Can obsessing about OCD be counterproductive?

[taurean]

A while back I learned, from a book on how to stop worrying, a good way of dealing with making decisions. 

Consider all possible solutions 

Choose a shortlist of potentially viable ones. 

Select what appears to be the best one. 

Implement it 

Dismiss all anxiety about the outcome. 

Reading that changed my life - since then I have used this method many times. 

Nor do I worry about always having to be right. President Roosevelt said that even the best of us might manage to be right only about 85 % of the time - we all make mistakes, errors of judgement. 

I aim to have a better record than 85% and no longer worry about it. 

 

[Orwell1984]

Ryukil. Just get into that hospital. There will be more than one professional in there who will help you so you will have the best therapy that fits your individual situation. This thread is now just more rumination. Hospital and take it from there. You have proven you cannot do ERP effectively on your own and your OCD is so strong you are getting caught in cognitive loops. You cannot think your way out of it. Past threads and this one have proven that. Get out of rumination limbo.

 

You have had various forms of the 'doing therapy correctly' obsession since 2015. Time to call time on it and just check into the clinic you mentioned. Three years on this obsession is a waste and mental hell im sure. Just do it.

Edited June 17, 2018 by Orwell1984
Perspective

[Ryukil]

It hasn't been three years with this obsession. Since September with this one. But I mean...I really don't know what they're going to tell me to do in the hospital. Ya know? My former therapist tells me I could still do it outpatient. Lol. 

 

[Orwell1984]

These three threads from 2015 are all about wondering are you doing your therapy correctly:

 Is there anything wrong with saying, "Don't give into a compulsion for two weeks?"

 Delaying a compulsion IS a compulsion?

 It's not me; it's my OCD
Ryukil replied to Ryukil's topic in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Well the problem is, for me...if someone suggests that I'm treating my OCD in the wrong way, then I will begin to obsess

 

6 minutes ago, Ryukil said:

really don't know what they're going to tell me to do in the hospital. Ya know? My former therapist tells me I could still do it outpatient. Lol. 

Of course you don't know what they'll say in the hospital. On their website they said that a part time program is for those who need more structure than an outpatient program but dont need to be a full time inpatient. Have you spoken to McLean on the phone or via email? They might give you the push you need to get in there and commence. Financially you're not held back. Your OCD doubt limbo is holding you back.

[Ryukil]

I guess I can just apply and see what happens. The problem is that applying is contaminated and that spikes my intrusive thoughts and groinal responses. Lol.

[Ryukil]

So we can probably all agree that me reading OCD books and articles, obsessing endlessly, trying to decide things, etc., is not helpful. 

 

Maybe I should just stop for a couple weeks? But I also need to decide something.

 

All of this comes from a desperation to get better.

 

What the heck should I actually do? 

[Guest OCDhavenobrain]

6 minutes ago, Ryukil said:

So we can probably all agree that me reading OCD books and articles, obsessing endlessly, trying to decide things, etc., is not helpful. 

  

Maybe I should just stop for a couple weeks? But I also need to decide something.

 

All of this comes from a desperation to get better.

 

What the heck should I actually do? 

Start doing the work. It may sound harsh but as i see it you are only changing form one thought to another. 

It comes from your OCD wanting you to figure it out before you can start getting better and it is OCD. The day you start treating it as OCD you will start to get better. 

Edited June 17, 2018 by OCDhavenobrain

[snowbear]

19 minutes ago, Ryukil said:

I also need to decide something. All of this comes from a desperation to get better. What the heck should I actually do? 

Decide it's ok to get better by any higgeldy-piggeldy, less-than-perfect route that comes your way.  

Embrace imperfection. Decide you're going to 'go with the flow' rather than try to control or monitor every aspect of your recovery. 

What's stopping you from making effective use of the therapy around you is the desire to 'get it right'. 

There is no 'right way'. Doesn't exist. What works is 'right', wanting to 'get it right' is wrong. 

Get your head around that fact and you'll have made a good start.  

[St Mike]

2 hours ago, Orwell1984 said:

Just get into that hospital. There will be more than one professional in there who will help you so you will have the best therapy that fits your individual situation. This thread is now just more rumination. Hospital and take it from there. You have proven you cannot do ERP effectively on your own and your OCD is so strong you are getting caught in cognitive loops. You cannot think your way out of it. Past threads and this one have proven that.

I absolutely agree with this.

If the hospital has a proven track record, then I don't see the reason why it can't be a suitable option, what have you got to lose at this moment? You have been stuck for quite some time now and the OCD is not getting better, so why not?

[taurean]

As for the process of applying being "contaminated" well - surely by now you know that is the within the realm of OCD?

If it tries to stop us doing valuable righteous ethical things, we must not practice the compulsion of avoidance. Rather get on anyway and do what we need to do. 

[Ryukil]

I realize I sort of lost perspective of the original problem. The whole issue was originally about contamination stuff, but now I have this whole other obsession with getting the correct treatment (therapy with Dr. P, self-help books, online therapy with other OCD experts, the hospital, etc.). I realize that, most likely, obsessing endlessly about which one to do is not going to get me anywhere, because it is an OCD obsession. I need to just decide something and stick with it, realizing that my OCD will try and throw me off no matter what I choose.

[taurean]

Well done Ryukil, that's it

 

[Ryukil]

.

Edited June 18, 2018 by Ryukil