- Date posted
- 6y
- Date posted
- 6y
Both. Yes and yes, I’ve had themes run the gauntlet of the umbrella of “what if I’m a horrible person or did a horrible thing” and it will latch on to real events at times and twist my memory and reaction until it is out of proportion. You’re definitely not alone in your themes. POCD was a theme for me for almost a year, it got to the point where I couldn’t even look at a child without anxiety, but the exposure helped and now I’d say it’s 80 percent gone. I still get fears about it here and there but it’s a world away from how I felt. Of course something else took its place, but there is always hope !
- Date posted
- 6y
Hey I just responded to your other post hahah. I just wanted to chime I. And say I have the same theme as you. And what works for me in this instance is saying, well if I was I’d cope. I’d live through it and I’d find peace again. I always accept that the fear could be a reality because it takes the power away from the intrusive thought for me. If I’m terrified of that reality than I resist the thoughts and try to fight my way out but if I accept that maybe it could be a reality, then the anxiety spikes momentarily but eventually gets lessened.
- Date posted
- 6y
Damn thanks. Like me, do you also suffer from real event themes of OCD? Or POCD?
- Date posted
- 6y
Same thing here, real event and POCD. Best weapon is to become cynical - When you see those news smile and say, yeah I am evil but right now I don' want to rape anybody, I want to feed my dog or go exercise.
- Date posted
- 6y
Fernando ha well ive never seen or heard of that!
- Date posted
- 6y
Catpants, thanks :-) how did you get over real event themes as traditional ERT isn't working a lot. As instead of "Oh god i might harm someone close to me" its "OH GOd! Ive molestered someone!"( when i havent really, my mind just bends and twists things out of reality) Ive tried imaginal exposures and that failed
- Date posted
- 6y
What I mean is that you need to agree with the OCD and then do something aligned to your values. With real life events the imaginal exposures are the best - If they didn't work then you didn't do them properly. Make sure you create them under the guidance of a behavioural specialist. For example, if your obsession is that you molested someone, or if you are not sure whether you did, then write a script that states the consequences of that, worst case scenario - Going to jail, never enjoying life due to guilt, etc. It must create anxiety, if it doesn't then it's not the right approach. You need to read it and/or record it and listen to it at least 20 times a day, to a degree where it is boring. Your OCD then will throw you a new question that will scare you, then you do another script. The thing is this - Let's assume that you did molest someone, now what? Report it to the police? There is no evidence. Kill yourself? Like that's gonna help someone. Go on with your life, man. You are an imperfect human - live your whole humanity.
Related posts
- Date posted
- 24w
I keep getting triggered by news stories related to my obsessive thoughts. I was feeling ok for a few days but now I'm spiralling again because of the news.
- Date posted
- 21w
Today has been really hard I feel like I can’t even breathe I feel like a pedo for real :( whenever i think during my alone time i try and coexist with it? but when i decided to think and think i panic and panic more and more i start feel more guilty guys I can’t take this anymore bc when I kinda feel certain it fades aways i think logically i know i probably am ok :( but it’s so scary for me what if i did actually act on the thought and I didn’t realize? And now reflecting it ???
- Date posted
- 8w
my OCD is doing what it does best and it’s randomly selecting themes. Once I’m not scared or react to one it bounces to another. And then i temporarily forget all of my coping skills for that theme. Rn it’s fixating on the time I had a panic attack and it’s trying to make me have one again
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