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Magic thinking OCD?


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I’ve recently had a family bereavement which has left me totally unable to function. Historically I’ve suffered with what I’m told is a form of OCD where my brain sort of involuntarily sets me challenges (something like: if you don’t get to the front of this queue and pay for your shopping within 2 minutes then your best friend will die today) and then I usually have a panic attack through either trying too hard to squash the thought or by trying too hard to do the challenge.

I’ve been clear of these since 2017 having undergone therapy, but this bereavement has caused a huge relapse. I’m going back in to therapy for it (I’m lucky to have access to it privately through work) but have been trying to do a bit of research on coping mechanisms for this particular type of OCD because I’m finding that the intrusive thinking this time round is much more vivid and painful. The closest subtype I’ve found is magic thinking OCD but it doesn’t seem to fit totally.

I wondered if anyone else has any resource recommendations they could make?

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Bereavement is difficult. All sort of odd beliefs and even hallucinations can occur. For example hearing the voice of the person who has passed on. My sister thought that a large butterfly was a sign from our Dad. And yes it is magical thinking. I have had something similar. Unless you buy this product something bad will happen. Or walk down this side of the street or something bad will happen. The only difference is that your magical beliefs have a strict time horizon.

I have learnt to defy the injunction of magical thinking: do the bloody opposite. Do not get to the end of the queue in under  two minutes, do not buy the product, walk on the opposite side of the street.

Your OCD mind will conjure up strong images of what will happen if you defy OCD. It takes a degree of courage to go against its dictates. But do it.
 

The way to get free of OCD is to behave in the opposite way to way the OCD wants you to behave. Your bereavement is making you vulnerable at the moment.

Good luck on your therapy!
 

 

 

 

 

Edited by Angst
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@Angst thanks for sharing your experience. I haven’t considered it before but you’re right, there’s always a time limit on mine which is what causes the panic, because I often have very little time to make a targeted decision to ‘rationalise-out’ or to choose to do something different. 
 

hoping the therapy will help me get it back under control. It’s disappointing to have been free of it for so long only to take such a massive backwards step during a time where I should just be grieving with my family :(

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Apply what you did the first time to this one 

OCD is a stress induced disorder & compulsions are a coping mechanism. 

I get thoughts too & didn't do the compulsion for 2 years & the thoughts are still present but the anxiety is not. Shrug. 

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