- Date posted
- 31w
Some coping strategies?
Anyone have any good coping strategies when they have an ocd flare up or attack?
Anyone have any good coping strategies when they have an ocd flare up or attack?
When I'm really struggling, I try to do an activity that makes me feel like I'm in control of my own body again and it grounds me. For me, skiing and driving both really help. The aspect of being able to be in control of what I'm doing and where I'm going, while appreciating scenery, helps a ton. I know a few of my friends really like to do yoga, draw, play guitar, or go outside and that's helped them a ton as well. I think what's most important to get out of an attack is grounding yourself and getting out of your head for a second to appreciate something. For me personally, it's pretty tough to spiral about something when I'm looking at how big the mountains are and how beautiful the trees are and the snow. All of that really gets me outside of my head. It doesn't minimize my thoughts, but it reminds me that I'm not my thoughts, and that I can approach them however I need to.
sometimes i have to take a few extra minutes of quiet alone time in the midst of a busy day to really give myself the time and space to practice ERP and give myself gentle reminders. the other day i had to delay my entrance to church (having already made it late) and even missed the worship service just so i can try to bring myself down from a panic attack. be kind, gracious, and patient with yourself. progress is not linear and no day will ever be perfect. this is a challenge but you’re doing the hard things anyway!
Im not sure if this is an OCD flare up or attack but I’ve had situations where my OCD got so stressful where I cry and yell for hours because its saying too many things at once and I cant think what to say anymore, but I couldn’t finish some of the compulsions since it was getting too much so I think my ocd made me not eat for 2 days instead uh that doesn’t really help- dont so that. But i have had situations where a compulsion has lasted for a while and i feel like its going to end up being like an ocd attack so I tried finishing what i wanted to do 1 more time then walk away quick but it seemed to be more then 1 more time but maybe u could try that? Like Try to say or do 1 more thing and walk away and convince the OCD to stop because its getting too much and u will not eat a certain food in ur house instead sorryyy! Im not goood at advice , these are things ive had to do T^T/ okay this is terrble advice hmmm!!! Just try say something like no thanks and walk away?
@xxoxxooo I just experienced this for the first time im new on the app I guess that’s what most people are saying, to just sit in the discomfort. I can’t imagine doing that every time
I been dealing with OCD my entire life but recently I been finding it really difficult to find the slightest relief. I know it’s not good to do but I been trying not to think of the thoughts but of course they come back even stronger. Does anyone know what I could do in the meanwhile ? Thank you
my ocd has severely flared up the past 2 weeks while I’ve been on spring break, probably because I’ve had nothing to do and I’ve been bored and boredom is a big trigger for my ocd/anxiety. I usually go every other week for therapy but the past two weeks I feel so lost and confused on my own and feel like I need to go every week but my therapist is booked and can’t get me in until 2 more weeks. My ocd hasn’t been this bad in years, and it’s been so isolating and I feel so alone at home with my thoughts. Every 2-3 days my obsession changes, first it was health ocd after I got really bad allergies I convinced myself I was dying. After that it was harm ocd and I feared I would hurt myself, then it changed to me fearing harming others and I’ve felt scared to be around others even family. I’ve stayed up sobbing because I’ve felt so bad, so terrible. My therapist told me even though she can’t get me in, that if I really need to come in I should call her office and see if she has anything, but I feel like that would be pointless since she quite literally is booked- I’ve been clinging onto the few things I have from my last 2 therapy sessions but feel like it’s not enough. does anyone have any techniques to deal with specifically harm OCD that I can use for the next two weeks?
(Long read) hello everyone. i was out of the country for about 3-4 months and traveling. my ocd was not that bad at all and I was able to handle it even if it came up. on my way back home, it immediately started. i have learned how to handle it better, but i am more sad and just “awaiting” for something bad to happen. for example, i have sexual themed ocd. pocd and family related stuff, and also my ocd targeted my pets for about a year and it manifested into compulsions that disturbed me and made me not want to be around my cats. now that i am around my cats, i feel like “what if i harm them or do something bad?” or “what if you do those weird compulsions that happened before?” , when i look back on the compulsions that happened, it doesn’t feel like me and it was clearly driven by ocd, but it makes me worry i am just a sick person. i know myself and i know im not, but i had such a weird childhood and then ocd from 15 years old and up. so when these weird compulsions had happened , whether it was for the pet ocd theme or pocd or the family ocd, it feels like some sort of proof. anyways, i feel a bit for content with myself but i know how real ocd can feel and i just remember feeling so hopeless and suici da l, i just don’t want to go through that again. i take a more spiritual route of life and healing, and i wonder if anyone has some deep spiritual warmups or practices i could do to maybe open up my mind more? maybe to realize this is all in the mind? but also to not fight it… Not fight it meaning not let it take over my life. i racked up so much debt in therapy and i truly think i can get through this alone i just need a bit of help. but i dunno. any advice would help! thanks everyone ☀️
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