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Desperate for help please.


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I think it’s more the fact of what the newsreader said which has made me so anxious as that phrase seems so plausible, I must sound crazy! I’m used to my normal pattern of intrusive thought and normally I can reply in my mind such as “ Why don’t I kick the dog really hard” and in my mind I’ll say absolutely not or cut it off mid sentence I couldn’t with this one though as I said I had no control over it as it was so fast and out of the blue.

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Guest OCDhavenobrain

That too is impossible for us to answer and for you too. You know where it have got you to ruminate. Do differently and things will change, do the same and nothing will change.

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9 minutes ago, phillev said:

I think it’s more the fact of what the newsreader said which has made me so anxious as that phrase seems so plausible, I must sound crazy! I’m used to my normal pattern of intrusive thought and normally I can reply in my mind such as “ Why don’t I kick the dog really hard” and in my mind I’ll say absolutely not or cut it off mid sentence I couldn’t with this one though as I said I had no control over it as it was so fast and out of the blue.

This is the thing with OCD, once you’re used to something and learn to manage it, OCD throws something new and different your way. It always seems real, it wouldn’t be frightening otherwise. The key is to learn how to recognise that it’s not actually new and different, it’s all the same mechanism, just a slightly different variation of it. You then learn to manage new situations too and then OCD has less and less power over you.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Sorry to bring this thread back but this issue is still plaguing me, I’ve still no date as yet for any counselling help ( It could be months apparently) but my main issue seems to be the intrusive image, I can just about deal with the fact I guessed the time correctly as coincidence much to my ocd’s annoyance but that haunting image still sends the anxiety sky high and the fact that although I know what the image was I cannot seem to recreate it in my head again hence the premonition/precognition fear. I realise that what I’m doing is wrong and it’s probably giving the ocd more power and I shouldn’t keep thinking it out but it’s so hard and until I get therapy and help this is a never ending scenario. Why was that image such a one off?

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17 minutes ago, phillev said:

Sorry to bring this thread back but this issue is still plaguing me, I’ve still no date as yet for any counselling help ( It could be months apparently) but my main issue seems to be the intrusive image, I can just about deal with the fact I guessed the time correctly as coincidence much to my ocd’s annoyance but that haunting image still sends the anxiety sky high and the fact that although I know what the image was I cannot seem to recreate it in my head again hence the premonition/precognition fear. I realise that what I’m doing is wrong and it’s probably giving the ocd more power and I shouldn’t keep thinking it out but it’s so hard and until I get therapy and help this is a never ending scenario. Why was that image such a one off?

Phil, you just have to STOP analysing. Stop thinking about this image, it's just random nonsense in your brain. You are making this worse, you have to see that it was just an intrusive thought like any other. I know the anxiety is high and you need help, but for the time being don't make it worse for yourself by analysing and overthinking like this. 

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31 minutes ago, malina said:

Phil, you just have to STOP analysing. Stop thinking about this image, it's just random nonsense in your brain. You are making this worse, you have to see that it was just an intrusive thought like any other. I know the anxiety is high and you need help, but for the time being don't make it worse for yourself by analysing and overthinking like this. 

I’m trying so hard to just put it down to an intrusive thought but the ocd always comes back with another doubt to get me worried again.

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9 hours ago, phillev said:

I’m trying so hard to just put it down to an intrusive thought but the ocd always comes back with another doubt to get me worried again.

I understand it's really hard to stop worrying, especially if you're not seeing a therapist yet. But you just have to stop actively doing things that will make the OCD worse, like trying to recreate it in your head. You are allowing yourself to focus way too much on it. Premonitions are not real, they simply do not exist. You know that these doubts are OCD, you even say so yourself. So when they appear, label them as such and try your best to move on rather than actively focusing on them. Sure they may come on their own, but by actively thinking about them and trying to figure them out, you're making yourself feel worse.

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21 hours ago, malina said:

I understand it's really hard to stop worrying, especially if you're not seeing a therapist yet. But you just have to stop actively doing things that will make the OCD worse, like trying to recreate it in your head. You are allowing yourself to focus way too much on it. Premonitions are not real, they simply do not exist. You know that these doubts are OCD, you even say so yourself. So when they appear, label them as such and try your best to move on rather than actively focusing on them. Sure they may come on their own, but by actively thinking about them and trying to figure them out, you're making yourself feel worse.

It’s the doubt though, a massive problem for me at the moment not just on this but on other issues as well I’m also now struggling with my new meds.

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On 17/05/2019 at 20:35, phillev said:

I’m trying so hard to just put it down to an intrusive thought but the ocd always comes back with another doubt to get me worried again.

What is the difference between a fire alarm that goes off because there is a fire and a fire alarm that goes off because of a false alarm/test/practice drill etc.?
Do they sound different?  Do the lights flash differently?  No, regardless of the reason it happens, the result is the same, a loud, annoying, sound and light cacophony.

If you are sitting in your office and you have no idea that a fire alarm is going to go off, when one does you will probably be startled.  Its an unexpected event, and startling people is part of what its supposed to do.  If, for some reason, you had NEVER experienced such an alarm going off before you might panic, you might be terrified at this strange and unpleasant experience and what it might mean.  But most people have experienced such situations many times growing up, as part of drills, so they know what such an event usually means.  So you are able to respond with much more calm.  Even better, if someone tells you before hand, "Hey, btw at 11am today there will be a fire alarm test", when it goes off you might not even react at all, or if you do it'll be for a split second until you remember the test.

OCD triggers false alarms.  They fear and anxiety seem real because they ARE real from a physiological standpoint, just like the noise and lights from a fire alarm are always real.  But just like the fire alarm going off doesn't mean there is an actual fire, your intrusive thoughts firing don't necessarily mean whatever the feared outcome is will happen.  

So what can you do?  Well, you KNOW that these false alarms are going to happen, at least for the time being.  When they do happen, the fear and anxiety might come, but it doesn't mean you have to react to them like they are coming from a real threat.  You can say "yes, ok, got the message thanks" and get on with your day.  The alarm might keep going off, but you KNOW its not important.  And the less attention you give it, the more it will fade.

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9 hours ago, dksea said:

What is the difference between a fire alarm that goes off because there is a fire and a fire alarm that goes off because of a false alarm/test/practice drill etc.?
Do they sound different?  Do the lights flash differently?  No, regardless of the reason it happens, the result is the same, a loud, annoying, sound and light cacophony.

If you are sitting in your office and you have no idea that a fire alarm is going to go off, when one does you will probably be startled.  Its an unexpected event, and startling people is part of what its supposed to do.  If, for some reason, you had NEVER experienced such an alarm going off before you might panic, you might be terrified at this strange and unpleasant experience and what it might mean.  But most people have experienced such situations many times growing up, as part of drills, so they know what such an event usually means.  So you are able to respond with much more calm.  Even better, if someone tells you before hand, "Hey, btw at 11am today there will be a fire alarm test", when it goes off you might not even react at all, or if you do it'll be for a split second until you remember the test.

OCD triggers false alarms.  They fear and anxiety seem real because they ARE real from a physiological standpoint, just like the noise and lights from a fire alarm are always real.  But just like the fire alarm going off doesn't mean there is an actual fire, your intrusive thoughts firing don't necessarily mean whatever the feared outcome is will happen.  

So what can you do?  Well, you KNOW that these false alarms are going to happen, at least for the time being.  When they do happen, the fear and anxiety might come, but it doesn't mean you have to react to them like they are coming from a real threat.  You can say "yes, ok, got the message thanks" and get on with your day.  The alarm might keep going off, but you KNOW its not important.  And the less attention you give it, the more it will fade.

A very good analogy and thanks for taking the time to post.

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