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Trying to accept our OCD


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Hello, I feel a lot of my troubles are accepting my OCD. I wonder how I could better accept it and move on with my life. I am seriously trying at the moment to do the right things around my thoughts it’s going ok, some times or better than others. I’m just wondering what OCD and acceptance means to us. Perhaps if we could accept it then it would help a lot. 

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Hey Nikki... I know what you mean, I am struggling myself as well with the acceptance of having OCD... How can we accept it without reassuring ourselves, as I want to stop all compulsions.... seems like a knot in my brain currently... maybe somebody else has some input...

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Hi, 

Are you finding it hard to accept that it is OCD, because you feel that your compulsions are keeping you and others safe?

I know some people think that they may hurt themselves or others if they get better from OCD, because they fear they may lose their "moral compass". This wont happen, and sufferers just revert to a "normal" level of caring, minus huge amounts of stress & anxiety! :)

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Would you accept a diagnosis of Diabetes, Chrones Disease, Shingles, Covid, Depression even?  Would you accept the list of symptoms attributed to these conditions?  Would you accept the recommendations of treatment? Yes, I think you would.

This is the starting point, acceptance of the condition. Alongside that is the very clear advice that doubt and the urge to carry out compulsions play a major part to be expected with the disorder.

It sure isn't easy but you have to work at the advice :)

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15 minutes ago, felix4 said:

Hi, 

Are you finding it hard to accept that it is OCD, because you feel that your compulsions are keeping you and others safe?

I know some people think that they may hurt themselves or others if they get better from OCD, because they fear they may lose their "moral compass". This wont happen, and sufferers just revert to a "normal" level of caring, minus huge amounts of stress & anxiety! :)

Hi Felix no I wouldn’t say that is the reason. I guess I’m just trying to understand what accepting my OCD truly is. 

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14 minutes ago, Caramoole said:

Would you accept a diagnosis of Diabetes, Chrones Disease, Shingles, Covid, Depression even?  Would you accept the list of symptoms attributed to these conditions?  Would you accept the recommendations of treatment? Yes, I think you would.

This is the starting point, acceptance of the condition. Alongside that is the very clear advice that doubt and the urge to carry out compulsions play a major part to be expected with the disorder.

It sure isn't easy but you have to work at the advice :)

Yes I certainly would accept all of the above Caramoole. 
 

I think I’m doing well with compulsions but I do feel my OCD is trying to up the anti on me, as it were. For example I had thoughts about old worries that used to distress me and even their presence makes me uncomfortable and there is fear around that. 

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10 hours ago, Nikki79 said:

I’m just wondering what OCD and acceptance means

A bit of clarification on what it means might help. :)

But let's start with what it doesn't mean.

Accepting you have OCD doesn't mean 'These horrible thoughts are 'just OCD'. It's not me. I'm not a pedophile.'

That's simply a neutralising compulsion in disguise. :(

The problem is telling yourself that having these thoughts means something.

 

Having these thoughts means nothing. It's normal. The normal response is to recognise they are just thoughts, they mean nothing (have no significance) and dismiss them without further ado.

But if you tell yourself they mean .... then your response becomes 'I 'have' to work out what that says about me, how to stop terrible consequences happening to me and my family, and so you punish yourself for having the thoughts.

In other words rumination, avoidance, neutralising, lots of compulsions, and guilt.

Acceptance that this is OCD means understanding that the thoughts have no significance.

Giving them significance is what convinces you there must be something to it and you need to take action.

Giving them significance creates the compulsions.

 Giving them significance is what makes it OCD.

Having OCD means you treat normal, insignificant thoughts (that everybody gets sometimes) as meaningful and as having the power to hurt you.

Acceptance means you treat it as OCD . Don't react to the thoughts. Dismiss them without further ado.

Simple. :)

 

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14 hours ago, snowbear said:

A bit of clarification on what it means might help. :)

But let's start with what it doesn't mean.

Accepting you have OCD doesn't mean 'These horrible thoughts are 'just OCD'. It's not me. I'm not a pedophile.'

That's simply a neutralising compulsion in disguise. :(

The problem is telling yourself that having these thoughts means something.

 

Having these thoughts means nothing. It's normal. The normal response is to recognise they are just thoughts, they mean nothing (have no significance) and dismiss them without further ado.

But if you tell yourself they mean .... then your response becomes 'I 'have' to work out what that says about me, how to stop terrible consequences happening to me and my family, and so you punish yourself for having the thoughts.

In other words rumination, avoidance, neutralising, lots of compulsions, and guilt.

Acceptance that this is OCD means understanding that the thoughts have no significance.

Giving them significance is what convinces you there must be something to it and you need to take action.

Giving them significance creates the compulsions.

 Giving them significance is what makes it OCD.

Having OCD means you treat normal, insignificant thoughts (that everybody gets sometimes) as meaningful and as having the power to hurt you.

Acceptance means you treat it as OCD . Don't react to the thoughts. Dismiss them without further ado.

Simple. :)

 

:yes: :yes: :yes: :goodpost:

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