OCD is a hydra (multi-headed monster)

[BelAnna]

I have been doing so well for about a week- really tackling my contamination and responsibility OCD symptoms in some challenging situations and trying hard to manage my other OCD symptoms. However I've just been for a run and when I got back I had awful OCD whilst showering and dressing with thought action fusion, scrupulosity, responsibility intrusive thoughts and compulsions and I feel like I've just been beaten up even though it's all in my head!! 

Does anyone else feel like OCD is a multi-headed monster- you cut off one head and it sprouts two more?! 

[Storm]

5 minutes ago, BelAnna said:

Does anyone else feel like OCD is a multi-headed monster- you cut off one head and it sprouts two more?!

Yes, I’m currently trying to work through in my head a theme that’s not bothered me for a very long time, and it’s taken me by surprise.

i guess that’s why it’s inportant to try to get access to good quality cbt, and implement what we are taught. It’s not the theme that’s the issue, it’s the way we interpret the thoughts and worries that we have.

[snowbear]

23 minutes ago, BelAnna said:

Does anyone else feel like OCD is a multi-headed monster- you cut off one head and it sprouts two more?! 

I can see why it might feel like that. But if you look at all your obsessions under one umbrella of 'OCD thinking' rather than as OCD, then instead of viewing it as a multitude of topics OCD latches onto you can simply say to yourself, I've fallen into that way of thinking again.

Try thinking, 'I need to stop myself ruminating/checking'    Not 'I need to stop myself ruminating on...checking that...'  

Then the monster can sprout as many heads as it likes - while you cut out its heart. 

[BelAnna]

27 minutes ago, Storm said:

Yes, I’m currently trying to work through in my head a theme that’s not bothered me for a very long time, and it’s taken me by surprise.

i guess that’s why it’s inportant to try to get access to good quality cbt, and implement what we are taught. It’s not the theme that’s the issue, it’s the way we interpret the thoughts and worries that we have.

Aw I hope you're ok, it's horrible when that happens.

Thanks, you're definitely right that it's important to get good quality CBT and I think what you said about it not being the theme that matters was echoed by Snowbear! 

 

8 minutes ago, snowbear said:

I can see why it might feel like that. But if you look at all your obsessions under one umbrella of 'OCD thinking' rather than as OCD, then instead of viewing it as a multitude of topics OCD latches onto you can simply say to yourself, I've fallen into that way of thinking again.

Try thinking, 'I need to stop myself ruminating/checking'    Not 'I need to stop myself ruminating on...checking that...'  

Then the monster can sprout as many heads as it likes - while you cut out its heart. 

Thanks Snowbear, that makes sense- I did engage in compulsions, which then increased my anxiety so I should have nipped it in the bud and just acknowledged that the OCD thoughts were OCD.

[Storm]

17 hours ago, BelAnna said:

Aw I hope you're ok, it's horrible when that happens

Thanks hope you’re doing ok too x

 

[paradoxer]

On 3/17/2018 at 12:10, BelAnna said:

I have been doing so well for about a week- really tackling my contamination and responsibility OCD symptoms in some challenging situations and trying hard to manage my other OCD symptoms. However I've just been for a run and when I got back I had awful OCD whilst showering and dressing with thought action fusion, scrupulosity, responsibility intrusive thoughts and compulsions and I feel like I've just been beaten up even though it's all in my head!! 

Does anyone else feel like OCD is a multi-headed monster- you cut off one head and it sprouts two more?! 

Yes, OCD is like whack a mole, knock down one and another pops up. Cognitively, though, I think, that can be a useful tool to use against it. 'If it's not one thing, it's another' is indicative of its meaningless banality. Once you see that - you dispower it - and take away its 'menace' 

[Isthisreality]

5 hours ago, paradoxer said:

Yes, OCD is like whack a mole, knock down one and another pops up. Cognitively, though, I think, that can be a useful tool to use against it. 'If it's not one thing, it's another' is indicative of its meaningless banality. Once you see that - you dispower it - and take away its 'menace' 

Yes yes. And that is why we need to be our own therapists and not becomming obsessive with the treatment. OCDcan  swithch theme, so if you have learned everything about POCD and get another thought which is not POCD do you not need to learn everything about the new theme. You only need to know that you have OCD.

 

It is basically we wanting certainty. Which we cant get and we need to see that the thoughts promising certainty are misleading us.

[paradoxer]

20 hours ago, Isthisreality said:

Yes yes. And that is why we need to be our own therapists and not becomming obsessive with the treatment. OCDcan  swithch theme, so if you have learned everything about POCD and get another thought which is not POCD do you not need to learn everything about the new theme. You only need to know that you have OCD.

 

It is basically we wanting certainty. Which we cant get and we need to see that the thoughts promising certainty are misleading us.

Yes, in spite of 'feeling' to the contrary, the theme is totally irrelevant.