- Username
- anonymousN
- Date posted
- 5y ago
I am sorry you are going through this. It sucks, it really does. It is hard. Many people here struggle with it too. I know this might seem as reassurance but take more as an insight, even though your amygdala might not let you process it. Here it is: "People who actually kill or plan on killing people are not overthinkers like you and me. They usually don't write on OCD forums and don't see their feelings as egodystonic the way you do". Now, having said that, how angry are you at your OCD? From the scale of 1 to 10? Do you want to know how you can punish your OCD good? By not giving into compulsions such as checking, ruminating, seeking reassurance and by making your goal just to go on this trip and enjoy it the best you can. I know your OCD is like: "You cannot be there enjoying life because you are such a bad person for having these thoughts". Then you go: "Watch me". You need to accept that those thoughts are "normal" junk farts from your brain and that 9 out of 10 people have them. Yes, the priest, the president, everyone. The difference between you and them? That you feed them with more thinking.
If calming yourself isn’t working, try to increase your anxiety instead. Challenge your anxiety to get worse. Actually talk to it: “hey anxiety, is that all you’ve got? Breathing a little fast? I can breath faster. That bad thought? I can have a worse one; watch. Think that’s the worst case scenario? I bet I can come up with one way more horrible!” Your OCD is a bully and sometimes the only way to deal with a bully is to stand up to it and call its bluff.
This really triggered me,please put a warning next time ?
This go around with ocd has been more depressing than anxiety-inducing for me too. Keep your head high and enjoy your vacation as much as possible!!!!!
I’m just trying to come back into reality. Ive been fighting off panic attacks all day . And the images of people being dead even my loved ones is messing with my head on top of that I am extremely tired and these thoughts are not letting me sleep. I leave for my flight tomorrow . And all my excitement is gone . I also keep thinking about everything about the human brain and our bodies and life . It’s stressing me out I can’t stop crying. I feel just not good at all . Trying really hard to calm myself down
What if you give yourself some tiny space in your head to visualize many people from these group surrounding you and embracing you, even crying with you because we know how awful those panicky nights are. What if you did some belly breathing and focused your attention just a little on your heart beat. What if you could take a chance and use this as an opportunity to show your brain that your panic is "irrelevant" and that you are still going on vacation even with high anxiety. There are two options, either can be an awful painful experience that will only feed your OCD more or it can be an uncomfortable experience that will teach your OCD who is boss.
@pureolife - That is great technique. I agree, actually the best one; however it is not for newbies, I guess. I got reported on this forum for suggesting it. ?
I think it can be for newbies as long as you explain how/why to do it. You can’t just tell someone “your thoughts are all true!” and walk away without saying anything else. In this case, I’m explaining the technique (how to do it) and the goal (to challenge anxiety to ramp up, which is essentially calling its bluff.) It’s a proven technique for fighting panic attacks that I think anyone can use, but newbies need to know all that if they want to try it. Otherwise, what your saying is just another trigger for compulsions.
Hey everyone, this is my first post here and I just have to get stuff off my chest. It started so randomly and so recently. I (21 m) came to accept my morality and my death at a fairly young age following watching 'UP' and my grandfather passed away. But a youtube video talking about a character struggle with their death as part of a character arc, that one line made my mind fall into a rabbit hole on death, what is death, what's after death, what's life, it's meaning, is there a God, what am I doing with my life, what do I want to do? And is it worthwhile? I felt like I like was slowly disconnecting from reality and that nothing was worth it. My interest like guitar, combat sports, pro wrestling and video games didn't bring me comfort. I've even have trouble eating, just two bites of a chicken sandwich felt like 30 bites. I've just keep thinking about my life and my inevitable death and I couldn't focus on anything else. I think it's because I feel like I'm at a war with my mind, people say life is to short and at the same time to not rush it. I am a Christian and I do believe in an after life of peace but I question what's real and what's not and I don't ever feel happy. Is anyone else going through what I'm feel I really need help.
I have completely lost myself. I was doing so well yesterday. I have absolutely no desire to hurt anyone but why does it bother me that I couldn’t hurt someone even if I wanted to. Like Do i really want to? I know my belief in God fully convicts my heart but why would I want to do it. My heart just wants to praise God but I even question why God made our hearts to praise him. Like why is it bothering me? I loved to be a good person and I truly want to be the old me again but why does it feel like I just don’t want to. I’m so scared. I don’t want to go to hell but why is murder in my mind. Is this existential more than harm OCD? I’m sorry if this is a confusing post.
i read some things about ocd and the different types of it and symptoms and I can honestly relate to them (im not trying to diagnose myself with ocd but I think I have a type of ocd) lemme explain: so like this been happening since the summer. me and my best friend did something sexually together and me and her afterwards wasn’t okay after that and she told me how she felt afterwards and after that I felt totally disgusted and sick about myself and that’s when all the intrusive thoughts started. I keep having the urge to kill myself everyday I keep thinking about death and it’s getting to the point that I can’t eat because after I eat something I immediately think I’m gonna die because I ate something. When I’m at school or in public I have bad anxiety and thoughts about me dying. And after the situation happened with my friend (I’m Christian) I just feel like God is so disappointed in me because what I did. Nobody knows this situation. Nobody knows what’s REALLY going on with me. Im trying to stay strong but it’s getting really hard to im at my breaking point the thoughts are getting worse and worse everyday I wake up with these intrusive intense thoughts. I want help. But idk how to help myself. I try to go to my mom for help she doesn’t understand me nobody understands but me.
Share your thoughts so the Community can respond