- Date posted
- 30w ago
please help
how do i snap my self out of a suicidal ocd episode? it’s constant thoughrs i feel scared and hopeless. i just want to be better, any suggestions help
how do i snap my self out of a suicidal ocd episode? it’s constant thoughrs i feel scared and hopeless. i just want to be better, any suggestions help
In regards to ERP (you mentioned in another comment that it isn't available to you), just FYI this website/app offers therapy over telehealth, and from my experience it is good quality. If that still isn't an option, you can still get familiar with the basic concepts of ERP and mindful-based techniques. Here's the first thing to understand: your thoughts aren't the problem, and neither is the anxiety. These OCD spirals are fueled by our resistance to those things. We don't like the thoughts, and we don't like the feeling of anxiety, so we do whatever we can (compulsions) to get rid of them as quickly as possible. Ironically, this causes more intrusive thoughts and more anxiety. The foundation of ERP is to teach yourself to allow the thoughts to be there, and simply feeling the anxiety that arises without resistance. The reason this works is that it actually demonstrates to yourself that you can handle the anxiety, and that the thoughts are not at all dangerous no matter what they are. Over time, this slowly makes the thoughts seem less important, and you naturally care about them less. As you care about them less, they produce less anxiety, and you don't feel the need to compulsively get rid of them. Here's an exercise you can try on your own: Once a day, set a timer for 5 minutes. For those 5 minutes, make it a goal to allow whatever intrusive thoughts arise to be there. Maybe even write them down on a sheet of paper, without altering them in any way. During this time, you will likely feel quite anxious, and that's good; that's what you want. As the anxiety arises, simply focus your attention on your body, no matter what your thoughts are saying. Anxiety physically presents itself in different ways to different people, and this is your chance to learn how it presents itself in you. Maybe your chest feels tight, your jaw is clenched, your stomach has that "sinking" feeling, or your face feels tingly. Whatever it is, simply notice it without judgement. Recognize that this is nothing but your body preparing itself because it thinks it's in danger. For the last few minutes, see what you can change about your posture or your breathing, and how that might affect the anxiety. Again, you aren't trying to "get rid" of anything, you're just experimenting. What if you relax your shoulders a bit more? Or your jaw? What if you put your hand over your chest and feel its warmth? What if you slow your breathing down? Do any of the anxious feelings change? After the 5 minutes are up, reward yourself with something pleasant. Watch a show, play a game, eat a snack, whatever. Try that out for a while and see if you start to notice any benefits. Hope this helps.
@djflorio i will try that it’s kinda scary to me tho because i don’t like feeling or having the thoughts i jjst wish they would all go away and not come back but i know that i have them so i have to fix them
I am sorry you are going through this. This theme has tormented me on and off for a while. ERP and resisting compulsions is so hard, but it’s the key to getting better
@Anonymous the only erp near me is 4 hours away and costs $400 for 3 sessions which i don’t have the best amount of money but thank u sm for the advice i’ll try not to do compulsions sm
@Anonymous I can give you some ERP exercises my therapist gave me if you want
@Anonymous if you don’t mind i would love to know some
@Anonymous My therapist has me writing “ I want to die” and “Suicide” over and over and resisting compulsions the entire time. Standing next to the train or holding a knife and resisting compulsions. The key is resisting your compulsions while doing your exposures.
I listen to really stupid music. Like, stupid stupid. I don’t know if it would help you, but something that has a musical pattern (or lacktherof!) helps me focus on something other than my thoughts, and added humor gets me to laugh a little. Idk, sometimes the jarring switch between what’s going on in my head and what I’m choosing to listen to is enough to snap me out of it. One of my favorites and go-to’s is lil big stacks toilet time 2, specifically the song “farts in my butt.” Also, “my superhero movie” from the teen titans go movie. This might be completely unhelpful but it usually has a 70% chance of lifting my spirits by some degree. I hope you feel better soon, but do know it does and CAN get better!!!
@telomeres thank you so much it actually makes sense what ur sayin bc when last night it got so bad i can’t even remember much i got on tiktok and watched funny videos and it’s like i would snap back into reality so your advice is really helpful thank u sm
Hi everyone, I’m reaching out here because I know this community understands the daily battles of living with OCD. Recently, I hit a really dark place and tried to take my own life. It’s been hard to admit, but I’m still here, and I’m trying to find a way forward. OCD feels relentless sometimes—the intrusive thoughts, the constant doubt, the cycles that never seem to end. It became so overwhelming that I didn’t see a way out. I know I need help, and I’m working on reaching out to professionals, but I also wanted to connect here. To those who’ve been in a similar place: What helped you keep going? How do you manage the darkest moments when OCD takes over? I feel like I’m holding on by a thread, but I’m holding on. Any advice, words of encouragement, or personal experiences would mean so much to me right now. Thank you for reading this, and for being part of a space where we can be honest about our struggles.
so I need to get back into ERP, but it’s so hard to manage these thoughts and learn to deal with them. like I swear my mind has to make everything about it. Like every time I clean my room, my mind’s like yup make sure it’s clean so when your parents find you, or something so stupid like if I get a headache, my mind convinces me that I like the pain and that that’s why I get my thoughts because I actually want to do it. It’s so exhausting. Because I know I would never want to take my life and I treasure my life so why does it do it to me? It’s hard to comprehend the fact of these thoughts too because I don’t know many people with this exact theme. It’s such a scary feeling. And I’m constantly questioning whether I have actual depression or if it’s just my OCD. Yes I have been diagnosed with suicidal OCD, but my mind still tries to convince me otherwise. I just don’t know how to let these just sit and pass without panicking.
I have had suicidal OCD for over a year now. I just am struggling to fight it tonight. I just have an enormous amount of self doubt and I can’t stop wondering if I’ll ever make it through this or not. My life is great but I just feel miserable every day. Any encouragement helps. Thanks
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