- Date posted
- 2y ago
Accepting uncertainty
What’s the best way to explain accepting uncertainty? Does anyone have a simple explanation
What’s the best way to explain accepting uncertainty? Does anyone have a simple explanation
Accepting uncertainty boils down to you both acknowledging and accepting the fact that nothing in life is 100% certain. This applies for those with and/or without OCD. It is a major key point and power player in recovery from OCD of any/all subtypes. Easier said than done, but it is possible! Sending love, compassion and support to you while suffering from the beast and battling the monster that is OCD 💌
Thank you for this reply! What's hard for me (and maybe the OP) is that getting this answer sometimes feels circular? (Not in a bad way! I also understand that maybe it's hard to answer in any other way since it's kind of a philosophical thing). But in a way these responses sometimes sound like "you accept uncertainty by accepting uncertainty" which can be hard for people who don't know how to do it and need specific advice. My guess is that it varies based on the fears and degree of disorder? I also imagine this is where the exposures come in, and that it's a kind of muscle memory or "fake it til you make it" kind of solution. Like, most people have to accept some degree of uncertainty, because that's just reality, and the only reason people with ocd can't accept it is that we've developed these habits or compulsions to make things FEEL certain, so when we're forced to abandon the compulsions, acceptance is the only option and we just get used to it over time, with a lot of patience and practice? Is that right or am I mistaken?
I don’t really like thinking about it that way. I view my OCD as a separate entity like a fire. And the more I answer it or try to address my worries, the bigger the fire gets. And fires consume anything you give them. So I just say “ok OCD, I hear you. I know you’re there, but I’m ignoring you and I’m not going to let you ruin my life” and then I try to think about something else. This isn’t really a mantra or something I recite, but I just accept those thoughts as being “there” even though they aren’t attached to me.
I tell myself “maybe it’s true, maybe it’s not. I’m not spending any more time on this.” Then I move on. Also nothing in life is for certain. I could get hit by an asteroid right now. Can it happen? Yeah. Will it? Probably not. But I have no way to prove I won’t be hit with an asteroid. If that makes sense?
Accepting uncertainty ti me means recognizing that anytime ocd offers as an intrusive thought is possible - and leaving it there. No argument, no compulsing , simply letting ocd be annoying and go about my day.
Specifically how can my fiance best support me without offering reassurance? I'm trying to encourage myself to grow and keep trying ERP, but I'm not sure how I can include my partner in a healthy way. I plan on talking to my therapist about it soon, but I wanted to hear thoughts from people who have been dealing with it themselves.
Can someone please tell me at what point did you finally accept that it’s OCD? When did the ERP click for you? When did you just stop buying into the lies of OCD and finally let go? Like what does it take. It’s been 2 years of this for me and I’m in ERP currently and it’s just not clicking 😣 is it just me???
I used to get caught in a loop with existential thoughts very frequently. Every question made my stomach drop: (TW: existential questions) … … ... "Why does anything exist at all? What will death be like? Is anything even real? Is there any meaning to this? Is the universe infinitely big, and if not, what's beyond it? Are there multiverses? Has the universe been around forever? Will the universe end for good, or will it keep going forever? What is forever like? What even IS reality?" It would get so overwhelming that I remember lying on the floor in a fetal position for hours because I felt like there was no escape. I spent most of my days reading articles and watching videos about theoretical astrophysics and philosophy in a desperate attempt to "figure it all out." Of course that only made me more anxious, raised more questions, and kept me trapped in the cycle. Things started to improve once I learned to turn TOWARD reality, rather than away from it, and ERP really helped me do that. I learned that these questions weren't the problem. I learned that I can actually handle the anxiety that arises when exposed to these ideas and concepts. I don't have to figure anything out to make the anxiety go away; it arises and passes away on its own. Ironically, bringing myself into the present moment and becoming more aware of reality helped me escape the cycle of existential dread. Because of that, this topic no longer takes over my life. If I'm triggered by something I see, hear, or think, I may still feel a little twang of anxiety, but then it just goes away. "Maybe, maybe not" has been the single most useful phrase of my life. Do you ever get trapped in a cycle of existential questions? Are you worried that the ERP approach would be too scary to handle? If so, I'm happy to give my advice.
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