you before you've had chance to unpack it yourself  I was feeling a little overwhelmed letting all these things go after all this time, it pulled a few heart strings 

But I thought what makes you bad makes you better, so I've repacked the car again and I'm going to do another one again tomorrow  

Heres hoping I cope a little better 

[bwelagain]

Way to go everyone!!!!

Let's not feel despondent if we don't achieve what we strive to do to contradict our ocd each day.

It's the determination to TRY that will be the key which ultimately sets us free from ocd. Each and every victory or even partial victory is a step closer to recovering good mental health and happiness.

Today didn't start off so good, but I notice that is my usual morning scenario. I seem to wake up, suddenly remember I have been in the midst of my major ocd relapse and sure enough, the anxiety kicks in.

Anyway, I didn't allow it to call the shots. I managed to go to the supermarket and actually choose some things to eat that I actually fancied. Looks like my appetite may be returning, which is a good sign as I have had zero interest in food since my ocd returned.

I was quite successful at dismissing my obsessions when out and actually felt a sense of happiness in the supermarket.......my 'well' self seems to be still there, swamped in ocd, but fighting to win through. I feel optimistic again tonight.

Watched the X Factor, enjoyed it, my mind wasn't preoccupied with ocd all the way through it, because we have far better things to do with our time, don't you agree?

 

[taurean]

38 minutes ago, bwelagain said:

 

Watched the X Factor, enjoyed it, my mind wasn't preoccupied with ocd all the way through it, because we have far better things to do with our time, don't you agree?

I agree. The more we can immerse ourselves in other things, the more we shift our focus away from unwanted obsessions and resultant compulsions. 

 

[taurean]

7 hours ago, lostinme said:

I've been up since six this morning, packed the car, unpacked it and set up, packed it back up and unpacked again.

It's hard work isn't it?  It's exactly what I have to do when I go fishing, ( but the difference is at the fishing lakes I have to unpack out of the car then pack onto my trolley, wheel the trolley to the position on the lake, unpack then set up the equipment, then at the end of the day disassemble the equipment, pack the trolley, wheel it to the car, unpack the trolley whilst packing the car! Phew). 

So you did really well, plus you didn't know they were going to descend on you before you'd even set up! 

Planning to go straight back today, in the light of knowledge, and accomplish the task is what we must all aspire to do. We take a hit, have a fall - but to maintain our gains we need to nullify the setback by getting back on the horse and re-entering the fray. 

So what you are intending lost is actually shining the beacon of hope at all of those of us who want to, but don't actually, do what we need to do - the procrastinators and defeatists. When we take a hit and stay down, OCD wins. But get back on the horse and at the task again, we win - and take a chink out of the disorder's armour, weaken it a little, at the same time - because we learn there is no such word as can't

 

Edited September 3, 2017 by taurean

[Gary.p]

On 31/08/2017 at 21:36, Haayleey96 said:

August 31st I went to a friend's 21st birthday party and I even cut the cake! I have harm OCD and so this results in a fear of knives, so i am super proud! 

I bet that was a challenge, well done!!!??

Only people with OCD or who have experience of OCD would understand how difficult that must've been!!

[Gary.p]

16 hours ago, ocdishell said:

laughed so much at myself?

I think that laughing at ourselves is a positive. If we can do this, we are on the road to recovery.

well done!????

[taurean]

1 hour ago, Gary.p said:

I think that laughing at ourselves is a positive. If we can do this, we are on the road to recovery.

well done!????

Other people will see our obsessions as silly nonsense. So let's work towards being able to take that view. My therapist B, herself a recoveree from harm OCD, my theme too said Roy, when an intrusion comes, think of it as "just my silly obsession"  - don't connect with it or give it, or any associations or connections the OCD tries to make, any belief. Just refocus away and get beneficially distracted. 

It was great advice from an erstwhile sufferer who, after recovering, went through full training to become a clinical psychologist in order to help others. 

Now that is inspiring

 

Edited September 3, 2017 by taurean