More checking

[BrianTS]

9 hours ago, PolarBear said:

So you'd feel annoyed. That's the worst that could happen. 

Do you see where I'm going with this? Your mind may be telling you this is a huge deal, but is it really? Could it be that a part of your mind is lying and you fall for it every time?

Also polar bear I feel if I didn't check I would get incredibly anxious, maybe have a panic attack and lose control. This wouldn't be good.

[BrianTS]

8 hours ago, Ocd10 said:

Hi Brian,

Okay, so if you were to make up an ERP exercise for this £20 situation...

what are the compulsions are doing to ease your anxiety?

which of those compulsions do you feel you could delay doing or limit how long you do them? 
 

For example, if you check your bank account immediately you could try to resist checking for 5 minutes, or if you check your bank account repeatedly, perhaps reduce the amount of time you spend checking or how many times you check in one go. 
 

Try to keep your obsession in mind while you practice the ERP exercise, until your anxiety has reduced by at least half. This can take a while, but anxiety will reduce naturally with time. 
 

when your anxiety levels have dropped, then refocus your attention on to something you enjoy doing. 
 

Are you happy to try that and see what happens? Only try something if you feel it would be manageable though. 
 

If you keep repeating the exercise, you may notice something happening to your OCD...

Catherine 

Hi Catherine,

I could delay checking for a while but I predict this would be horrendous. I could do it though. I could also limit the number of times although I've tried to just check once but struggled. I know the more I check the worse it gets.

I'll definitely give this a go.

I've heard of worry postponement so your suggestion is a bit like that.

Thank you.

B

[BrianTS]

12 hours ago, PolarBear said:

So you'd feel annoyed. That's the worst that could happen. 

Do you see where I'm going with this? Your mind may be telling you this is a huge deal, but is it really? Could it be that a part of your mind is lying and you fall for it every time?

 

Edited October 27, 2020 by BrianTS
Duplicate post

[Angst]

8 hours ago, BrianTS said:

Hi Catherine,

I could delay checking for a while but I predict this would be horrendous. I could do it though. I could also limit the number of times although I've tried to just check once but struggled. I know the more I check the worse it gets.

I'll definitely give this a go.

I've heard of worry postponement so your suggestion is a bit like that.

Thank you.

B

The  postponement technique will involve some anxiety but is should not be that horrendous. I have used it with checking the front was locked. You can extend the period of postponement after a period time. Do you have a book on OCD such as Break Free from OCD?

Edited October 27, 2020 by Angst

[PolarBear]

14 hours ago, BrianTS said:

Also polar bear I feel if I didn't check I would get incredibly anxious, maybe have a panic attack and lose control. This wouldn't be good.

You will get anxious. You won't lose control. 

Compulsions are not a good way to gsin control over anxiety. You can learn to control anxiety without doing harmful compulsions. You can also learn that any anxiety you feel from not doing compulsions does go away on its own.

[BrianTS]

22 hours ago, PolarBear said:

You will get anxious. You won't lose control. 

Compulsions are not a good way to gsin control over anxiety. You can learn to control anxiety without doing harmful compulsions. You can also learn that any anxiety you feel from not doing compulsions does go away on its own.

Appreciate that compulsions can make things worse so trying to curb them.

Today Ive just had a number of worries ranging from did I transfer money to another account properly to have I damaged my new jeans cutting of the sewn on tag?

I resisted physically checking these doubts but worried about them on and off all day. So tiring. Went out on a day trip and tried to refocus but the worries came coming and going and I couldn't fully shake them off. Started mentally checking and dwelling though off and on.

Personally I think my ocd is entwined with GAD.

Spoketo my GP who said decision to go on an SSRI is up to me basically. He suggested sertraline 50mg for 6 months. He said any side effects experienced should fade after 2 weeks. Also said that CBT is the best form of treatment long term but medication just rounds off the anxiety a bit to allow absorption of the techniques.

I've got to decide now whether to take the 50mg or just wait for the CBT to come through in 3 months.

[BrianTS]

On 27/10/2020 at 16:07, Angst said:

The  postponement technique will involve some anxiety but is should not be that horrendous. I have used it with checking the front was locked. You can extend the period of postponement after a period time. Do you have a book on OCD such as Break Free from OCD?

Yes I've got a couple of good books one by leahy. They are useful to an extent. I find it hard to apply the techniques as I fall back to my normal habits.

[Ocd10]

Hi BrianTS,

How did you get on with the ERP experiment?

catherine 

[BrianTS]

On 28/10/2020 at 21:38, Ocd10 said:

Hi BrianTS,

How did you get on with the ERP experiment?

catherine 

Hi Catherine,

Yes I did and it was successful.

However tried an experiment with my online banking and I struggled.

I purposely set up a bank transfer of money and cancelled it with a view to not checking it afterwards. Was too strong and fell into checking.

Maybe that one was a bridge too far.

B

[BrianTS]

On another note I've decided to take a 6 month course of sertraline to see if it helps me absorb the cbt techniques I've learnt.

[Ocd10]

That's fab BrianTS Well done

What did you learn from both ERP exercises?

Was your anxiety horrendous?

What happened to your anxiety levels?

What has happened to your obsessions?

Did what you feared would happen actually happen?

What went well with the exercise?

and what didn't go so well (quite often it was either a bit too ambitious, in which case try something a bit gentler and build back up to it, or you did compulsions, in which case try to identify them)?

Brilliant stuff for giving it a go

Catherine 

[BrianTS]

On 01/11/2020 at 13:42, Ocd10 said:

That's fab BrianTS Well done

What did you learn from both ERP exercises?

Was your anxiety horrendous?

What happened to your anxiety levels?

What has happened to your obsessions?

Did what you feared would happen actually happen?

What went well with the exercise?

and what didn't go so well (quite often it was either a bit too ambitious, in which case try something a bit gentler and build back up to it, or you did compulsions, in which case try to identify them)?

Brilliant stuff for giving it a go

Catherine 

Hi Catherine

Thanks for the kind words and support regarding this.

I learnt that my anxiety wasn't horrendous and it did decrease over time. My obsessions are not as strong. My new jeans survived.

I need to create an experiment around my online banking because the main issue for me is the thought of making a mistake which causes me to lose money. My mind is often whizzing, thinking thoughts like did I transfer that money correctly? Did I pay the right amount to the right person? Was the process I used correct? Have the bank got my balance right? It goes on.

[Ocd10]

Hi Brian,

Ah ha... interesting what you discovered isn’t it?

Best to repeat exercises until it doesn’t bother you at all, so keep going with the jeans

Regarding an experiment for your banking...

Lets be imaginative and try to think of one...

Perhaps you could transfer some money to a close family member without checking? Only needs to be a small amount and only if your family can support you with ERP exercises (and not reassure you if you ask!). Then you could ask them to transfer it back to you, again without repeated checking. 
 

Would something along those lines be manageable for you and also practically possible?

Its great that you have already identified your obsessions

Try to identify your compulsions too, so you know what you need to try to resist doing, this could include trying to reassure yourself, ruminating, checking, seeking reassurance from others etc... I’m sure you can think of more! 
 

Remember to keep your obsessions in mind as you do the exercise without doing your compulsions... and again, see what happens to your anxiety

One of the things I will highlight from your post is that in your last experiment about the jeans, you coped with it and any ‘potential repercussions’... you can cope with whatever ocd throws your way  

Good luck!

catherine 

 

[BrianTS]

On 04/11/2020 at 20:12, Ocd10 said:

Hi Brian,

Ah ha... interesting what you discovered isn’t it?

Best to repeat exercises until it doesn’t bother you at all, so keep going with the jeans

Regarding an experiment for your banking...

Lets be imaginative and try to think of one...

Perhaps you could transfer some money to a close family member without checking? Only needs to be a small amount and only if your family can support you with ERP exercises (and not reassure you if you ask!). Then you could ask them to transfer it back to you, again without repeated checking. 
 

Would something along those lines be manageable for you and also practically possible?

Its great that you have already identified your obsessions

Try to identify your compulsions too, so you know what you need to try to resist doing, this could include trying to reassure yourself, ruminating, checking, seeking reassurance from others etc... I’m sure you can think of more! 
 

Remember to keep your obsessions in mind as you do the exercise without doing your compulsions... and again, see what happens to your anxiety

One of the things I will highlight from your post is that in your last experiment about the jeans, you coped with it and any ‘potential repercussions’... you can cope with whatever ocd throws your way  

Good luck!

catherine 

 

Thanks Catherine but that one is a bridge too far for me at this stage. I'll need to come up with something more manageable.

[BrianTS]

I had another problematic episode yesterday whereby I logged off my online bank account but felt I didn't do it right so went back again and again to log off until it felt right. I got myself into a real hole with it. I haven't done this today but now feel upset and low because I know I shouldn't be doing this and feel I've let myself down.

I know what I did yesterday was completely nonsensical and I'm so disappointed in myself 

[Ocd10]

Hi BrianTS,

It's not a disaster... the positive is that you have recognised it for what it was, and you know to try to avoid such compulsions when the situation arises again.

Don't be so hard on yourself... it takes time and hard work, and we cannot be perfect all of the time

Try to focus on the progress you have made... perhaps even write down your achievements.

Catherine

PS - Did you think of an ERP exercise that would feel more manageable? How about adapting my suggestion by allowing some compulsions but not others?

[BrianTS]

On 19/11/2020 at 16:34, Ocd10 said:

Hi BrianTS,

It's not a disaster... the positive is that you have recognised it for what it was, and you know to try to avoid such compulsions when the situation arises again.

Don't be so hard on yourself... it takes time and hard work, and we cannot be perfect all of the time

Try to focus on the progress you have made... perhaps even write down your achievements.

Catherine

PS - Did you think of an ERP exercise that would feel more manageable? How about adapting my suggestion by allowing some compulsions but not others?

Thank you Catherine.

I can be hard on myself, I just get so frustrated I am.often unable to get a grip on intrusive thoughts and overchecking.

Case in point tonight stressing because there was a glitch on my banking app even though it presented no issues. I tried to think it through but felt myself getting stressed and red faced then anxious. After half an hour of this I managed to detach myself by not checking my app and stopped ruminating. I knew that this was a non problem and was not worth my attention. Pity it took me a while though.

I have made a payment to a colleague today £5 for lottery syndicate without checking whether she has received the payment. I did check once whether it left my account but only once.

Progress I'd say!