Hi, what are some helpful coping skills that my son can use to manage his intrusive thoughts. He suffers from Religious OCD and his first therapy session isn't until December 28. He needs some relief from the thoughts or at least some ways to push through them until he starts therapy. I appreciate any suggestions.
hey there, i can only imagine how tough it must be for both you and your son dealing with religious ocd. waiting for that first therapy session can feel like an eternity, but you're doing an amazing job seeking out support for him in the meantime. hang in there, you're not alone in this. 🌟 i've been where your son is, and what really helped me was this free AI OCD therapy tool called "unstuck" (unstuckmyocd.com/try) that my ocd therapist recommended. it'll be especially helpful for your son because it offers personalized step-by-step support that's similar to what he'd get from an ocd therapist, which can be super valuable when those intrusive thoughts feel overwhelming. i hate when people promote stuff, but i really think it can help him because it's changed my life. lmk if you have Qs or just want to talk more! <3
What religion is he? Take this with a grain of salt. I'm not a therapist. I do wish the best for him. If it seems like a good idea, they can take a break from religious activities like reading religious text, etc. But that depends on the intrusive thoughts -- sometimes certain religious activities can help, like reading an uplifting passage, etc. Finding distractions is also a decent idea for intrusive thoughts that are just too out of hand -- but distraction can also become a compulsion. And doing calming activities can also be a good idea. Things like deep breathing, or things that have to do with nature, or coloring, or any other calming activities.
We are Episcopalian. In the last 3-4 days he has started doing some of his regular activities such as drawing, playing guitar and video games. He's been reading the bible less which is good. Thanks for the suggestions.
@Anonymous That's good to hear. Reading the Bible can be distressing, but he can go back to it when he's ready to. I had to take a break from reading the Bible too. Also, here are some coping statements for Christians: https://accounseling.org/mentalhealth/ocd/coping-statements-for-christians-with-ocd-scrupulosity/
I don't know about relious these but with intrusive thoughts as rude as it may sound, the theme doesn't really matter, it's how you react. There's some tips on a post I made previously. I hope it helps https://nocd.page.link/iYaoTHEoGDXwbgbw5
My almost 11 year old (in 1 1/2 weeks) son, has just started experiencing Moral OCD. Now that I’m understanding more and more about this type of OCD, I guess there might have been signs of other behaviors, but nothing that interferes with his day to day life. He is having deeply disturbing thoughts over and over! Then he feels the need to confess, I’ve asked him to stop confessing about 2 days ago, and the anxiety has gotten so bad, I’m on the verge of letting him confess them because it’s heartbreaking. He wants to same reassurance over and over and over. Asking the same questions as if we didn’t have a conversation 2 seconds prior! At this point, I need reassurance! Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
My daughter is really struggling with intrusive thoughts. She is currently in therapy, but she seems to really struggle between sessions. It hurts to see her in so much pain. How can I help her with her thoughts in between sessions?
I don’t know what to do! My 13 year old son has suffered with intrusive thoughts for years. He feels guilty of things he’s done in the past when he was super young and obsesses over it to the point that he has to come clean about everything!! He fears that he may be a phedophyle at times because of intrusive thoughts. He’s on Zoloft 75 for it, it was getting better for a bit but it’s getting aggressive again! He is so kind and such a good son and person. He is in counseling but his counselor doesn’t specialize in OCD. I don’t know if I should have them change his medication, idk if there’s a medication that will help him more. I’m so scared I suffered with intrusive thoughts as a kid and teen, I never got help but I’m good now.
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