- Date posted
- 3y
- Date posted
- 3y
Hiya, (and first off I have to say I love your username and avatar!) As a fellow moral scrupulosity type, I'm right here with you--this kind of fusion can be such a struggle. One option is to try leaning into that thought-action fusion as an exposure, especially as you said that responding with logic isn't really effective. So when your OCD tries to tell you thinking something "bad"/hearing someone say something "bad" is as "bad" as you doing it, agree with it and sit in the uncertainty that it might be right. "Sure, OCD. Them saying that means I'm a terrible person. Yep, everyone hates me now." This is called non-engagement response (https://myocdcare.com/the-art-of-ocd-non-engagement-responses/) and it can be really effective. Learning some defusion techniques could definitely be useful too, but I think treating the fused thoughts as an opportunity for exposure is a better first step. Best of luck, I hope this helps!
- Date posted
- 3y
Hello! Thank you so much for this advice. I haven’t heard of this before and I’m excited to look into it and to have it help me (hopefully) with this cognitive distortion. Also I appreciate the compliment about my username and avatar! I’m scared to lean in but I’m sure that’s the best thing to do and hopefully I make it out the other side 🤞 Thanks again!
- Date posted
- 3y
@Have a sunflower🌻 Hi Have a sunflower! I haven't been on this app in awhile, I've been working on ERP and mindfulness lately and it's going decently well! I still have some bad days, but I've been having a lot of good days though! :) I'm sorry that you're struggling right now though! :( I've never heard of "thought action fusion", but I feel like what you're describing is actually kind of relatable and I'm honestly kind of glad to know that there is a name for it and that there is treatment for it more specifically. I'm sorry though, I don't feel like I'm offering much in terms of advice, I guess I'm kind of just saying I can relate. I'm sorry... 😅 but Lms526 and theduckopera seemed to offer some pretty good advice, I actually might reas that article that theduckopera posted too! :) By the way, I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and a happy new year Have a sunflower! 😀 I pray God will help you through this thought action fusion that you're facing! God bless! :)
- Date posted
- 3y
Can you remind yourself that you didn’t say but someone else did?
- Date posted
- 3y
That doesn’t seem to help. I don’t think logic works because it’s an illogical concern if that makes sense. Like I can’t convince myself that just because I thought something doesn’t make it the same as if I did it in real life either. Logically I know they aren’t the same but hearing someone else say something bad, me thinking something bad, and me doing something bad all have the same amount of guilt and shame and that amount of guilt and shame is like the equivalent of me being a mass murderer or something no matter what kind of bad phrase, thought, or action is in question. I don’t know how to separate myself from it all.
- Date posted
- 3y
@Have a sunflower🌻 I struggle with the same thing. Its so hard. You aren't alone.
- Date posted
- 3y
OCD does not respond to logic. No matter how much evidence you provide, OCD will ALWAYS come back with "OK. But what about _____________?"
- Date posted
- 3y
@Lms526 Thank you!
Related posts
- Date posted
- 17w
I’ve been struggling with religious OCD for the past month or so (blasphemous intrusive thoughts, fear of going to hell, etc). I’m a Christian. I’ve been in ERP and I’m learning to let the thoughts just be which is hard, but I’m struggling with the overwhelming feelings of guilt about having the intrusive thoughts. I know the thoughts aren’t from me and don’t reflect my true self, but sometimes if feels like I’m bringing the thoughts on if that makes sense. Does anyone have any advice on overcoming the guilt? OCD is also telling me I’m never going to get over this and my relationship with God will never be the same. I just want to be able to praise God without all of this and it’s making me incredibly sad and lonely. Any words of encouragement are appreciated.
- Date posted
- 16w
My OCD has become so bad and I feel so alone. I have religious OCD (Christianity) and I’ve been doing okay with letting the blasphemous thoughts go in the moment, but I’m so overcome with guilt and shame I can barely function. I can feel okay and hopeful for a few minutes and then I’m reminded of the horrible thoughts and how nothing can take them back and I can’t handle the guilt. I’m becoming a burden to my family and feel so alone. I do not know what to do. Please help.
- Date posted
- 13w
I can be way too hard on myself and beat myself up over the smallest slip up in regards to OCD. Sometimes it can feel like I'm gaslighting myself on what was "so blatantly and obviously a moral atrocity in thought and intent", when 95% of the time I'm not even sure what my own intent with dealing with these thoughts is or why I do what I do. It makes me feel like some shameless beast for "daring to even entertain the thought of something so VILE!!!" When I just get so confused and scared on moral issues, like my mind is pulled down a rabbit hole I can't escape until the tricks are done on me and it's too late, i've accepted such ideas I hate until that hate and trying to not give in convince me "it might not be that bad". It feels like anything, even the most mundane things can trigger this. This cycle happens mainly because I feel like there's "no way to escape committing more 'attrocities' in thought or compulsion anyway"...and these cycles become the basis for more of these incidents. there a way to stop this? There have been multiple times where I called myself the R word, and even knowing it's a slur I still called myself that because "I'm nothing if not deserving of such scorn". Any attempt to stop the madness makes it worse and it's like all this I talked about is so convincing I dare not question it until after the fact. Please help.
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