Emily Cruce

User type: Member advocate

Date posted: 2y

How can I sit with uncertainty?

It can feel impossible to sit with uncertainty especially when you are having intrusive thoughts telling you to 'figure something out.' I know how easy it can be to get sucked into OCD's rabbithole and do compulsion after compulsion looking for certainty. Practicing sitting with uncertainty is not easy but it is so worth it. Responding to intrusive thoughts with phrases such as "maybe, maybe not" or even agreeing with intrusive thoughts can be extremely helpful. By not engaging with the thoughts and instead choosing uncertainty, we stop the OCD cycle. Give it a try!

Scott328

Date posted: 2y

Uncertainty has been really hard to wrap my brain around. Agreeing with the thoughts doesn’t necessarily work for me, but I’ve learned to just ignore them and the urge to “figure it out”. Because there was nothing to figure out before OCD came into my life. So why would I need to figure it out now? That’s the response I give.

Emily Cruce

User type: Member advocate

Date posted: 2y

I love that response, Scott! That is so great you have found a way to respond that works for you and your OCD. Keep up the amazing work and thank you for sharing!

JBell101

Date posted: 2y

@Scott328 Is this just not reassurance? So confused

yarizard

Date posted: 2y

Something that helps me personally is, everything my OCD tries to convince me of, is actually the opposite of my reality. It’s kind of using logic which sometimes might not be helpful but realizing this every time, helps a lot.

CoffeeDrinke...

Date posted: 2y

Emily, what if our thoughts really scare us and it feels impossible to sit with uncertainty?

Emily Cruce

User type: Member advocate

Date posted: 2y

It can seem impossible to sit with our intrusive thoughts sometimes, but that's why learning the skills to sit with this uncertainty is so important. This is a good article to read about why we should sit with discomfort : https://www.treatmyocd.com/blog/why-should-i-sit-in-discomfort Let me know what you think!

E-T

Date posted: 2y

It’s this simple: the nature of the next second in each of our lives are uncertain. Honestly, go deep with that for a day or two and it’ll help.

Emily Cruce

User type: Member advocate

Date posted: 2y

Thanks for sharing! What a great quote, I love that.

cosmocat

Date posted: 2y

can't that become a compulsion though?

[Deleted]

Date posted: 2y

Comment deleted by user

xokyaxo

Date posted: 2y

@Sazbaz27x I wish I could get to that level. I feel like the uncertainty is just too hard to accept. It makes me so depressed and I feel unworthy of any happiness.

xokyaxo

Date posted: 2y

Ty! I’m not currently in therapy or on meds. My ocd was dormant for years and came back after a stressful event recently and it has hit me hard. I’ve been hoping I can get back on track on my own but it’s a struggle.

hayledollarbean

Date posted: 2y

I tend to feel a lot of urgency with my OCD and like I don’t have time to sit with the uncertainty because it will be “too late” if I do. Is there anything you recommend for handling that?

Cats in the ...

Date posted: 2y

But it feels irresponsible to ignore the thoughts, like what if i really am in danger?

E-T

Date posted: 2y

@Solaris Worth asking yourself what would it mean if the fear actually happened and just do a bit of analysis on that. Helped me

peachbud

Date posted: 2y

agreeing feels really scary, especially when dealing with my current theme (TOCD, gender ocd). any specific tips on dealing with that?

yarizard

Date posted: 2y

@peachbud I’ve experienced Gender Identity OCD and yeah it’s tough to agree because the feeling of agreeing with these thoughts might be distressing. So whenever these thoughts have come I just think “maybe I am”, “maybe I’m not”. Whichever the answer may be, it doesn’t necessarily mean you have to act on it or make decisions based on it. I feel like making decisions based on what your OCD is telling you is the worst thing you could do.

Casperava

Date posted: 2y

@yarizard Hi I know my response might sound irrational but it wouldn’t be the same when it comes to rocd right? Like my head will randomly go oh you like this other person when I don’t so I can’t just go “oh I might or I might not”

juliarenee11

Date posted: 2y

It’s hard for me to sit with uncertainty because of how intense they are, which usually causes me to have dark thoughts that aren’t exactly “safe” so I don’t know what to do

yarizard

Date posted: 2y

@juliarenee11 This happened to me recently and it’s overbearing. I opened up to my family about it because those unsafe dark thoughts are paralyzing and being surrounded by people who love you who can help distract you I think is very important.

juliarenee11

Date posted: 2y

@yarizard My family isn’t helpful. They just say things like “you’re fine.” Or “go keep yourself busy.” It’s just distant and generic.

yarizard

Date posted: 2y

@juliarenee11 what about friends?

juliarenee11

Date posted: 2y

@yarizard Sometimes. It’s just hard. Nobody knows what to say.

yarizard

Date posted: 2y

@juliarenee11 It’s a hard situation to understand for someone who hasn’t been through it, but I’m sure you can at least count on your friends to distract you

xokyaxo

Date posted: 2y

This is hard to do with false memory or real event false memory. Sitting with uncertainty doesn’t seem possible for me.

Anonymous

Date posted: 21w

Any tips for leaning in to uncertainty

I need tips on how to really accept the uncertainty the ocd causes, even if it feels so bad like I might get in trouble for something , do I wanna be okay with that?

Ih8ocd!

Date posted: 17w

Uncertainty

Hi All, just wondering if anyone here has any tips with dealing with uncertainty? My OCD centres on my being worried that I have committed a crime and can’t remember doing so, I was out last weekend and my mind is telling me I attacked somebody as I got an intrusive thought to do so when passing them in a bar, my therapist says I need to sit with the uncertainty that maybe I did and maybe I didn’t and have to be ok with that But if the answer is yes then how can I be ok with committing a crime and going to jail??, it’s affecting my relationship and I’m going on holiday on Friday and I’m worried it will ruin that, any tips would be greatly appreciated.

anonymousgg

Date posted: 15w

Confused about "accepting" thoughts for ERP

I've been told a lot that in order to get better, we need to tolerate uncertainty, which yea I get that and I'm trying every day more and more to reach that point!! But I've also been told that we need to tolerate uncertainty AND "our worst fears becoming true". Like how does that work, especially with POCD, OCD about a///ault, SA and all of that? Like that is really difficult for me and I don't really understand how I'm supposed to just shrug stuff like that off

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