- Username
- m6
- Date posted
- 26w ago
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Is pushing away intrusive thoughts a compulsion?
Is pushing away intrusive thoughts a compulsion?
It definitely is! I’m no expert but I think it falls under pure OCD. That’s the main way my OCD manifests. For me, it looks like this; I get a terrible intrusive thought, start to feel anxious and like me thinking about it will make it a reality, to make sure it doesn’t become a reality I “explode” the thought in my head. I quite literally imagine the thought balling up into sort of a star-form of energy or whatever, and then the star explodes. I do it a lot and it’s one of the more mentally distressing forms for me because sometimes if I don’t do it right I have to do it over again just to be sure. Now I’m learning that agitates the thought even more, pushing them away isn’t the solution, living with them is.
i wonder this too and i think it is. It's scary tho cuz they're intrusive for a reason and i dont want to think of themmmmm lol
Okay, so this is really meta and I vibe with that. To be serious though, I believe it can be. Like sometimes when I’m really trying to shake a compulsion or stop myself from thinking about or doing something that’s related to a compulsion or intrusive thoughts, I find myself obsessively rejecting the thought or action. Like I might have to do something with my body or with my mind to “properly” push the thoughts away so that they will be “gone.” Sometimes I almost imagine myself physically escaping the thoughts. I don’t know how to explain what that looks like in my head, but yeah. So basically to answer your question, I think yes, very much so.
yeah, trying to push away intrusive thoughts can sometimes act like a compulsion. it's like, the more we try not to think about something, the more it sticks around. super frustrating, i know. 😓 by the way, have you heard about this new AI-powered OCD therapy tool called "unstuck?" when i was dealing with something similar, this free AI OCD therapy tool called "unstuck" (unstuckmyocd.com/try) that my NOCD therapist recommended really made a difference for me. i think it'll be especially helpful for you because it guides you through dealing with intrusive thoughts without relying on compulsions, sort of like having an OCD therapist in your pocket. it provides personalized, step-by-step support when OCD gets tough, helping you work through the thoughts without pushing them away. i hate when people promote stuff, but i really think it can help you because it's changed my life. lmk if you have Qs or just want to talk more! <3
Is accepting the thoughts but trying no to get scared by them even if they are scary and cause me anxiety a compulsion? Like I m accepting them but I m trying no to be scared of them so I don’t get the anxiety but I still get the anxiety
Is the best way for getting over OCD to ignore the intrusive thoughts? Most of my compulsions are in my head and it’s hard to ignore when they’re very distressing and you don’t agree with them at all!
everytime i have an intrusive thought im always saying “stop” or “shut up”. It only gives me temporary relief. Does anyone else struggle with this? If so, what do you do to reduce it?
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