Need help my first step of Beating HOCD

I'm trying to do this as my first step of beating HOCD, just acknowledging that its HOCD, where the feelings, sensations, thoughts, etc, are all symptoms of HOCD and are not me, but one they feel so real and convincing, it's impossible for me to separate them from me. it keeps going and starts trying to convince me its real, like after I say""This is just the symptoms of HOCD, not me" 100 times a day prolly, no matter even if the doubts pop in and tries to convince me some more, no matter how much it gets worse and more convincing." doesn't stop and gets stronger, what should I do? How can I practice knowing that the feelings, and sensations are just hocd and not me and separate myself from that

Zoë_84

Date posted: 42w

By saying "This is just the symptoms of HOCD, not me" repeatedly, you signal your brain, that the intrusive thoughts are important. If they weren't, you wouldn't push them away repeatedly by saying they are not you. Whenever you signal your brain, that your intrusive thoughts are important, you brain will bring them up more frequently. What worked for me, is thinking "Maybe...", in your case "Maybe I'm gay, maybe not, who knows." By thinking this as a response to intrusions, you signal your brain that intrusions regarding you being gay are not important at all. As soon as your brain understands this, it will decrease the amount of intrusions. Here is a quote from an interesting article: "... Telling OCD that it’s irrelevant is a little bit like saying “Oh, that’s just my OCD,” and then attempting to ignore it. With those words you’re trying to minimize it and say it’s “not real” and therefore doesn’t deserve your attention. However, by telling OCD it isn’t something to worry about, you’re demonstrating the exact opposite: you’re giving yourself reassurance, which is showing OCD that you do think its worries are worth addressing. This is a compulsion and will only make OCD louder in the future..." Here's the link to the whole article: https://www.shalanicely.com/fredtalks/act-as-though-ocd-is-irrelevant/#:~:text=However%2C%20by%20telling%20OCD%20it,OCD%20louder%20in%20the%20future

Anonymous

Date posted: 40w

Hey sorry i know this was a while back but I very much appreciate the time you wrote this, its hard to find good help out there.

No matric ce...

Date posted: 42w

Are you seeing a therapist?

Anonymous

Date posted: 42w

Luke_McElwee

Date posted: 25w

HOCD question

Anyone else with HOCD get thoughts of like "people in denial try to distract themselves" or anything along those lines when just trying to move on from the thoughts. Having a pretty bad episode this morning at least anxiety wise.

Anonymous

Date posted: 15w

Recovery not working

so right now my HOCD feels EXTREMELY LOUD AND STRONG, ive been trying nonstop today stating how im allowing to feel all the thoughts and feelings and let them be here for as long as they want and not figure it out, engage with it, just allowing it to be here all day long if it wants, and it has, but the EXTREME hyperfocus is there and it feels so real and feels so loud and strong that im focusing on it and trying to move on to others but cant. Ive been trying say only once that"Its just my OCD, these thoguths feelings, sensations and doubts are not me, im going to allow it to stay here as long as it can" but that doesnt work, its like as if im full of shit and i know it. ive been trying to just saying"oh well" or "cool" not caring, but im still hyperfocus on it, wtf?

Anonymous

Date posted: 13w

Any Advice?

Hey everyone, just wanted to post an honest update on where I’m at in my HOCD recovery. Right now, I'm stuck in what feels like a 24/7 spike — nonstop thoughts, intrusive sensations, identity doubts, and hyperfocus. The worst part? It feels real. Like I’ve “lost,” like I’ve accepted it, like I am gay. The thoughts don't feel like anxiety anymore — they feel like truth. I’ve been trying to do ERP, but the spike has been so constant I don’t even have to “do exposures” — the thoughts, feelings, and sensations are just there all day long. It’s like living inside an exposure. And it’s exhausting. BUT — here’s what I’ve been doing (and what I’m sticking to now): I say once: “These thoughts and feelings are welcome to stay for as long as they want.” I let the doubt, the feelings, the hyperfocus exist. I don’t check, test, or analyze — even when it screams at me. I live my life anyway — folding clothes, watching TV, eating, walking — with the storm in my head. Even when it feels 100% real. Even when I’m fully focused on it. I’ve stopped trying to feel better. I’m letting it all burn — and just not fixing it. It doesn’t feel good. It doesn’t feel right. It doesn’t feel like progress.

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Need help my first step of Beating HOCD

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