Can someone help me, please? I’ve been taking huge steps towards recovery and it’s a slow, sometimes frustrating journey, but I’m being able to do more healthy things and I’m cutting out most of my “physical”/tangible compulsions, as instructed by my therapist. I still get intrusive thoughts all the time, and they change during the course of the day/couple of days. My brain always needs something disturbing to figure out, it’s very distressing. My question is this: how can I cut out mental compulsions, such as rumination, when it’s such an automatic response for me? How can I rewire my brain in that sense? Thank you guys!

Your mental compulsions will strengthen because you are giving up your physical compulsions. Your brain is telling you, "hey, we stopped doing this thing that made me feel safe so now we need to constantly focus on these thoughts so nothing bad happens." This is normal. Dont fight the thoughts. Dont argue with them or analyze them, just let them be there. I know its hard, day after day. Checking every morning to see if they are still there and then living everyday stuck with these unpleasant thoughts that make you feel like a prisoner in your own mind. I can promise you this, it will get better! Accept these thoughts as nothing more then thoughts. Learn about cognitive distortions and understand which ones you are using. Mine was thought-action fusion mainly. Labeling them in this way takes some of its power away. Know you are not alone and that many, many people suffer from OCD. You will get through this by doing the hard work so that you will finally habituate yourself enough that your mind will set you free, a little bit at first but then you will start getting whole days, then weeks and eventually you will feel like yourself again, for the most part. Relapses will occur, that is completely normal but it wont be as bad. You will learn how to overcome this.

Phisch, thank you for the link! It was very helpful!

Ocd is such a sneaky little bugger!! It will move around and effect us in different ways! It’s the same thing as physical compulsions! The book “ overcoming unwanted intrusive thoughts “ is an amazing read for this! In the book it explains how your brain does 2 things you have panic mode and false comfort and they fight back and fourth and keep you locked in a mental compulsion. The same with physical compulsions, do erp and refuse to listen to the anxiety or the comfort! Mentally say to yourself “ this is all well and good but I think I’m going to continue on with xyz” and continue with whatever you were doing before the thought. it’s hard at first but the more you practice it the easier it will be! I think of my mental compulsions in 2 ways if it’s a thought and I’m starting to go deep into the rabbit hole of “could I, would this, what if” then I simply tell myself this is ocd and I’m not going to panic or comfort myself I’m just going to watch the thought come in and go out and not judge it, or I allow the thought completely and invite it in without judgement! Both ways work!!

You guys gave such great advice! Thank you so much for all your answers!!

Following this. I ruminate automatically as well and would like to know how to knock it off

Im at similar place in treatment dealing with similiar issue. Here some good articles about compulsive rumination: https://drmichaeljgreenberg.com/articles/

Weeping ...what is thought action fusion? Is it the same as magical thinking? Need some help with that

https://www.verywellmind.com/thought-action-fusion-and-ocd-2510478

Yes! So relatable! Rn I’m trying to purposely think of the thoughts for a period of time to habituate to them but any other tips would be much appreciated