- Date posted
- 3y
Self care/love ideas for OCD??
Hey, I'm planning on having a self care day tomorrow and I need some ideas! Feel free to share!!
Hey, I'm planning on having a self care day tomorrow and I need some ideas! Feel free to share!!
For a start, you should only use your phone just to answer texts/calls and music. Focus on stuff that makes you feel nostalgic and comfortable (I listen to music from old school). Help someone out if you can. Get good sleep tonight. If you come across something that triggers you, just note that everyone is capable of overcoming their negative thoughts. Living is a gift, because you are gradually learning that it IS a gift. A lifetime of being strong will make you look back and say, "I wouldn't change a thing not even if I could."
I know I sound like an old fart š, but it's true!
I love everything about this
I aim to give myself what I need: good sleep, good food, good exercise, good relaxation. I remove pressure and expectations and use a lot of self compassion (anything I feel all day is fine and deserves understanding, not judgment or anger or fear.)
Bubble bath š
Self care can look like going the extra mile to pamper yourself with say, a spa day, or a specific luxury you donāt get often. Or, self care can be small, simple acts throughout the day that make you feel joy and gratitude to everyday life. Both are cool, but here are some of my favorite things to do: - I like to read books that transport me to another world. Nothing too realistic itās all about escapism. - I go people-watching in a cafe, or visit a park to feel connected to life around me. - I love bubble baths, getting creative doing my makeup or nails, etc. - I get cozy in my most comfortable pjs and relax in the quiet of my home, alone, with my favorite tea. I like to practice being comfortable spending time with myself as often as possible.
As a 20+ year OCD vet and OCD conqueror. I wanted to share some tips and tricks that help me. 1. A thought is not the same as a belief. You can think something, and not believe it in the slightest. 2. Thoughts DO NOT represent ANYTHING. They are not indicators to who we are as people, they are pop up ads for the brains computer. 3. We DO NOT control our thoughts! The average person has about 60,000 ( yes, 4 zeros) a day! NONE of which are controlled. 4. We DO have control over which of those 60k thoughts are important. i.e. thought A. I could murder my entire household- survey says? not important ( because yea, sure, you could, but you probably don't really want to) thought B. i need to do my laundy-survey says? important... unfortunately, i hate laundry. which brings me to number 5. 5. Emotional reasoning ( where you let your feelings impact your decisions) is a COGNITIVE DISTORTION. It is a flawed thought process and should NEVER be used. "wanting to do something" does not mean you SHOULD do it, same and sometimes NOT wanting to do something doesn't mean you shouldn't do it ( picked what is important) my brain might tell me i WANT to break up with my husband, ( unimportant) and it might also say i don't want to get up and go to work in the morning ( important). 6. YOU-ARE-IN-CONTROL. Not to be confused with HAVING control. We don't control our thoughts, we control which ones are important, we don't control our feelings or emotions, but we control how to react (or not react) to them. We don't control our OCD, but we can control how it affects our lives, and that can mean that is has all the power, or none. 7. If the action you want to do ( confess, get reassurance, check, analyze, avoid, re-do) are to gain relief from anxiety, IT IS A COMPULSION. DO NOT DO IT. Sit with the anxiety and train your brain to realize its not dangerous or important with ERP ( this takes time, but practice makes perfect) 8. Know your enemy. NOCD has a HUGE amount of articles and information on ALL subtypes of OCD and how to respond and how to treat them. OCD is MUCH easier to combat when you understand how it works. 9. BE PATIENT. BE KIND to yourself. Prioritize healthy habits, a healthy body is better equipped to handle OCD. Good sleep, whole foods, sunlight, social interaction, exercise ( walking especially). When the mind feels weak, make the body strong. 10. You are not alone. OCD is classified by the World Health Organization as one of the top 10 most distressing disorders. Reach out to people, seek medical help. Medication is not evil, it can be life-saving, TALK to people. Bonus Tips * if the question is " What If" its OCD. * Total certainty does not exist, be content with 99%* *"But this feels different, this feels like its not OCD, that its real*- emotional reasoning... its OCD. Hang in there. You got this. Im here for any advice, questions, or support. Today is a great day to have a GREAT DAY.
Earlier today I did some pretty high-level contamination exposure, inspired by my therapist, and now I'm listening to a triggering song on repeat ā the very song that kicked off my first serious bout of OCD in high school. There is a part of my brain that is telling me I can't handle the song and that I should find a compulsion to do, but my goal is to have it in the background while I go about my self-care tasks. I'm already starting to get used to it šŖ How are y'all challenging your OCD today?
I wanted to share with you guys some of the things that have helped me in the past few weeks! If youāre open to it, maybe try a few and see how you feel! First I would really recommend leaning on God. If youāre not a believer you may be skeptical but if youāve never tried to read the Bible, prayer or even just talking with God, I would recommend so much! My relationship with God has gotten so much better through this terrible illness and in turn I have noticed a lot of positivity, I feel substantially better since Iāve been trying to bring this to God instead of worry about it myself. If you can give your worries to God and learn to have faith that he is with you, loves and forgives you. You have a great step towards recovery and even just a more positive life. Next, try going outside! I know it sounds kinda dumb but I mean it! Some of my best days started with just going outside, reading a book and or listening to music. I went out and tanned, ate some fruit with some lemonade and read āGirl Wash Your Faceā it was a great book! I would spend HOURS and it helped me so much! Take a walk, hike, etc.! This leads into the next thingā¦READING! I recently bought the new book ādonāt believe everything you thinkā and the workbook and it is amazing! This also applies to reading your Bible and other books, specially ones targeting self help and things like that! Another thing is fitness! Try out the gym, I know there is days that you just canāt bring yourself to get up but in those days, make yourself go to the gym! Even if you just go walk on the treadmill or bike! Anything is better than nothing! Keep yourself active, I promise it will make you feel better! Find a good podcast! I have been listening to (The OCD Stories on Spotify), sometimes Iāve even listened while I was going to sleep and let it play through the night! Go on YouTube and follow Chrissie Hodges, NOCD and look for other people who help! Go on instagram and follow Chrissie Hodges, NOCD, iocdf, sincerelyocd, recoverocd, letstalk.ocd, my lovely ocd and there are so many more! Find good music! Again Iām going to bring up worship music some of my favs being ( I Thank God, Move of God, Hard fought Hallelujah, The Truth, Made for more, Thy Will, and there is so many more!) if you would like I can share my playlist! But overall music is so helpful and if you are not a believer or want something different I would recommend songs by Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Kesha, Rihanna, Demi Lovato, Kelly Clarkson, even Billy Joel, Queen, Beck, and things of that nature that are gonna get you PUMPED UP! Lastly, hang out with PEOPLE! Donāt let OCD rule your life, put your ocd in a box best you can and go live your life! Get lunch with a friend, join a bible study, go get a massage, even just meet up with a friend and talk in a parking lot while shoving your face with fast food! You NEED interaction as much as you donāt want to! I know some of these are hard, some is triggering or youāre nervous that youāre gonna spiral, but step out of your comfort zone! Thatās the way to get better! Do things that make you feel uncomfortable, the things that are unknown, the things you used to do before this! You can still live and love your life you donāt have to keep just āsurvivingā! And this isnāt a fix all, trust me I still have my days where Iām like nope Iām staying in bed and crying, but you need to push yourself! No one is coming to hold your hand and walk you out of this, you have to want to help yourself too! And you can do that! I know itās scary and uncomfortable but you got this! Weāre gonna kick some OCD butt! I hope you find this helpful and I wish you the most luck! Comment if you have questions and whatnot! š«¶
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