How do you pull yourself out of an ocd flare up?
I started with a bad flare up in September and I’m still very much in it? I’ve been to the doctors and am receiving therapy but I just can’t get out of my own head and be present. I do mental compulsions and sometimes I’m unaware I’m doing them. Any advice would be welcomed as this is hell.
OCD recovery process is very difficult. I've been dealing with OCD flare up since August but it's quieting down. The most important thing is catching yourself doing compulsion. My brain automatically used to reassure me. So when I got an intrusive thought the first thing I do is say 'maybe, maybe not' and then make myself get back to the task I was doing and put all of my attention to it. Sit with the unknown and the uncertainty and try your hardest not to do any mental compulsions and not question the thought. Let it be there
@Pija Thank you, I’m finding it hard to do that as I feel like I’m agreeing with the thought and if the thought doesn’t give me anxiety then it’s real.
@bdiz96 I absolutely understand that. I think that's one of the hardest things to get over. Sitting with discomfort and letting the thoughts be doesn't mean accepting the content of the thought. You're just accepting it's an intrusive thought and that everyone gets them. It's very difficult but the goal is to stop feeling anxious about them and stop worrying. Thoughts are thoughts. You can't control what your mind thinks of. You are not your thoughts.
@Pija Thank you, I feel like deep down I know myself and I don’t want to do any of the things I think about. Which is why they probably give me anxiety, I’ve pushed the people I care about the most away friends, family and my mum. I’ve been honest with my partner and my gp and I am having therapy but I do the classic, “what if it’s not ocd?” I’m trying not to seek reassurance but it’s so hard!
@bdiz96 I think everyone with OCD questions whether or not they actually have OCD. But this is an intrusive thought like any other. We have to treat it the same. It's the uncertainty bothering us. I know you can get through this! It takes a lot of work and patience!But we can recover!
@Pija I mean I guess we have to get throwing this, what’s the alternative ha! I’ve suffered for 7 years and I just want to stop feeling so stuck, I’ll get there.
@bdiz96 Through*
Ive been in a flareup all Sept due to intense work stress too. I learned a new “trick” which is telling myself to get off the treadmill when i have a mental complusion. The mindset is when you get off the treadmill you don’t keep running. Its very hard but i noticed out of the blue a few days ago it was all getting better. Maybe even say “for the next 10, 15 etc mins i will be on a break from OCD” and just do something you havent been able to enjoy for a moment. We know it sucks but your flare up will wind down.
@leahannigan That’s a good trick, I came up with one the other day which is I don’t know if it’s helpful or not but I’m going to go with my best guess. But then you know what ocd is like it’ll go “what is your best guess?”
I’ve been dealing with this too. You will start to learn to recognize when the loop starts so you can work to nip it in the butt sooner. It’s like practicing even recognizing it cuz I think it’s so easy to just wake up and start doing it without noticing One thing I’ve done and I will sing a whole song outloud and tell myself I could do a compulsion till the song is over. It’s hard to sing and do a compulsion at the same time 😂
My OCD has been flaring since last night and all morning. Then I get a moment of clarity and apply the tools that I've learned, ground myself again, and continue on with my day. Then a slight thought will trigger my OCD and I'm fighting it again. It keeps happening and its still just 10 am right now. Has this happened to anyone else? What things have you done or told yourself that were helpful for you when this happened to you?
Hi everyone, I am still int he midst of an OCD Flare that started last week. I had 1 day when I felt a little better because I was with my s.o. and he kept me distracted all day Today I am alone at home like most of last week and having a hard time getting out of bed. My compulsions have been reassurance seeking online. Today the taboo OCD thoughts included false memory and I feel numb. No anxiety or fear which in turn is telling my brain that it means I am a horrible person who wanted all of these thoughts, likes them, etc. I have been crying on and off the past week so Im not sure if my body is just exhausted or if I finally accepted I am this terrible person capable of these horrible things. How do you get yourself to 1. Leave your bed 2. Manage the numbness.
This is a little new for me. Each time I figure out or find peace with the OCD to the point where it’s practically nonexistent a flare up happens and suddenly I’m back to feeling “off” and not normal and thinking in my head all day all kind of ocd related thoughts. Endless questions and connections of things that are not at all related. Soo darn annoying. You guys, how do you keep pushing past this!? What tips do you have for this dealing with the feelings after the flare up. The worst part is being able to laugh and smile and just live life again and then just boom feeling soo awful again. Anyone experience feeling off after flare ups??
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