- Date posted
- 3y
- Date posted
- 3y
Using the mindfulness technique of saying “maybe my fear will come true, and maybe it won’t. I can’t have certainty and won’t get the answer right now, but I am capable of handling the uncertainty.” It has helped me a lot and especially if you do it with compassion for yourself
- User type
- NOCD Alumni
- Date posted
- 3y
Great question! I would consult with your therapist about this, but in addition to mindfulness, I have found "labeling the thought" helpful. This essentially means saying in your head something like "I am having the thought that X" -- it has helped me recognize that my OCD was latching onto a thought and giving it meaning (despite it just being a thought - and nothing more). Additionally, I have found that tackling my life priorities (whether that's chores, exercise, etc.) IN SPITE of the OCD can be helpful because it gets my out of my head a bit while achieving what I need to get done. I am not referring to "unhealthy" distraction like turning to junk food, movies, etc. just to "feel better" - but doing what I need to get done in my life (with or without OCD) even while the intrusive thoughts / emotions are going on. It makes me feel like I'm really in the driver's seat and my OCD is just along for the ride (vs. the other way around)! Good luck Aileen!
- Date posted
- 3y
as instructed by the SOS audio track on this app I have just went for it in the past without saying or thinking anything (like @whatabtme mentioned). Literally sitting with my thoughts and letting them pop up as I took a couple deep breaths because it's what I think of when I hear the phrase. I should emphasize that it was as instructed by the audio track and listening to someone speak instructions gave me comfort and made me feel less alone, I didnt force myself to immediately sit in silence without making that action first.
- Date posted
- 3y
sorry it looks like i contradicted myself. What I mean by "just going for it" is that i quickly went for the sos button in a state of panic. it's not relevant to the actual advice at all.
Related posts
- Date posted
- 25w
Hi everyone. I’ve been doing therapy for about two months now and I would say it’s slowly helping me a lot. I explained to her the breathing techniques and “sitting in the anxiety for a bit” and I feel like those are helping. But then my therapist said “don’t sit in the thought because then you might act on it”. I don’t “sit in the thought” but rather i sit in the anxiety to comdition my brain into thinking it’s not a threat. But ever since yesterday, my therapy appointment, I’ve been really shooken up. Even though I don’t “sit in the thought” I feel like a bad person that she even had to bring it up even though I explained it wrong. I’m so upset I feel like I just took 3000 steps back from my progress and this little thing is really scaring me. Am I a bad person? I don’t want to act on any of my thoughts and it scares me so bad I hate living.
- Date posted
- 13w
I can't focus on anything but my thoughts. I'm so inside my head, and my mom always tells me to focus on my body and my surroundings, but I can't, or maybe I just don't know how. I try to, but it doesn't help. The thoughts are still there :(
- Date posted
- 10w
Today, I accidentally said "sit with the thought and let the thought be there." And now I'm obsessing that because I used "and", that now "sit with the thought" and "let the thought be there" mean two different things. I should have said: "Sit with the thought. Let the thought be there." I'm afraid that because I said sit with the thought AND let the thought be there, that this means make the thought real 😞
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