Keeping Up The Good Work

[taurean]

As I have said before, we CAN reduce our unwanted OCD intrusions, over time, by working at not giving belief to, or connecting with them, and not carrying out compulsions. 

Along with this we need to, in a structured fashion, carry out exposure and response prevention - to render the intrusions benign, and remove the unpleasant emotional and physical response (the Disorder) to them. 

But that isn't an end to treatment. 

It is important to not sink back into rituals and carrying out compulsions. 

If an intrusion occurs, we - at this point in recovery - ought to be able to stop the OCD lens focusing on it, and gently - but firmly - ease it away. 

And it is also necessary to keep up the exposure work. 

In my case this is all about non-avoidance of triggers such as adverts posters news bulletins and headlines. 

So I regularly read the news summaries on the phone, and buy and read a newspaper daily, plus the weekly local newspaper. 

And I am doing well. 

So, we all need to remember, even recovery is an ongoing exercise. 

Edited September 14, 2018 by taurean