Bad breakdown tonight

It is rough, I'm really struggling. I'll add that to my reading list though, thank you ❤️ if you don't mind me asking, what's I-CBT self therapy?

@Sadstressedgirl This will explain better than I can lol: https://icbt.online/what-is-icbt/. There's free worksheets on the website so you can do the therapy by yourself - at least that's what I'm doing

@JadeF Awe thank you so much, I'll look read all of this and maybe if I don't feel too weird, social anxiety wise, I'll join the discord, it might be nice having friends that understand this stuff

I finally got everything done and have just been laying in bed watching YouTube for the last few hours, anxiety is still there but it's nice to rest. I'm sorry you go through similar stuff :(

❤️

@Sadstressedgirl Have you tried meditation at all? While I'm new to NOCD, I have been seeing a therapist for almost 2 yrs, who doesn't specialize in ocd like nocd does, but she treats ocd and other issues, as most therapists do in a general sense. Anyway, that therapist has guided me through some meditation in the past when I have felt really anxious, and I think it has had some help in those times. I also know there is a button in the therapy section of this nocd app that looks like a life preserver. I haven't really tried that button yet, so I'm not sure if that would be helpful or not. How is your diet? My diet suffers great from my ocd, because I constantly have to put my rituals ahead of getting something to eat. Unfortunately, I also notice during calm times, that if I'm feeling hungry, I'm more likely to have my anxiety hanging on me, making me look over my shoulder with every step I take to make sure I didn't do something wrong. When I'm not hungry, I don't notice that as much.

@Anonymous It may also help to know, the part of the brain that is responsible for doing this is the amygdala, and its a primitive part of the brain that doesn't think, it just responds, like a primitive cave person responding to danger, or a scared kitten. Sure, we spend lots of time thinking, thinking about how do I fix this problem, but the part that is having the issue doesn't think. Not sure if learning about the issue helps at all, but just thought I would offer that information. Sometimes people like to give that part of the brain a pretend personality, so they can tell it to shut up. Some people call it the beast. I call mine Amy, as in Amy G Dala (amygdala). When Amy gets annoying, sometimes I shout F#*k you Amy! And I try to ignore Amy, and also I try to trust myself. I tell myself, I'm very careful and I almost certainly didn't touch the contaminated area of that hoody. Sure I may feel it necessary to take that extra shower, but I try to find a place where I can break the cycle. I also remind myself that my brain is playing tricks on me. Sometimes I need to change my shirt if I think I brushed my shoulder against the wall by mistake. Sometimes my brain wants to make me change my shirt if I was close to my shirt brushing against the wall, but uncertain. I tell myself, I would know if that happened, and remind myself, that's just my brain playing tricks on me. Ocd seems to be all about uncertainty, and while its easy to find ways to question how certain we are, there's also opportunities to say, I'm pretty sure that didn't happen because, (fill in the blank). I hope some part of this can be helpful.

@StevenSoapSudsHands This kind of advice really resonates with me, thank you for sharing! I use to try to think of my anxiety as a different person like this, I never tried it with my OCD. And I didn't know about it being caused from my amygdala or how it functions, knowing that might help especially since it's job isn't thinking but acting. All though I wouldn't want to call it "Amy" for myself because that's my nickname already lol I do the same thing with changing clothes and even having to if I almost brush up against the wall or something so i get that

@StevenSoapSudsHands I haven't tried meditation, no, I've heard it could be helpful but I'm not sure where to start with it? And my diet definitely suffers from my OCD too, I'm too paranoid to eat almost anything so I stick to the same handfull of dinners/snacks. I saw that emergency button, I tried it once and I think it was automation therapist that talks you down from an episode, it made me cry when it started saying I was doing a good job and that id be ok. I wish I could afford a real therapist

@Sadstressedgirl Try this video for a guided meditation. https://youtu.be/aJxlRiJvR-U?si=KUg8y13bWTtxx1s3 Regarding therapists, my impression of the NOCD therapists is very positive so far, and I am very hopeful given their specialty in dealing with ocd. My other therapist has been great to, and the way I came to find her was through my company's EAP (Employee Assistance Program). Other thoughts for meditation would be the calm app (calm.com). They have meditation recordings in the app, as well as sleep stories, and relaxing background noise recordings too.

@StevenSoapSudsHands For info., calm app is roughly $6/mo, if I remember right.

@Searching for strength My diet suffers big time!!!! I feel.the least healthy in my entire life!!! Always concerned about the fridge as I Haveca big famikynabd they are completely sloppy and also vringbstuff from places I do not want in the fridge! So, I end up purposely buying stuff only I like you keep to munch on. I never really buy anhthung very healthy for myself cuz I know nobody else will eat it.

@Searching for strength My diet suffers fir sure, too. Wgen I am hungry my OCD goes through the roof!!!

@Searching for strength BEING HUNGRY TAKES MY OCD TO THE EXTREME!!!!