Hit and run ocd

[Hal]

17 hours ago, Handy said:

Sorry you feel that way without even asking how it would be used. Such presumptive editorializing without a definitive understanding of the response hurts my feelings. 

Gemma was absolutely right to give the advice she has to Wolf Handy. You must understand that where anyone spots the wrong advice being given it’s only right on a forum dedicated to overcoming OCD that they highlight it.

I’ve got to be honest I am quite concerned... particularly coming so soon after you were told why replacing one compulsion with another isn’t a good idea, to see you providing the same suggestion again. I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt for a short while longer, but the team may need to begin having to think about possibly putting Mod Approval on your replies at some stage if this becomes an ongoing issue.

Hopefully it won’t come to that, but please you do need to meet us halfway on this and consider if the advice you’re about to post is the right advice. As I said earlier, if you’re unsure just send one of the team a message and we’ll be happy to help out privately.

[Handy]

It wasn’t advice Hal.

Saying I would get a dash cam is not advice to anyone but myself. I think if it cuts a compulsion from 2 hours to 0 minutes is worth it to me. Eventually the compulsion fades completely! 

[Ashley]

23 minutes ago, Handy said:

It wasn’t advice Hal.

Saying I would get a dash cam is not advice to anyone but myself. I think if it cuts a compulsion from 2 hours to 0 minutes is worth it to me. Eventually the compulsion fades completely! 

Reducing compulsions from 2 hours to 2 minutes is great, but a compulsion is a compulsion.

Short term compulsions will always lead to long term compulsions.... eventually.

For example, me washing my hands for 2 minutes instead of 90 minutes is a great achievement... but if those 2 minutes are because of OCD, then it will eventually become 90 minutes again more chances than not.

Dash cam is a compulsion, taking photos of something we check to be sure is a compulsion. 1 compulsion = 100 compulsions. Compulsions simply do not help.

[Headwreck]

I used to use a mobile phone to take pictures of every room and certain appliances in the house when I was leaving the house. It went from taking photographs to taking videos because I'd convince myself that - for example - the photograph I had taken of the kitchen tap had been taken in such a way where I felt the tap looked like it was on, or the photograph didn't feel 'right' so I'd take loads more photographs. My phone ended up full of pictures and videos of taps, irons, doors, fridges etc. I'd imagine a dash cam would end up taking a number of hours of time eventually when the compulsions to review and doubt the footage started to take hold. I'm no expert by any means but just relating it to things I've done myself. Seems like using technology as a 'hack' for compulsions is just another rung down the ladder into the pit of snakes even though it seems like a good idea at first.

[paradoxer]

Re the above, yes, it's a given. With respect to the great majority of forumers here, it's unfortunate that because of one unfortunate comment, the thread gets sidetracked ... 'dumbed down' - just to get back to some equilibrium. 

[Handy]

22 hours ago, Ashley said:

Reducing compulsions from 2 hours to 2 minutes is great, but a compulsion is a compulsion.

Short term compulsions will always lead to long term compulsions.... eventually.

For example, me washing my hands for 2 minutes instead of 90 minutes is a great achievement... but if those 2 minutes are because of OCD, then it will eventually become 90 minutes again more chances than not.

Dash cam is a compulsion, taking photos of something we check to be sure is a compulsion. 1 compulsion = 100 compulsions. Compulsions simply do not help.

Actually I’m comorbid for OCD. So CBT & medication are not available to me. Thus I have to think outside the box & come up with ideas for other solutions.

The way dash cams work is they begin recording if you hit something. I don’t see how that is a compulsion  Lights go on in my room if someone walks by. That’s not a compulsion. 

My post clearly stated to not return to look as that’s a compulsion. The rest was just an idea.

As for your example of washing hands, most people spend about 2 minutes washing so if you can go from 2 hours to 2 minutes that’s an improvement not a disorder. 

[PolarBear]

You miss the point, Handy. Regardless the length of time a compulsion takes, it is still a compulsion. 

And CBT is available to you. I think you've mistakenly convinced yourself you are somehow different and require different treatment.

And yes, those compulsions you do are still compulsions.

[Ashley]

6 minutes ago, Handy said:

My post clearly stated to not return to look as that’s a compulsion. The rest was just an idea.

So then why use it in the first place? it's a form of reassurance, it's a compulsion.

 

6 minutes ago, Handy said:

As for your example of washing hands, most people spend about 2 minutes washing so if you can go from 2 hours to 2 minutes that’s an improvement not a disorder. 

Most people don't spend 2 minutes washing their hands, but I think you're missing the point.

Yes 2 hours to 2 minutes is a fantastic achievement, but if the 2 minutes hand washing is BECAUSE of OCD then it's still a problem, and if we settle for occasional 2 minute hand washes or day, then eventually 2 minutes will become 20 minutes.