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Coping with full on triggers


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I'm intending to go back to work tomorrow. I find sitting at home gives me time on my hands and once I get talking to people it decreases. 

Anyway my work is the main source of all my worries and I am bound to hit a trigger eg. If someone is ill or displaying the symptoms I worry about. I am determined to face it head on as I cannot live like this anymore. I am prepared to face the anxiety and as shown in ERP allow it to pass. 

I am prescribed propranolol which helps should it become unbearable. And I feel better for knowing my collegues now know why I have been off. 

My question is...  in the moment a trigger happens what is the best thing I can do? 

Thank you for you help and support, :)

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3 hours ago, ecomum said:

My question is...  in the moment a trigger happens what is the best thing I can do? 

Attribute it to OCD - it will be trying to pull you into the false exaggerated or revulsion of the OCD core belief which is at the heart of your problem. 

Your usual reaction will be fear or some similar negative emotional upsurge of anxiety. 

So, with your cognitive understanding of that OCD core belief, simply think - "oh that's my OCD at work again" or something similar, and determine NOT to give it belief, NOT to connect with it. 

Then refocus away to something involved and beneficially distracting. 

If you fail, don't beat yourself up - just try again. 

Edited by taurean
typo
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Yes I can see both arguments there. It's always the dilemma I guess. I think I would try and say its ocd initially and get quickly distracted then IF a thought does catch on, then go down the line of maybe it's true and sitting with the uncertainty. 

 

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My last therapist taught me another way, as another option to cope with triggers and OCD thoughts. You kind of detach yourself from the thought, so for instance if I go over a bump in the road when driving, and I then worry was it a person, she said to then describe the OCD. So for me personally, I would mentally say to myself, ‘I can feel the OCD has made my chest tighten, I can feel the OCD trying to make me anxious over the bump in the road, it’s trying to make me worry’ or whatever else I felt. For me it really helped me to detach myself from the thought, rather than feel overcome by it, if that makes any sense. I would then refocus, by maybe saying again mentally, ‘ok, what are we having for dinner tonight, and what time’.

Well done going back to work! I find keeping busy really helps me too. Good luck! X

 

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We must always remember that we have to face the intrusions separately in structured exposure and response prevention. 

This is an essential part of disarming the OCD core belief. 

Detachment is good technique. There are all sorts of ways to do this. Here is a good one to use when you are in a calm and safe environment e.g.lying on a bed or couch, or sitting on a seat in the restroom.

The helicopter view 

Imagine you are in a helicopter, hovering a small distance above you, looking down on yourself being burdened by your OCD thoughts. 

Remind yourself how OCD works, how it is tormenting your alter ego below you, causing yourself to compulse to try and limit the disorder. 

See how that just makes the disorder stronger, and remind yourself that leaving the thoughts be, not connecting with them, not carrying out compulsions, will weaken them. 

Determine to refocus away, perhaps casting those thoughts away and into a stream that you imagine is flowing close by you. 

Toss out an intrusion and see it settle on a leaf in the stream, which then sails away from you on the current. 

Imagine any other upsetting intrusions leaving your mind, settling on a leaf in the stream and floating away. 

Then return your consciousness to the present and get beneficially busy. 

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These are great techniques. I think I will do exposure when I get cbt sessions. I've sort of done it a bit today when I looked at a picture that triggered me I stayed with it and also things on TV. So I'm pleased with that. 

I like the idea thoughts passing away in streams too. 

I am going to tell myself it's ocd if I get a panic tomorrow and look at it like an observer and get busy. I know why I have it because I am triggered by the things my mum panicked about when I was a child and they suggest danger to me. I am going to use this knowledge to accept its ocd and try and react like everyone else does when told someone is ill etc. 

Thank you for all your help :)

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