Is there anything special for handling command thoughts? It is exceedingly distressing and I've been considering hospitalization... I'm experiencing these for the first time, almost certainly because I read about them and I set up a wall against thinking them...
It’s just like any other intrusive thought. Nothing special about it.
Intrusive thoughts can come in statements, including commands. You don't choose your unwanted thoughts, but you do get to choose how you respond. You don't act on every thought. This is no different. When OCD says something, you can use non-engagement responses. Something like "you can bring up whatever you want, OCD. You don't get to decide what I do or don't do. I'm doing [something else] instead." Might work.
Also wanted to say that I'm sorry you're feeling so much distress. I understand how scary that is. I have the same theme and it can be terrifying. I'm doing ERP but am struggling to do it for this theme. I'm starting with writing a few trigger words on sticky notes around the house and when I see them, saying "yep, that might be true" or "that could happen"... it worked really well for some of my other core fears, so I'm going to try it with some low-level ones related to harm and work my way up. You're not alone in this.
I hear you ❤️ and I'm so sorry you are struggling with this right now. If I could share and hope that you find it helpful. I recently caved in and went to the hospital twice and wasn't much successful. Medications are the only thing they offer. And in my case, my OCD is too strong for the medications to work. I can only speak for myself. Everyone has a different experience. I think you are in the right place here with people who actually specialize in OCD. You won't find many in a hospital setting that are aware of how delicate OCD is. If anything, seek out a place that specializes in OCD if you need to go somewhere or it may do more harm than good
Thank you. I am hoping they can get me on meds and maybe refer me somewhere else for treatment. Outpatient isn't cutting it plus I think my therapist, as kind as he may be, has no idea how to help
Hope you are feeling better, even if it's just a bit, in this moment ❤️ Have you tried a therapist on here? The BH clinics will prescribe meds. Have you researched inpatient clinics that specialize in OCD near you?
I struggle so bad with intrusive thoughts. They can be so bad that I'll cry because I KNOW that's not how I feel or want to do. (Too embarrassed to say what they're about) I'll constantly try to figure out why I have them, and constantly figure out what they mean, causing me to constantly circle around and around. I had to get on anxeity meds, which helped a little but the thoughts still happen. How do you help yourself with this? How do you know that you're just not some physcopath? 😅
Two things are happening: I get thoughts that just keep looping. They almost feel like song stuck in my head. Also, I’ll imagine something and I feel my stomach drop. Then as the seconds go by I keep getting fragments of the this thought but with different details. For example, it’s kinda like how a “vision” is portrayed. I’ll get a glimpse of the thought and then it’ll rapidly expand into something worse every few seconds. I don’t know if I’m causing this or if it’s just an automatic thing like any other intrusive thought. It feels unavoidable, idk if this is a compulsion or if it’s just another manifestation of an intrusive thought. Apart from that remembering an intrusive thought triggers the full thought again and then it just keeps looping or expanding. I don’t know how to stop any of this. Help?
OK, this might sound really dumb, but when you guys get intrusive thoughts, do they just come once and then go away? I’ve heard that repeatedly thinking about an intrusive thought is considered ‘checking,’ but it doesn’t feel like I have any control over how many times it comes up in my head. It’s not like I’m trying to check anything—it just keeps showing up, almost like it’s terrorizing me every time. I can’t seem to stop it from looping, stop remembering it, or prevent it from coming up. Every time it does, I feel horrified, and I already know it’s going to horrify me. I don’t think I’m actively trying to see if my feelings have changed, so is this still considered checking? How do other people get an intrusive thought and just move on? Doesn’t it pop up a million times for them too? I always thought that was normal, but now I’m hearing this could be a compulsion, and I feel really confused, scared, and lost. Is this why my OCD feels so extreme? Because I really don’t feel like I can control how many times the thought pops up.
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