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How Learning, And Using, Meditation And Mindfulness Can Help Us


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Let's be really clear. In order to get better from OCD we need to learn and follow the principles of CBT, so that we can accept and not respond to intrusive thoughts, and cut out carrying out  compulsions. This is essential.

But there are additional psychological tools that can help us, and meditation snd mindfulness work to refocus our minds and calm down arousal.

Here is a quote from St Francis of Assisi, one of the most venerated people in history.

"Where there is peace and meditation, there is neither anxiety or doubt".

During a recent episode of OCD I was struggling to sleep, and prone to excessive anxiety.

My therapist told me I would struggle to sleep unless I became more  relaxed. And I was to do this by meditating before trying to sleep - and also it would help to launch my day by meditating in bed before getting up in the morning.

In meditation, in a safe place without any responsibilities we lie or sit down, close our eyes and begin to focus on our breathing. We slow the rate of breath, and observe the breath as it enters our nostrils, passes down into our lungs, and also expands our diaphragm.

Then we hold for a short count - maybe 5 seconds, then release the breath up and out through our mouths.

This is a basic breathing meditation, and there are lots of variations including body scans and mantra meditations.

If we get distracted we simply stop and refocus back to our breathing.

As we get good at this practice, our anxiety levels will fall, and thanks to the refocus, it can help break obsessive thinking. 

I am now sleeping beautifully - still more work to do, but steadily improving.

Mindfulness is all about anchoring our thinking into the here and now, and only on what is immediately in and around us.

There are plenty of simple guides to learning and practising mindfulness out there - you don't need to go on courses, it's very easy to learn and it can really help take our thinking away from our obsessive themes.

Here is a simple example. Next time you go to the supermarket, try to focus purely on that exercise. Think about what you see around you, the traffic, people, the weather, parking the car or catching the bus, what others are wearing, what items you are especially looking out for.

Savour the sights, smells, sounds, feelings, good emotions, companionship- and successes when you find things you like.

The more you enter into the moment, the more benefit you will experience.

And when we become good at mindfulness practice, it will help steer us away from troubles in the past and worries about the future.

 

 

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Definately something my local IHTT team want me to do. Everytime I try to ruminate I need to distract myself, they have gave me a couple of exercises, one of which is 5,4,3,2,1:

5 things I can see right now, or imagine I can see tight now.

4 thingsI can hear right now, or imagine I can hear right now.

3 things I can touch right now, or imagine I can touch right now.

2 things I can smell right now, or like the smell of.

1 slow deep breath, in through the nose, out through the mouth, then simply focus on breathing in this moment right now.

The other is STOPP:

Stop

Observe: What am I thinking? What am I reacting to? What am I feeling in my body?

Pull Back: Put in some perspective. See the bigger picture, is this fact or opinion? How would someone else see this?

Practice What works: What's the best thing to do for me, for others, for this situation?

Don't know what you guys think. I will say it is exhausting doing things to distract yourself when you are tired.

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1 minute ago, Cam81 said:

Don't know what you guys think. I will say it is exhausting doing things to distract yourself when you are tired.

It is, but it is part of a process to steer our thoughts away from the obsessing and compulsing, which in themselves are tiring and debilitating.

Try the meditation process afterwards to calm yourself down and ease distress.

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Thank you, this is great. I find meditation especially tricky because my main OCD is always uncomfortable things I can feel within my body and I struggle to ‘step out’ of them and into the safe meditation space. Any advice on removing yourself from yourself and entering a lovely relaxed space for meditation? 

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Yes, you can use a safe place visualisation meditation.

Think of a place that you really like, and where you feel happy and calm. This is your safe place.

Then when you start up a meditation, picture that place in your mind. See the sights, smell the smells,feel the texture of the ground beneath your feet as you take a walk around this wonderful place. 

Savour the feelings of peace and calm that this place gives you.

Follow the visualisation as your mind takes you on this journey around your safe place.

When you are ready, return to the here and now.

My safe place is the gorgeous narrow boat Marina at Braunston, near the meeting place of the Oxford and Grand Union canals, and around a half hour drive from home.

The boats are colourful, the marina has a narrow boat café,  boat workshops and a chandlery and it is so photogenic. 

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For those of you who would like to use guided meditations, where the guide talks you through going to a beautiful setting, accompanied by relaxing music, these can be found on music streaming services, or you can purchase them on CD from British company New World Music, as well as other sources no doubt.

My favourite guide is the Australian psychologist Simonette Vaja. Her voice is like liquid gold, beautifully ra-assuring and soothing, and my favourite of her CD's is "mini meditations for stress-free living", some 10 minute guided meditations of such subjects as green rolling hills, a spa treatment,  visiting a house in the Bush, and a morning meditation.

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