- Date posted
- 3y
- Date posted
- 3y
I had this experience with my niece and nephew. I love babies so much, in general. I obviously loved them that much more! But my OCD was intense around that time in my life (undiagnosed) and it was so hard for me to take care of them on my own even though I wanted to. I pushed through and enjoyed my time with them when they were little and I'm happy you're doing that too! When intrusive thoughts pop up, the first thing I do is recognize that it's my OCD showing up uninvited. See it as something outside of who you are... like it just rolls up on the scene beside you. Acknowledge it for what it is and tell it you're not interested in engaging. You'll still feel anxious but if you focus on the fact (it IS a fact) that the OCD doesn't represent who you are or what you actually want to/will do, that will help reframe it. Thoughts are harmless. Sit with the feelings you have and let them settle without feeding them by engaging in the story that usually follows. Be patient with yourself. It's ok if this is difficult but the less you fight against it and the more you let it be there, the easier it gets with practice. Then pivot away from it. Interact in a silly way with your cousin. Sing and talk to them or read to them! Do something to engage your brain in a positive activity that has meaning in that situation. Beyond that, definitely try ERP around that particular theme so that you can move past it in an intentional way. You can do this!
- Date posted
- 3y
What is an example of ERP for this?
- Date posted
- 3y
Imaginal scenario. This theme is probably good to work with your therapist for guidance. The idea of this kind of exercise (can be used for any theme that you wouldn't or couldn't exposure yourself to in real life like a criminal act, for example) is that you write a story about yourself in the present tense and in detail. It will cause anxiety, of course, but you write it all out anyway. Write out the curcumstance, where you are, what you do, the consequences, trial, conviction, everything. All the way to whatevrr you most fear as the ultimate outcpme. Then you read it over and over until the words begin to lose meaning and your anxiety settles to a manageable level (like a 40 or 50 out of 100). When it is lower, you can stop and resume your regular life activities. You work with that every day or two. Your brain will get bored, the words and the story no longer have meaning. It will stop triggering an anxious response. Given the content, maybe give it a title that makes it clear that it is an imaginal worst case fictional activity for your exposure and response therapy. But again, working with a therapist that specializes in OCD is highly recommended. I also have a workbook that would help "The OCD workbook" by Bruce Hymen which helps guide this kind of work.
- Date posted
- 3y
I get SO incredibly nervous and anxious when holding babies. I'm okay if they are like 6 to 9 months old. But smaller babies, especially newborns. The entire time I will be freaking out. I was terrified that I was going to drop the baby on its head and give it permanent brain damage. It was even worse if the baby started squirming or moving around. I could not give the kid back fast enough.
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 3y
its awesome you still babysit even with your thoughts! that is a good exposure in itself. when you start to get your thoughts, don't try to rationalize them. instead, when you get these thoughts around your cousin, just allow the thoughts to live in your mind but continue on with them! you are allowing the obsession to happen without negotiating it with a compulsion.
- Date posted
- 3y
I babysit family too and it makes me sick. I try to be like ANYWAY, and make a whole new different thought. I don't try to rationalize the thought to myself or act like I should convince myself that i won't do something. But i don't know if this is the correct thing to do.
- Date posted
- 3y
I'm confronting my HOCD in the new year by volunteering (through the health care system in my province) to visit parents of newborn twins and triplets for a few hours a week to help out- I get to hold and feed the babies. Burp them. And interact with them gently. I adore babies so I'm as excited about it as I am fearful. But it'll be a win-win-win for the parents, the babies, and for me!
- Date posted
- 3y
Might have used the wrong acronym. I mean harm OCD. I see some people using HOCD to refer to sexual orientation.
Related posts
- Date posted
- 24w
I need advice for intrusive thoughts. I used to feel like I could handle them. They werenβt nearly as bad as the things that related to my actual life. But now, Iβm suffering. I havenβt had a sexual experience in over a year that didnβt involve constant intrusive thoughts. Most are somehow related to kids and I keep chasing off the thoughts but itβs so bad. I know youβre supposed to ignore them but I donβt know how I can just ignore that and continue what Iβm doing. But theyβre coming on stronger. I had one earlier I could not get rid of just as things finished so the thought came on strongly just before my orgasm hit and now I feel absolutely disgusting. I hated the thought and I know itβs not me and it was not enjoyable but it still feels like I was getting off to it. I feel sick. Iβm so fucking tired of these thoughts. Theyβre in my every day life too and itβs all the time. I just want it to stop but ignoring it feels so wrong. What should I do?
- Date posted
- 20w
Hi NOCD community, I was hoping to get some advice from fellow sufferers. In December we welcomed the first baby into the family, my beautiful niece. Since then, my POCD has been awful, which I know is probably very normal. Last week, in the middle of a very high stress day in my family, I was changing my niece and as usually happens, I got intrusive thoughts about awful things people do to babies when changing them. The thoughts were so harrowing to have as I was also changing her at the exact same time, and I felt my hands just quickly want to finish patting her dry before putting her nappy on, and for some reason, my heart dropped with that hand movement, because I was afraid that I had acted out the awful thoughts in my head, in a moment of mania because my morals, values and heart do not align with abuse of any kind, especially to children. My niece is my everything, and I know I would never want harm to come to her in any way, shape or form. I love her endlessly. I am having therapy, but have only had a couple of sessions. But, I cannot shake the 'what if'. I am tortured over trying to remember what it was I did that made my heart drop, but I can't, and its getting fuzzier and fuzzier the more I try to remember. Could anyone offer any advice on this please? Thank you.
- Date posted
- 19w
ππππ£πͺ ππππππππ₯ πππππππ βππΌπΈππΌ π»πβ'π βπΌπΈπ» ππ½ πΌπΈππππ π»ππππβπΉπΌπ» πΉπ πβπΌππΌπ πππβ πππ»π hi everyone, I am really struggling with something disturbing and I'm so afraid I'm a PDF. So my sis came to visit with my nephew for the first time. So the other day we were taking pics with the baby I was already feeling kinda nervous cuz I never held a baby before. Anyway it was my turn and I like I wonder if this would sexually stimulate him( not exactly the thought but the of thought was more graphic and I don't wanna disturb anyone). And I can't remember if I thought that while I was bumping him on my stomach (like how people bump babies on their hips) or before I started doing so. Anyways I can't really remember what my reaction to that thought was or if I started bumping him before or after I had that thought... So I tried not to think much of it but over time I started to spiral really bad and wonder why I thought that and why then I would bump him on my stomach after having that thought or during. I just feel so disgusted. Like was I curious about it? Did I disregard the thought because my brain thinks disturbing things? Ik right now away from that situation that ofc I have no sexual interest in my nephew at all. I played with him and helped changed diaper and everything and never had the urge to do anything inappropriate to him besides that one weird instance. So like I'm so disturbed like did that mean something? I have P OCD but that didn't really feel like an intrusive thought? I also can be very impulsive, and if it was impulsive does that mean I had a desire? Now I'm terrified of having kids even though I wanted some or to foster some. I mean I know but myself I'm not sexually attracted to kids but then why would I think that I am so disturbed really and feel so sick. ππππ I don't know what to do I'm so scared about what my motivation was I feel so bad and scaredππππ
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