Just looking for support

[Nikki79]

Hi guys,

Even as Caramoole rightfully pointed out my anxiety has lifted a little but I still feel myself drifting into all sort of thoughts and worries from the last few days. Particularly one where I imagined something terrible and then somehow it felt familiar although I think I thought of it before... anyway it’s so hard not to try and think hard on this to reassure or even see where it came from etc...it’s pretty scary. Eh just looking for guidance thank you x

[BM94]

Hey Nikki,

Sounds like you're really struggling at the moment

I've seen your posts regularly though and you have received a lot of tips on dealing with this already.

From all your frequent posts it sounds like you're worrying about it constantly. The key here is to stop ruminating - just get on with your day, do stuff. These frequent posts seem to be your compulsions by the look of it, try to cut down on these and tackle each triggering situation with the tools you have learnt already.

If this current way of dealing with it isn't working, isn't it worth trying something different?

You are looking for guidance on here but you know how to tackle it, it's been covered by others in your posts before. Hopefully this can help you out, I'm sorry to seem blunt but the guidance has been given, you'll see a difference once you start applying it.

Hope it goes well, and chin up 

[PolarBear]

Nikki, we've told you that repeatedly going over your obsessions is not a good thing. It has turned into a compulsion for you and needs to stop.

[Nikki79]

Sorry guys I just get very anxious about them

[PolarBear]

Yes, and every time you get anxious, you come here and post, looking for reassurance. It's not helping you.

You need to learn to properly deal with the thoughts on your own.

[Nikki79]

I wish I could just stop the compulsions straight dead. Is that what you did PB?

[PolarBear]

It is difficult to go cold turkey with compulsions. Usually it is a slow, gradual process. 

Your posting about every obsession is relatively new and should be easier to reign in than a more deep rooted one, like ruminating.

[HandWasher]

Hi Nikki

Sorry to see that you are still struggling. 

I have noticed that the unwritten rule on these forums is not to try to reassure other users about their specific fears so I won't try to reassure you either. 

All I will say is that I wouldn't think too much about where your thoughts have come from, in fact I would try not to think about your thoughts at all. 

Let them come and go. Try not to attach too much meaning to them because it is the meaning that you attach to them that makes them so distressing. 

Take care 

HandWasher 

[Nikki79]

13 minutes ago, HandWasher said:

Hi Nikki

Sorry to see that you are still struggling. 

I have noticed that the unwritten rule on these forums is not to try to reassure other users about their specific fears so I won't try to reassure you either. 

All I will say is that I wouldn't think too much about where your thoughts have come from, in fact I would try not to think about your thoughts at all. 

Let them come and go. Try not to attach too much meaning to them because it is the meaning that you attach to them that makes them so distressing. 

Take care 

HandWasher 

Hi Handwasher

Thanks for the post. I’m going to see my Therapist tomorrow and I’m rather apprehensive as the last time I saw him I wasn’t feeling so locked into my OCD or so depressed. He even said oh probably 4 more sessions and you should be good. You see I did plenty of sessions with him over the years. Anyway now I’m worrying about this and what to say as since I saw him a month ago I’ve been to A & E and things have got much worse for me. 

[HandWasher]

Hi Nikki

I hope that your appointment with your therapist tomorrow gives you the space that you need to process what is happening for you at the moment and what you can do to get better. 

Remember that all of this is temporary, count your blessings (I know it's easier said than done when you're struggling) and remember that you're not alone.

You're one of millions of people fighting intrusive thoughts every day who chooses not to give up and you should be proud of that. 

Take it one day at a time and things will get better. 

HandWasher

[Nikki79]

Thank you Handwasher

Its the feeling of loneliness that can be the worst. I have many blessings it’s true. I hope this will be a step forward for me, perhaps the change I really need to overcome this problem. 

[Caramoole]

Be honest with your therapist, that's why you're seeing him, for help & guidance.  Tell him the fears and tell him how you're reacting to them.  But you also need to think carefully about the work you've already done with him at previous sessions.  CBT isn't about the appointment itself, it's about the things you learn in those sessions and working them into your day to day life, especially like now when you have a flare up.  We need to become our own therapist and put the knowledge into practise now and into the future.

 

 

[Nikki79]

Thanks Caramoole. My Therapist said I need to challenge myself more and quit the avoiding. I even did an exposure therapy with him yesterday. I’m not out of the woods but I have hope

[Closed for repairs]

17 minutes ago, Nikki79 said:

My Therapist said I need to challenge myself more and quit the avoiding.

My sympathies, I keep falling into this trap, you think you are making progress but all you are doing is avoiding your triggers. I'm not getting enough sleep because I'm cold at night, but I avoid turning on my heater as I don't want to waste time in the morning checking it's turned off, worst thing is I still check it!

So I'm going to have to fix that, maybe have it on at the weekend, so I can get used to leaving it on with out work getting in the way.

I sure your therapist is correct, you have just got to keep doing the work. 

Good luck

Edited January 14, 2020 by Closed for repairs

[Nikki79]

Awww your port thing that’s tough you have to go cold for this OCD nightmare but  I’m sure you will solve this. We have to challenge ourselves or we will never get better. Best wishes to you x

[Closed for repairs]

1 minute ago, Nikki79 said:

Awww your port thing that’s tough you have to go cold for this OCD nightmare but  I’m sure you will solve this. We have to challenge ourselves or we will never get better. Best wishes to you x

Thanks, half the trick is realising you are doing it, then you can start to fix things.

[Nikki79]

Being proactive I guess