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July OCD challenge- anyone want to join?


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Hello,

So I've been thinking about how I do tend to give in to my anxiety quite a lot when it comes to compulsions and to avoidance (which I guess is a compulsion in itself!) and I have decided that I'd like to set myself a challenge to do as many ERP (exposure, response prevention) tasks; resist as many compulsions and face (rather than avoid) as many anxiety-provoking situations as I can in July. 

Would anyone like to join me? 

 

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Belanna, excellent idea, but why July? Why not start right now? No need to put things off until a certain time, u can make those changes now, I would be up for the challenge but thankfully I am in remission! I just had to bite the bullet, grit my teeth and work, work, work, and here I am! U can do it too! Good luck xxx

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I too am, I am delighted to say, in remission thanks to lots of learning then applying what I learned. 

So I know it can be done, Anna, and wish you, and others taking the challenge, every success with it. 

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A combination of CBT, mindfulness, meditation, relaxation methods, exercise and 20 mg of Citalopram per day. 

The CBT showed me that my harm OCD was in reality the illness turning my core values of love and care on their heads and alleging I might act contrary to them. And that my OCD core belief was the fear I might lose control and do that. 

It helped me to learn how to successfully simply observe then refocus away from OCD intrusive thoughts, without connecting with them or giving them meaning. 

Exposure and response prevention in the behavioural part of CBT showed me that triggers were simply the delivery medium for the OCD core belief to do its dastardly work - and that they simply convey the fear threat or revulsion. 

I could then see there was no real threat, and my anxiety reduced. 

In practising the CBT as above, the intrusive thoughts diminished right down in power and intensity - and on that rare occasion they do now occur, I find I am able to gently but firmly ease them out of mental focus. 

The Mindfulness, which I practice fairly automatically now, allows me to focus my thinking into what I am doing purely in the present, in the moment. The past is dead and buried and I don't concern myself with it - though I have learned from it. 

The future doesn't worry me. I have made what I and my wife believe are sensible plans, and live one day at a time. 

Meditation helps me to calm my mind and body. 

Exercise keeps my body toned, and helps by burning off stress chemicals when anxious. 

And the Citalopram is essentially an anti-depressant, so I believe it evens out the highs and lows in mood I previously experienced, thus adding mental resilience. 

Edited by taurean
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23 minutes ago, BelAnna said:

Wow, that's amazing Taurean and Wonderer! How long have you both been in remission from the OCD?

Thanks Caramoole.

:) 

Thanks belanna, I would say I’ve been I full remission since January, I was quite up and down for some months before that with very short periods of relief and then relapses but I can happily say now I’ve been on an even keel for 6 months now and I feel wonderful! You will too ❤️ Xx

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On 22 June 2018 at 23:00, BelAnna said:

Hello,

So I've been thinking about how I do tend to give in to my anxiety quite a lot when it comes to compulsions and to avoidance (which I guess is a compulsion in itself!) and I have decided that I'd like to set myself a challenge to do as many ERP (exposure, response prevention) tasks; resist as many compulsions and face (rather than avoid) as many anxiety-provoking situations as I can in July. 

Would anyone like to join me? 

 

Hi Belanna, what a wonderful idea and good for you! I will join you! :yes:

I give in to my anxiety too and I give in far too quickly. I've already started and over the past few days I've been resisting quite a few compulsions due to some great advice that I received on the forum. I feel much more settled for it and it's a great motivator to resist more.

I think doing this challenge along side you will be a great help to keep going, so thank you. 

Let's do this. X

Edited by Emsie
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I would like to give my support and encouragement to Belanna and all forum members taking up the challenge alongside her.

Each one of us have the ability to overcome OCD.

One day, it will dawn upon you that it was all along just a thought in your mind and what is occurring in real-life is totally different from the lies that OCD had been telling you. 

I have a story to share with regards to my own experience of self-administered ERP.

I love going to the public library ever since I was a young boy. During those pre-internet and Wikipedia days, the library was the best source to obtain knowledge outside school. There was a spot along the journey towards the library I had avoided for some 30 odd years, the reason being, I was taught to absolutely never ever to set foot on that spot when I was a young boy.

My mom told me that someone had committed suicide by jumping off the apartment block and the body landed at that spot. It was bad luck to step on that spot. I was chided each time I had forgotten her warning. I then started to develop avoidance and I felt very uncomfortable each time I stepped on the spot where the dead body landed. I did neutralising compulsions such as uttering a short prayer or mantra to ease the anxiety and 'erase' the bad luck and that become a ritual each time I stepped on the spot for as mentioned, some 30 odd years.

Then one day, a few years ago, after doing the same usual ritual when I had stepped on the spot in my haste to get to the library, I felt very strange and I started to question why I was doing the same ritual for so long.

The thing is that, it is custom from where I am from to avoid spots where violent deaths had occurred. I came to understand 'bad luck' was not the main concern, it was a last show respect to the deceased by not stepping on the spot where the person had died. Though, the body had been removed by the forensics team or undertakers, we avoid crossing or stepping over the spot or area as a mark of respect by "not setting foot" on the spot where the person had died because it is taken as the same as stepping on the body even after removal and this usually lasts 2 weeks or so, thereafter, with exposure to the elements and the conduct of religious rituals, if any, it was okay to use the spot. It was not really about bad luck. It came about when superstitious people propagate the myth that it was bad luck to do so.

I then realised that I was doing 30 plus years of useless compulsions. So what I did was not to avoid the spot each time I went to the library. It was initially very uncomfortable but I gritted my teeth and not say a prayer each time - something extra hard to do since my OCD theme is religious based. But cognitively I already knew what was wrong with my thinking, all I had to do was to conquer the fear and anxiety that I had conditioned myself for the last 30 plus years. So week after week I didn't avoid the spot and cross the spot on my way to the library. There were times, I failed and avoided the spot or said a prayer after crossing the spot but I didn't stop. I just tried again the next time. Gradually, it became easier and now it is no longer an issue to me.

Good luck on your ERP challenge! Start reclaiming your life from OCD! This enemy can defeated!:rifle:

 

 

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On ‎24‎/‎06‎/‎2018 at 11:12, Emsie said:

Hi Belanna, what a wonderful idea and good for you! I will join you! :yes:

I give in to my anxiety too and I give in far too quickly. I've already started and over the past few days I've been resisting quite a few compulsions due to some great advice that I received on the forum. I feel much more settled for it and it's a great motivator to resist more.

I think doing this challenge along side you will be a great help to keep going, so thank you. 

Let's do this. X

Yay, that's great Emsie! we can help to motivate each other. Although it honestly sounds like you try really hard to deal with your OCD most of the time!

 

7 hours ago, St Mike said:

I would like to give my support and encouragement to Belanna and all forum members taking up the challenge alongside her.

Each one of us have the ability to overcome OCD.

One day, it will dawn upon you that it was all along just a thought in your mind and what is occurring in real-life is totally different from the lies that OCD had been telling you. 

I have a story to share with regards to my own experience of self-administered ERP.

I love going to the public library ever since I was a young boy. During those pre-internet and Wikipedia days, the library was the best source to obtain knowledge outside school. There was a spot along the journey towards the library I had avoided for some 30 odd years, the reason being, I was taught to absolutely never ever to set foot on that spot when I was a young boy.

My mom told me that someone had committed suicide by jumping off the apartment block and the body landed at that spot. It was bad luck to step on that spot. I was chided each time I had forgotten her warning. I then started to develop avoidance and I felt very uncomfortable each time I stepped on the spot where the dead body landed. I did neutralising compulsions such as uttering a short prayer or mantra to ease the anxiety and 'erase' the bad luck and that become a ritual each time I stepped on the spot for as mentioned, some 30 odd years.

Then one day, a few years ago, after doing the same usual ritual when I had stepped on the spot in my haste to get to the library, I felt very strange and I started to question why I was doing the same ritual for so long.

The thing is that, it is custom from where I am from to avoid spots where violent deaths had occurred. I came to understand 'bad luck' was not the main concern, it was a last show respect to the deceased by not stepping on the spot where the person had died. Though, the body had been removed by the forensics team or undertakers, we avoid crossing or stepping over the spot or area as a mark of respect by "not setting foot" on the spot where the person had died because it is taken as the same as stepping on the body even after removal and this usually lasts 2 weeks or so, thereafter, with exposure to the elements and the conduct of religious rituals, if any, it was okay to use the spot. It was not really about bad luck. It came about when superstitious people propagate the myth that it was bad luck to do so.

I then realised that I was doing 30 plus years of useless compulsions. So what I did was not to avoid the spot each time I went to the library. It was initially very uncomfortable but I gritted my teeth and not say a prayer each time - something extra hard to do since my OCD theme is religious based. But cognitively I already knew what was wrong with my thinking, all I had to do was to conquer the fear and anxiety that I had conditioned myself for the last 30 plus years. So week after week I didn't avoid the spot and cross the spot on my way to the library. There were times, I failed and avoided the spot or said a prayer after crossing the spot but I didn't stop. I just tried again the next time. Gradually, it became easier and now it is no longer an issue to me.

Good luck on your ERP challenge! Start reclaiming your life from OCD! This enemy can defeated!:rifle:

 

 

St Mike, that's great that you faced your long-standing fears- it must have felt so freeing.

 

On ‎23‎/‎06‎/‎2018 at 22:09, taurean said:

A combination of CBT, mindfulness, meditation, relaxation methods, exercise and 20 mg of Citalopram per day. 

The CBT showed me that my harm OCD was in reality the illness turning my core values of love and care on their heads and alleging I might act contrary to them. And that my OCD core belief was the fear I might lose control and do that. 

It helped me to learn how to successfully simply observe then refocus away from OCD intrusive thoughts, without connecting with them or giving them meaning. 

Exposure and response prevention in the behavioural part of CBT showed me that triggers were simply the delivery medium for the OCD core belief to do its dastardly work - and that they simply convey the fear threat or revulsion. 

I could then see there was no real threat, and my anxiety reduced. 

In practising the CBT as above, the intrusive thoughts diminished right down in power and intensity - and on that rare occasion they do now occur, I find I am able to gently but firmly ease them out of mental focus. 

The Mindfulness, which I practice fairly automatically now, allows me to focus my thinking into what I am doing purely in the present, in the moment. The past is dead and buried and I don't concern myself with it - though I have learned from it. 

The future doesn't worry me. I have made what I and my wife believe are sensible plans, and live one day at a time. 

Meditation helps me to calm my mind and body. 

Exercise keeps my body toned, and helps by burning off stress chemicals when anxious. 

And the Citalopram is essentially an anti-depressant, so I believe it evens out the highs and lows in mood I previously experienced, thus adding mental resilience. 

That's so great Taurean- you really attacked OCD from every angle and it's inspiring to hear that you're managing to refocus and not attribute meaning to any intrusive thoughts. How do you feel about meds in general? Do you think that the Citalopram was a significant part of your recovery- did you have any side effects? Did you take a Mindfulness course or find resources online? 

I must remember to run/exercise more regularly as you're right that it definitely helps with anxiety!

On ‎23‎/‎06‎/‎2018 at 21:48, gingerbreadgirl said:

This sounds like a great plan BelAnna :)

Yay! can you join in or are you coping ok at the moment?

On ‎23‎/‎06‎/‎2018 at 22:12, Wonderer said:

Thanks belanna, I would say I’ve been I full remission since January, I was quite up and down for some months before that with very short periods of relief and then relapses but I can happily say now I’ve been on an even keel for 6 months now and I feel wonderful! You will too ❤️ Xx

That's fab Wonderer! Half a year OCD free is amazing xx

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On 22/06/2018 at 23:00, BelAnna said:

Hello,

So I've been thinking about how I do tend to give in to my anxiety quite a lot when it comes to compulsions and to avoidance (which I guess is a compulsion in itself!) and I have decided that I'd like to set myself a challenge to do as many ERP (exposure, response prevention) tasks; resist as many compulsions and face (rather than avoid) as many anxiety-provoking situations as I can in July. 

Would anyone like to join me? 

 

A great idea BelAnna! I'll join! Have you started already? I've been trying very hard today, it's like going down a rabbit hole I swear..

I've just finished therapy and am implementing my therapist's procedures.

We can call ourselves, 'The Resistance'  ;). And I'm in! :)

 

 

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5 hours ago, BelAnna said:

Yay, that's great Emsie! we can help to motivate each other. Although it honestly sounds like you try really hard to deal with your OCD most of the time!

That's great BelAnna, thank you. Absolutely, we can help to motivate each other, that will be so good. 

Thats very kind what you said, but unfortunately it's not the case, although I have been trying really hard since last Wednesday. It's been a hideous time. I am currently in CBT, so that's helped, but things were still really bad and then I just reached a point where I just thought that I can't do this anymore. I'd had enough. Ashley's  'who wants to change' post really helped and some great advice from Caramoole. So since last Wednesday I've been really trying. I feel that my CBT is sinking in now too.

It's going to be gradual but every step counts and that's so great that we can motivate each other and Andrewc and others that take up your challenge. Thank you, I really need this! X

Edited by Emsie
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