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What have you done today to challenge your OCD?


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18 hours ago, taurean said:

I have experienced this with regard to the bungalow's front door when going out. So when I close it now I close it in a manner  whereby I KNOW it is locked. 

So, when an intrusion comes "are you sure you locked it?"  I already know that I did, and ignore the intrusion :)

 

Be careful Roy, this can easily become a slippery slope :( 

This is a compulsion ( I close it in a manner whereby I know it is locked) this is self reassurance prepared for should an intrusion arise :( after you’ve left the house. Be careful because before you know it, you will doubt this one and more compulsions will arise :(

 

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I know what you mean.I think this is OK. 

I remember a conversation with another friend who said just act as normal and don't think like that. 

But we former insurance brokers need to have a knowledge that at least a sound principle will have been exercised. 

We had a simple but sound routine to check our last house when we left it - and that worked perfectly.

Haven't decided on how to do this here yet, but it will be simple and logical and not of a compulsion nature. 

A sensible routine is good, creating a ritual would be leaning towards OCD - it is a fine line. 

Edited by taurean
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I reminded myself that the topic of obsession is nothing to do with me, it's all OCD. 

 

I didn't respond to 5+ intrusive thoughts

 

I reminded myself that thoughts about how I feel can also be intrusive and not real

 

I tried to work on acceptance to lower my irrational fears

 

?? feeling better today... not 100% but better!

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1 hour ago, taurean said:

I know what you mean.I think this is OK. 

I remember a conversation with another friend who said just act as normal and don't think like that. 

But we former insurance brokers need to have a knowledge that at least a sound principle will have been exercised. 

We had a simple but sound routine to check our last house when we left it - and that worked perfectly.

Haven't decided on how to do this here yet, but it will be simple and logical and not of a compulsion nature. 

A sensible routine is good, creating a ritual would be leaning towards OCD - it is a fine line. 

That’s great Roy, as long as the solution doesn’t become a problem :)

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47 minutes ago, HDC said:

I reminded myself that the topic of obsession is nothing to do with me, it's all OCD. 

 

I didn't respond to 5+ intrusive thoughts

 

I reminded myself that thoughts about how I feel can also be intrusive and not real

 

I tried to work on acceptance to lower my irrational fears

 

?? feeling better today... not 100% but better!

Well done HDC, you’ve done great :cheer:

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As some of you may know, I have severe OCD centred around my relationship and getting married that manifests in extreme doubts about my feelings for my partner or whether I'm making the right decision, that I've been working really hard at trying to overcome.

Well today my partner and I had a discussion about a potential date, and we are thinking of late Summer next year as it will co-incide nicely with the end of my degree and I actually felt happy about it (this could not have happened at all a few months ago!). I've been mindful whenever any doubts or anxiety come up and the urge to ruminate/seek reassurance/Google etc. is very strong but so far I've managed to resist doing any of that.

We've also found a potential venue and my next goal is to email them in the next week to arrange going to view it. This might seem like a trivial thing but it's a huge step for me so I'm pleased with the (very small!) progress that I've made so far :).

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That is real, good progress Lynz

:thumbup:

With this theme of OCD the OCD attacks our true core values - our real thoughts and feelings towards our partner - and proposes the opposite to be true. 

So remember that this is what it is doing - and that your true core values remain intact :)

 

Edited by taurean
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11 hours ago, Lynz said:

As some of you may know, I have severe OCD centred around my relationship and getting married that manifests in extreme doubts about my feelings for my partner or whether I'm making the right decision, that I've been working really hard at trying to overcome.

Well today my partner and I had a discussion about a potential date, and we are thinking of late Summer next year as it will co-incide nicely with the end of my degree and I actually felt happy about it (this could not have happened at all a few months ago!). I've been mindful whenever any doubts or anxiety come up and the urge to ruminate/seek reassurance/Google etc. is very strong but so far I've managed to resist doing any of that.

We've also found a potential venue and my next goal is to email them in the next week to arrange going to view it. This might seem like a trivial thing but it's a huge step for me so I'm pleased with the (very small!) progress that I've made so far :).

This great news Lynz :) well done you’ve done great :cheer:

Be strong you can do this :cheer:

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On 17/05/2018 at 16:02, lostinme said:

It’s not been a bad day or a good day, but at least I’ve been trying :yes: 

Ive been to town with my sister and for therapy purposes I ventured off alone a lot of the time (9.30 - 2.30). I went into shops, tried things on, spoke to people and paid for my items. Did a couple of compulsions, but most of the time resisted. I only checked once before leaving the house. 

Ive took my dog out and even though I had some bad intrusive thoughts I didn’t give them my attention. 

Made a cup of tea, but sadly i gave into it and I threw the first one away and now I’ve made another, Im determined to drink at least half of this one no matter what thoughts I get.

I still think I’ve done well and any setbacks are a good learning point :yes:

 

I think this is great lost - and you had a great attitudee to the small slip-ups.  It's easy to think "sod it, I've done a compulsions, I might as well go the whole hog" but you carried on and did great :)  :)

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On 17/05/2018 at 16:49, worriedjohn said:

Today while in work my OCD tried hard to convince me that I need to solve my OCD by logic. But I have sticked to the point that I will not apply ANY KIND OF LOGIC to SOLVE my ocd and stick to just refusing to OCD in any way (mentally).

Great job worriedjohn!! This is abslutely the right attitude, don't try and solve it, just leave it unsolved and it will die of apathy.  Great job :):)

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On 17/05/2018 at 18:21, lostinme said:

Be careful Roy, this can easily become a slippery slope :( 

This is a compulsion ( I close it in a manner whereby I know it is locked) this is self reassurance prepared for should an intrusion arise :( after you’ve left the house. Be careful because before you know it, you will doubt this one and more compulsions will arise :(

 

I agree this sounds like it could become dangerous - if you need to KNOW that you have locked the door (as you put it) then this is dangerously close to a demand for certainty, and the conditions that OCD demands can gradually creep up and up.  Sounds like you know what you are doing Roy, but like Lost says just be careful x

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On 17/05/2018 at 20:36, HDC said:

I reminded myself that the topic of obsession is nothing to do with me, it's all OCD. 

 

I didn't respond to 5+ intrusive thoughts

 

I reminded myself that thoughts about how I feel can also be intrusive and not real

 

I tried to work on acceptance to lower my irrational fears

 

?? feeling better today... not 100% but better!

This is great HDC.  And also what you've put about feeling better today is solid evidence that you feel better when you don't do compulsions.... good result, and you can remind yourself of this next timee you are tempted to give in :)

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On 17/05/2018 at 22:32, Lynz said:

As some of you may know, I have severe OCD centred around my relationship and getting married that manifests in extreme doubts about my feelings for my partner or whether I'm making the right decision, that I've been working really hard at trying to overcome.

Well today my partner and I had a discussion about a potential date, and we are thinking of late Summer next year as it will co-incide nicely with the end of my degree and I actually felt happy about it (this could not have happened at all a few months ago!). I've been mindful whenever any doubts or anxiety come up and the urge to ruminate/seek reassurance/Google etc. is very strong but so far I've managed to resist doing any of that.

We've also found a potential venue and my next goal is to email them in the next week to arrange going to view it. This might seem like a trivial thing but it's a huge step for me so I'm pleased with the (very small!) progress that I've made so far :).

This is fantastic Lynz! I know you've been really struggling with this and it's great you've taken these steps and you're feeling a bit better about the whole situation :) good luck with your next goal of finding a venue :):)

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Well I was at a wedding yesterday and travelled back today which threw up some challenges.  Big social events can often put me in an anxious frame of mind at the best of times, but especially when my OCD is rearing its ugly head.  However I anticipated this and I made a plan to be kind and gentle with myself rather than giving myself a hard time which I often do at social things.  I also anticipated my obsession popping up a lot, which it did, and I did my best not to engage with it, and I didn't for the most part.

I did do a bit of confessing to my partner, which did set me back slightly.  But I did also resist it at other times.  So generally I think I did OK OCD-wise, and now I'm preparing to redouble my efforts again now I'm back home. 

Edited by gingerbreadgirl
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3 minutes ago, gingerbreadgirl said:

I did do a bit of confessing to my partner, which did set me back slightly.  But I did also resist it at other times.  So generally I think I did OK OCD-wise, and now I'm preparing to redouble my efforts again now I'm back home. 

You kept the lid on it GBG, which is good. 

Of course, confessing is a compulsion and, like all compulsions, doesn't fix anything - only strengthens the obsessional thinking. 

So keep working on that :)

We have been watching wall to wall Royal wedding, and at one point after a comfort break I received the thought " did I switch off the tap". But I let it go and returned to watching the pageantry. I am pleased with that response :thumbup:

 

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6 hours ago, gingerbreadgirl said:

This is fantastic Lynz! I know you've been really struggling with this and it's great you've taken these steps and you're feeling a bit better about the whole situation :) good luck with your next goal of finding a venue :):)

Thanks GBG :). Today I spoke to my parents about it and told them of our plans. They were happy and my dad said he wants to pay for it all, so at least I won't have any financial worries! I was mega anxious when talking to my parents though as I was worried they might be thinking "oh here we go again, she will call it all off again in a couple of months!" but I did not voice those anxieties. It has thrown up a few doubts in my mind again about whether I'm doing the right thing, but I'm trying my best to resist them/not pay any attention to them.

Thanks for all of your support :hug:

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48 minutes ago, Lynz said:

Thanks GBG :). Today I spoke to my parents about it and told them of our plans. They were happy and my dad said he wants to pay for it all, so at least I won't have any financial worries! I was mega anxious when talking to my parents though as I was worried they might be thinking "oh here we go again, she will call it all off again in a couple of months!" but I did not voice those anxieties. It has thrown up a few doubts in my mind again about whether I'm doing the right thing, but I'm trying my best to resist them/not pay any attention to them.

Thanks for all of your support :hug:

This is fantastic!  :) so good to hear you confronting your OCD and not letting it wreck a really happy event.

You'll have to let us know when we should all buy a hat :a1_cheesygrin:

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Well I have been challenging my OCD a lot this last week or so and I can already feel my mood lifting and my anxiety reducing.  I find it amazing how quickly CBT/ERP can take effect once I really knuckle down to it.  My mind isn't getting "stuck" quite as much. 

I am trying to cut down on rumination as well, by telling myself I will "solve this later/tomorrow" and then by the time tomorrow comes round, it no longer feels as urgent.  I find that postponing ruminating is much easier than cutting it out cold turkey.  It is the same mentality that AA uses - "one day at a time".  It is easy(ish) to resist doing something today, and that's all there ever is, really.   I am returning to hobbies that I more or less abandoned during this relapse and they are helping me to not ruminate.

By not ruminating I am leaving things as unresolved, not pinned down as one thing or another, and this is something I have always struggled with even outside of OCD spells.  I tend to think very "black and white" - so by not ruminating I am practising leaving things in the grey.  I think this is a really important skill to learn for most OCD sufferers and I think is at the heart of many cases of OCD. 

So anyway, onwards and upwards, etc!

My plan for today is to do lots of things to challenge my obsession with contamination which has sprung up quite recently like a bolt from the blue.  I'm hoping that because it's quite new it should be easier to nip in the bud than more entrenched obsessions.  I am also going to try and keep busy, go for a run, do some writing, play on the playstation etc.  Basically limiting the amount of time my brain can spend on compulsions.

Edited by gingerbreadgirl
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Sounds like a plan GBG. And I am glad that you are finding the grey, and understand that we don't have to resolve obsessional thoughts - OCD says we must, but we don't - and left alone they lose power and frequency. 

Have a great day :)

 

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Glad everyone seems to be doing so well . I slipped a bit into confessing mode yesterday but overall I didn't do badly. I am attempting to avoid doing compulsions around health anxiety which I have had moderate success with. I am slipping into a type of rumination where by I focus on any slight twinge and catastrophizes into an impending horrible illness.

I am trying to focus my attention away to other activities - such as engaging playing with my son.  

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