Engagement?

What does non-engagement mean to you when it comes to your thoughts does it mean out of mind thought out of mind; does it mean go about your day and let your thoughts go wherever; or does it mean have a sort of relaxed Inner vision, where you see and feel your thought but you’re just not responding to it? I generally go out of sight out of mind as a way to not engage but that seems to be a form of suppression but it’s not a hard-core suppression it’s just sort of soft and it gives me a sense of control which I don’t have otherwise. what about you what do you think we’re supposed to do and what it is that you do? what about when you get a fireworks display of a cluster of images and or memories all at once?

jgumucio

Date posted: 2y

Thank you so much. I appreciate your response and your prayers! Ill take them, thanks! Your advice hits me right so Ill bring them back to the therapist tomorrow.

Drew777

Date posted: 2y

Glad to have been of some help! :) I hope your therapist can offer some more answers to your questions. If you have more questions though feel free to ask. I'm not an expert by any means, but I've had OCD for a long time and I feel like I've learned a good bit more about it this year than I had previously known about it. I enjoy offering advice if it can be of help to someone. Definitely go by what your therapist says though, they know a lot more about all of it than I do.

jgumucio

Date posted: 2y

@Drew777 Yay! Ill take you up on that!

jgumucio

Date posted: 2y

@Drew777 Thanks again!

jgumucio

Date posted: 2y

Drew: what of ruminating that is fast spinning/persistent. How do you handle that kind? Therapist just validated your point! First and last sentence of first paragraph.

Drew777

Date posted: 2y

Hi Jgumucio. I'm not familiar with fast spinning Rumination, could you explain it to me? Sorry. But, if you just mean that the Rumination is persistent then that can be tough, because even though you're trying to stop ruminating you still find yourself doing it regardless of the fact that you want to stop doing it. But, with OCD and doing ERP in general you should try to "agree" with your OCD when it tells you something. Like say "oh yeah OCD, maybe you're right OCD, maybe I shouldn't have ______, so what?". Make sure you add the "maybe" in, its important that you're keeping the uncertainty present. At that point the Rumination will try to start up about it, but do your absolute best not to add additional judgment or question the intrusive thought any further. Let the anxiety it causes you sit there in your mind without engaging with it. I don't know if I'm helping, you might've already heard all of this from your therapist. But it's just some things I've learned from my therapist this year. Also, I'm glad that your therapist agreed with what I told you. I wouldn't want to mislead you in anyway. Continue asking your therapist questions and learn all you can from what they tell you. Try what they tell you and see if it works for you. But remember too that it's okay to disagree with your therapist if they tell you to do something that you don't think you're ready to handle yet. I've had to tell my therapist "I'm not ready to do that." or "I'm not comfortable with that, can we do a different exposure instead of that one?". My therapist told me that's okay, the important thing is that you're doing something different than the compulsions you would normally do. Take it all one step at a time and at your own pace. In time you will start to see improvement. :)

Drew777

Date posted: 2y

I think it means to acknowledge that the thought is there but after that not to pay it anymore mind, like don't ruminate about it any further. In some sense I think "out of sight out of mind" could be a form of avoidance or suppression, but I'm not sure to what degree. It just depends on different factors I guess. Also it's not so much that we just let our thoughts go wherever, but moreso that if we do have an intrusive thought that gives us anxiety instead of obsessing and ruminating about it just accept thar you had that thought and move on with your day trying not worry about it or think too hard about it. I think it sounds like you're trying your best though and you're still learning, so don't be so hard on yourself. We're all learning about how to best handle life and OCD everyday. Each day we will grow and learn from our mistakes and continue to make progress. :) You're doing great! Don't give up friend! I'll be praying for you! God bless! :)

jgumucio

Date posted: 2y

@Drew777 @Drew777 see my response below!

jgumucio

Date posted: 2y

Thx!!!!!!!!!!!

issphra 🫶🏻

Date posted: 25w

Numb and engaging more with thoughts? Help?

I’ve been feeling a bit stressed lately because my intrusive thoughts aren’t causing as much anxiety as they used to. It almost feels like I’m becoming a little numb to them, and because of that, I’m able to engage with them a bit longer. I don’t feel the usual rush of anxiety to pull away, and in some strange way, I even find myself focusing on them for a few seconds, like I’m actively thinking about them. It’s really stressing me out because I feel like by not feeling that immediate discomfort or anxiety, I’m letting the thoughts stay longer or giving them more power. I feel like part of me almost wants them to be there, and I don’t know if that’s a bad sign? They don’t even feel intrusive. Has anyone else experienced this? I’m just worried that the lack of anxiety is the reason I’m interacting more with these thoughts that would normal scare me. I feel guilt about it later. I am currently withdrawing from medication so that may contribute to this but it’s not the first time I experience this :/

Bean.there

Date posted: 24w

What even IS thought neutralizing, though?

Or thought-stopping, or suppression. I'm new-ish to OCD treatment and recovery, and I understand and believe that I'm living with this condition, but I still don't *get* it sometimes. I don't immediately click with what other people are describing. For example, when my therapist suggests using mindfulness techniques like naming something in my environment for each sense (something I see in this room, something I hear in this moment, etc), I'm thinking, "is this thought-stopping?" because I'm using the technique to get out of an obsessive spiral and redirecting my attention outward. Isn't that a good thing? Is it thought-suppression *every* time I try to change the subject in my mind? How would you describe "thought neutralizing" mental compulsions to someone who doesn't get it? (ie me lol)

Anonimus ME 🦋

Date posted: 24w

please read I need advice, or anyone going through this?

During ERP, we learn not to analyze thoughts, not to analyze feelings, obstacles, ideas, commands... because it's all an intrusion and not real. However, it's too difficult for me, because every time a picture comes out, it's all detailed and even with a sound in my head, or an urge, or an idea... to "leave" it like that and I don't come back... is that the case with anyone else? and does it ever pass? Thanks in advance

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