- Date posted
- 6y
- Date posted
- 6y
which thoughts do you think are pure o thoughts?
- Date posted
- 6y
What is the content of the thoughts?
- Date posted
- 6y
It has been going on for around last 11 years. So i have this to tendency to plan / structure my life. Without planning / structure / thinking what I will do it is impossible for me to move on with my day to day activities, even do my regular daily simple chores. I usually take a mental decision in my mind that from now onwards I will start following my plan. After I take that decision/ follow my plan Everything is ok. I mean I am able to carry on with my daily activities. But what happens is that if things don't go perfectly I feel like I want to give up and start all over I give up mentally after this. And after I give up I am not able to continue through my activities. I feel like I want to start over with a new plan/ mental decision. Unless and until I plan/ think through/ take decision mentally I feel restless and not able to continue on with my tasks. I feel like I need to do all those planning/ thinking/ starting a anew.
- Date posted
- 6y
I am also struggling with perfectioism, indecisiveness, unable to accept uncertainity
- Date posted
- 6y
Obsession: perfectionism Compulsions: planning, repeating plans to get them “just right” ERP: break the plan on purpose and sit with the anxiety without trying to correct the imperfection or letting it stop you from continuing on with your day. You can start slow by doing just one part of the plan a little off but continuing on anyways. Or you could do your plan out of order. Eventually, you want to cut out parts of the plan piece by piece until you no longer create these plans at all.
- Date posted
- 6y
Can you give me an example instead? Explain the process of one of your plans and how it plays out Also, if you’re confused about ERP in general, this may help: https://iocdf.org/expert-opinions/expert-opinion-self-directed-erp/
- Date posted
- 6y
But the thing is I need to give up mentally before I form new plans.. Only after mentally giving up.. This urge to form new plan arises.. Otherwise I can continue on with my activities..
- Date posted
- 6y
Would it be ok if I do it directly without creating hierarchy ie. Breaking the plan and doing only one part at first.
- Date posted
- 6y
Also as I have mentioned before when I will mentally give up isn't decided by me it happens automatically.. And this compulsion to restart anew/ plan starts when I GIVE UP..
- Date posted
- 6y
I know it is confusing.. I have tried to explain it best with my limited knowledge..
- Date posted
- 6y
Oh these could help: https://www.ocduk.org/ocd/obsessions/ https://www.ocduk.org/ocd/compulsions/
- Date posted
- 6y
Example would be - I would revise why I failed and why I gave up. I will take a mental decision that even if I give up next time I won't make new plans and continue on with my day to day activities. Only after I have taken this mental decision that I am able to move on or continue with my daily activities.. Otherwise my mind just doesn't listen to me.. It wanders.. I feel restless.. Suppose if I wanna do something or concentrate at a tasks..my mind would say no u can't do that..I give up again and again.. And want to restart anew..
- Date posted
- 6y
Above all happens after I give up
- Date posted
- 6y
But I think if I don't plan, how am I supposed to work on other things like letting go of perfectionism, accepting uncertainity.
- Date posted
- 6y
That’s still not quite an example... I mean a real example from your day: “I woke up today and make a plan for X.”
- Date posted
- 6y
Before doing anything I need to plan.. Everytime I fail I make new plans.. This making of new plans itself is a compulsion.. Due to this I restart my plan over and over again. With new techniques.. Such that I am unable to maintain consistency or stick to my plan..
- Date posted
- 6y
How should I break it using erp technique this compulsion.. After failing every time I want to start with new plan
- Date posted
- 6y
Also how many times one should expose myself?
- Date posted
- 6y
During erp is anxiety necessary.. I mean I should feel anxious right..? That means erp is going the right way
- Date posted
- 6y
To give an example of ERP I need an example of the plan. You’re still just summarizing. I need like, “I woke up this morning and I can’t eat until I make a breakfast plan so I planned to make an omelette. The plan was to take out the pan, turn on the burner, crack 3 eggs into a cup, stir in some milk... etc. but when I did the plan I accidentally cracked the eggs before turning on the burner and thought something bad would happen. So I threw out the eggs I already cracked and turned on the burner and started over.” Can you give me a real-world example of a single plan you created and walk me through what it was like doing the plan? I think you need to either NOT make a plan. Or break the plan but not fail and start a new plan. And you need to do it every day at least once a day without “fixing” it after. You will probably feel anxious when you do this. But you should accept that anxiety and not try to get rid of it with new plans or redoing a plan. Just let it be until it naturally dissipates.
- Date posted
- 6y
You likely have certain kinds of plans that are more rigid or important than others. I’d start by tackling the easier ones that are less rigid and less important. Either don’t make the plans in the first place or do and then don’t follow them accurately (skip steps, do them out of order, etc) without redoing it correctly or making a new plan. Do this every day, at least once a day but more if possible. In a week or two, if you anxiety to doing this has lessened, tackle another type of plan, one that is harder for you to break or not follow.
Related posts
- Date posted
- 13w
Hi! It’s pretty difficult for me to get the courage to post this but I’m really struggling to figure out if what I’m experiencing is OCD or Anxiety or neither. I think I have the “pure O” type of OCD where most of my compulsions take the form of ruminating and trying to figure out something all in my head. When I hear this talked about in forums or online the intrusive thoughts don’t really match mine- I worry often about things that seem more “grounded” if that makes sense. A common one for me is my own identity- i will spend long amounts of time stuck in my head trying to figure out my feelings (often sadness or other real emotions I have and patterns I have) and why I feel that way and what in my life caused that and how it’s impacting other things in my life. I also think often about which parts of my personality are the real me and which aren’t. Sometimes this takes the form of strictly ruminating and sometimes I have fake conversations with people I know. It’s intense and I feel I have to figure it out but with no specific intrusive thought that says something like “you have to figure this out or all of your loved ones will die” but it’s very intense. I think also often of all of the decisions I need to make in the future and how they’re going to affect those I love and care about as well as how much I’ll regret them. I imagine all of the ways I think my actions will emotionally hurt others and how to make the least harmful decision, but to me this feels like a valid concern but go over and over and never come to a conclusion. I often just get scared and never make any move because I don’t see an option that doesn’t hurt someone somehow. But again I’m having a hard time identifying the intrusive thought behind it. But I also don’t choose to think about these things most of the time. This is almost all decisions but especially big life decisions. It’s such a struggle because they are things I eventually do have to make decisions about. There is so much more to it that would take too long to explain but in general a lot of my fears revolve around pleasing others/ understanding others emotions to ensure they’re okay, my own identity and personality, and work/school performance. Someone mentioned OCD to me because in my head it feels like I have to solve these things and will go over and over them but I seriously can’t figure out if it’s anxiety, OCD, or none of the above. It’s all very disruptive to my life. I am never not thinking or not trying to figure something out and I feel as if I have no control over it Anyone have any insight?
- Date posted
- 11w
Every time I try to talk about what I am feeling I feel like my mind goes blank and I don't know how to start I was diagnosed with OCD and I am taking medication and goes through CBT but I didn't feel like my life was back I didn't feel like I totally understand what is going on inside my mind and why this is happening and how. I feel like there is always something missed that I can't understand . The doctor and therapist didn't define what type of OCD I have But according to what I've read I think it's pure ocd cause I am always trying to understand every single thing and if I don't analyse I feel so frightened and not comfortable and these feelings come to me in different situation even if it's not about analysing. It comes when I draw ,study ,drive a car or just thinking about anything , Like when I think about how should I start a project or a job , I feel like I am soo lost like I am in nowhere so I feel panicked and dozens of thoughts come to my mind and I feel paralysed and soo overwhelmed . And these feelings just stay for a long time without knowing what triggered it so I don't know how to face then and they stay for a long time. I am not able to do anything in my life right now Neither study nor doing my hobbies . I feel like my life is frozen and I don't know if it will stay like this forever or not. Every time I feel like I controlled my ocd and know how to live with it it comes in a different shape that I can't recognise it and it sends me to the beginning and I feel like all my efforts were for nothing . Like it keeps beating me every time. I always afraid of my next setback and I keep feeling insecure and unstable until I have a relapse . Whenever I go through a problem, even the smallest problems, I feel stuck and suffocated and unable to face it with normal flexibility. I always focus on the details of each process so that if I forget how to do it or how I reached the ability to accomplish it, I remember how I did it before. And when I am unable to remember, the overwhelming feelings and frightening haunt me I feel like I'm monitoring my life in every detail so I feel safe, and if life goes smoothly and automatically,I feel frightened Sometimes I can face and deal with OCD in a good way to the point that I can return to my normal life rhythm, but suddenly the desire inside me to achieve and make up for what I missed takes me by surprise, and then an OCD attack takes me back to the beginning and reminds me that I am not as I was before. I feel that I cannot live and achieve what I want and face OCD at the same time. I am studying medicine and I am thinking of leaving it, even though I love it very much, but I am unable to study now, but if I leave it, what I am going through in my study of medicine in any other field will be repeated. Even when I am not doing anything I feel these feelings tie me up , like I feel I don't wanna do anything until these feelings disappear I have been in this state for 4 years. I feel that all my friends are moving forward and I am stuck. Is all of this OCD? I am very lost.
- Date posted
- 7w
Hi, i’m new to this app, i’ve had it for a couple days but finally just built up the courage to make a post… I think i might have OCD, but im not sure what type, or if i even have it, & i would like your guys opinions on it. I want to talk about some of my obsessions, some are physical where i get obsessed with physical objects, & others are where i get obsessed with my thoughts & actions, or other things people do. As well as my compulsions. Some thoughts i have everyday that im constantly worried about is accidentally killing myself, epically with my self-harm, & accidentally killing someone else although ive never had the urge or impulse to hurt someone like that before. I’m also worried about the quality of my car ALWAYS, & worried that someone will break into it, or steal it, or damage it - like hitting it, or doing a hit & run, or getting into an accident. I have constant thoughts about driving into a wall & killing myself. I also have to have the volume in my car at an even number otherwise it feels like i’m going to die, or i’m going to get into an accident. I’m also worried about my house burning down, & i even have to call my mom or text to her to make sure everything’s okay… i’m also constantly worried about people leaving/abandoning me, im worried that something in my past will come up, & someone will perceive me in a certain way that will make them leave me. Or im always worried that ive done something wrong although theres actually nothing i’ve done wrong, which could also make them leave me. I have a really hard time with uncertainty, & i need reassurance constantly. I have a lot of paranoid thoughts like “my family is out to get me” & “everyone’s hates me” & “you’re a horrible person” & images & more, even though i know they’re not real & they have no actual meaning to them. With the physical objects, i get obsessed with ideas or things, like bands, collectibles, keychains, posters, stuffed animals, & basically anthing you can think of, & i feel the need to get things or buy things pertaining to it, to make myself happy or feel fulfilled. at this point im becoming a hoarder. Another thing that i deal with is having things on a special or specific order. i need things to be decorated in my room in a very specific way for me to be happy, & if somethings off it triggers me & makes me really upset. I need to have things facing me, & in order & arrange them in a certain way. I get obsessed with the order of my room & how things look, & need constant approval from others to make sure it looks okay. To calm down i often have to repeat to myself that I am okay, until i actually feel okay again, & i definitely avoid places & situations that trigger me. i also constantly have to fidget with my hands, & my clothes to calm down, & am constantly worried about what other people thing of me, & because of that i have to go to the bathroom especially at work to check how i look & fix my clothes constantly to make sure i look okay. I also have a lot of brain chatter, so no matter what the time of day im always thinking things in the back of my mind, my brain remembers things throughout the day, like music, or people talking, or phrases they say, & sometimes i have to say it out loud to feel okay. Is this OCD? & if so, what type?
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