Fear of Desensitization

My OCD is fighting back with a fear of being densensitized. I remember when I was in therapy (I quit because it wasn't working after several months). I mentioned a particularly triggering episode of Black Mirror, and my therapist said something to the effect of we want you to be able to watch it and feel nothing. Therapy is for me, and that isn't what I want. That is desensitization. Black Mirror is *intended* to be disturbing and provoke anxiety. What I want is to be able to feel that momentarily and let it go...not feel nothing at all. Thank you for coming to my TED talk.

Username: JacquelindaJacquelinda

Date posted: 1y ago

I definitely disagree. I know I'm not a therapist but just from a logical standpoint. If you repeatedly meditate on the same negative things and watch negative things, it affects you. I have seen an improvement when I stopped watching horror movies or documentaries. People with OCD tend to be gentle empaths so it's easy to take those things in, even without knowing it. Exposure could be mental, doesn't always have to be physically exposing yourself to stimuli. If you have a fear of murdering people, you probably shouldn't watch a movie or documentary about somebody killing their family. I just don't see how that helps.

Username: Nina.VNina.V

Date posted: 1y ago

I feel like that’s worded wrong, obviously people without ocd feel fear, disgust etc when watching something disturbing. I think they were trying to say “until it takes your anxiety and compulsions away”? Idk. I get triggered heavily by disturbing news stories… and I’m sorry but I never want to feel NOTHING when I see a story about a shooting or a killing… that would not be normal 🤨 I’d rather have ocd than be totally desensitized to horrible/ scary things

Username: NotmeitstheDNotmeitstheD

Date posted: 1y ago

Yeah honestly I’m new to this whole OCD thang but the discord is just people replying to other people like “say it until you feel nothing” I’m like wait I def don’t want to feel nothing so I’ve been very confused on this “gold standard treatment” deal

Username: braveheartbraveheart

Date posted: 1y ago

Right? My approach for the past couple of weeks has been "do nothing" or maybe better would be "stop trying." Indifference isn't my goal, but I've started to recognize intrusive thoughts don't require a response.

Username: JacquelindaJacquelinda

Date posted: 1y ago

@braveheart Completely agree with you!

Username: jluby1993

Date posted: 5y ago

TW POCD Does anyone else have intrusive thoughts about watching CP? There was a Black Mirror episode about it, and ever since I watched a year ago it’s been non stop. I’m currently doing ERP with a specialist and I’m hoping it will help in the long run. Tonight, I got the feeling that my mind was telling me “go, do it!!” It felt so real. Anyone else hear a tiny voice like that? Provides for some serious doubts about who I am. Anyway, hope everyone is doing well, this stuff is a struggle to say the least

Username: Waaahmo

Date posted: 4y ago

Unlike the most common types of OCD, my fears always come true. Let's take the easy example of turning off the stove 10 times just to be sure, it's all about the obession and compulsion. However my fear is to feel depersonalizated (i think i have this, not sure, for me it justfeels like being stabbed by 1000 knifes every second for weeks on end) so i try to avoid things that will make it happen. However, it keeps happening and it's devastating every single time, so much that i can't bear it at all. Your house catching fire likely won't come true, but me suffering intensely once i am triggered does, almost every single time, unless i somehow magically convince myself i just triggered myself and dp won't happen unless i let it by reacting strongly to the trigger. But it only worked like 5-6 times in my 4 years of suffering. I am still looking for a therapist to help me deal with this, but if anyone has any ideas as to what i could try or do i'd be grateful. Exposure doesn't work because the thing i am scared of comes true every time and i lose all control and cant think straight / really need guidance when it happens.

Username: EFF_OCD

Date posted: 2y ago

Where to draw the line with ERP

Okay, so for the most part, if you have harm ocd/intrusive thoughts, you’ll understand (hopefully). If you haven’t seen, everyone is talking about the Netflix documentary “Dahmer”. Most harm ocd sufferers (myself included) that I’ve gotten to know all struggle with fears of being evil in any way (like a sociopath/narcissistic, etc). Do we need to make ourselves watch it? Even some of my friends without OCD say they couldn’t do it. The reason I don’t want to watch it is because I’m afraid it’ll trigger me. I’ll look for any common traits (this is what I do) and it’ll send me into a panic attack. But aren’t we SUPPOSED to on purpose watch things that bring us distress? The series has everyone talking about mental health and it SUCKS because OCD is considered “mental health” and I feel like it lumps us all into a giant category. Everything true crime triggers my harm ocd. I don’t even want to know humans are capable of such things because then it reminds me “it’s all possible”. I don’t know if I explained it well, but does ANYONE understand where I’m coming from 🥺🥺🥺🥺

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Fear of Desensitization

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