So every-time I get intrusive thoughts It triggers automatic anxiety and then I feel so anxious. How do you guys just “sit with the feelings” the thoughts bring when it feels so uncomfortable and like something bad is about to happen?
You go about your day and allow the thoughts, feelings, and image to appear in your mind—you’re basically prscting mindfulness. You don’t judge the things in your mind (or yourself) and you let them run in and out of your brain as you go about your day. When you feel anxiety, don’t stop whatever you’re doing and pay attention to it. Don’t stay doing anything actually, because when you stop doing what you’re doing, then you’re signaling to your brain that it is scary and therefore pins it as bad, scary, dangerous, etc., so it will show it to you even more.
I'm gonna try your advice. It's just so hard!!!
@Speckles It is at first, but gets easier with time and practice and patience ☺️
@Nica Thank you so much 🫶🏻
Sometimes a friend or pet can help you sit with the thought, talking or writing about it (as long as it’s not compulsive!) can help relieve some of that built up pressure here with you ❤️
Thanks. My kitty passed 3 months ago. 😔 I couldn't dare tell this to a friend. Maybe writing it and ripping it up.
@Speckles writing your compulsions down and burning it (safely!) can be very cathartic ❤️
@Speckles i personally like to write out my thoughts so they aren’t just ruminating only in my brain and i can get them out some how. i think it helps for myself but i completely understand where you’re coming from :/ i haven’t gotten a wink of sleep through yesterday and last night and today lmao so i understand the freeze of it
I have a hard time going about my day the last 2 months. I cannot just sit with the thought and say...oh well, it makes me vomit. I've been a hermit and I'm ruining my marriage. The therapist said I have to sit with it and say it could or could not happen. That's made me feel worse. I wish I knew a way to better handle it. The problem with me is I can't go about my day. I'm frozen. I wish I was who I used to be. I thought I conquered it in the fall, but it's come back with a vengeance now. I'm gonna try to say who cares what happens and see if that works. But it's made me feel suicidal and that scares me
It’s difficult. Sometimes, in ACT (acceptance and commitment therapy), they teach you to label your thoughts so you can dissociate with it. Like if it’s a violent thought, you could say “there’s the ax murder thought!” Even though it’s uncomfortable, it desensitizes you to it and aims to help you accept that the thought is there. It belittles it
What do you do to "sit" with the thoughts? Struggling with it a bit.
For those practicing erp whether it be with a therapist or by yourself, how do you just sit with the anxiety/uncertainty? I've been trying, but it's extremely hard because I know what is true about myself even though my brain is trying to convince me otherwise. How do you guys get through eerp without it just sounding like you're confirming the thoughts?? I'm struggling here.
Could someone who’s had success with their treatment explain how it’s supposed to feel when you start accepting the presence of the thought and sitting with the anxiety?
Share your thoughts so the Community can respond
