When you get a stuck thought in your mind, as stupid or untrue as it may be, how do any of you block them out, or try to at least? It’s like my mind has another voice telling me making up the stupidest things?
"It’s like my mind has another voice telling me making up the stupidest things?" ---- honestly a good way to describe OCD haha. For me, what helps is *not* trying to block the thoughts out, because you really can't. You're wasting energy on a losing battle when you try this. Random weird thoughts will happen no matter what. OCD recovery for me is all about responding to the thoughts differently rather than trying to stop them or shut them down. This is what brings relief.
i don’t necessarily block it out but i just ignore it or laugh it off kinda like “okay weird thought lol anyways..”
@dwestiny I find it hard to ignore, even tho I know it’s stupid..: I guess that’s what makes it difficult
@Boss34 it can help to remind yourself that the thoughts are just that—thoughts.
@dwestiny I’ll try, it comes and goes, each year the last few years, it flares up, then subsides, I don’t get it… I guess I’ve had things of OCD since I was a kid, looking back
Trying to block the thoughts typically backfires for me, because doing so tells my brain to consider the thoughts dangerous or bad. My OCD has given me some very wild, very imaginative intrusive thoughts. It’s currently telling me I’m going to die in a plane crash when I leave the state soon. I’ve learned to laugh at my thoughts, remind myself that the sticky thoughts are just my OCD being annoying, and going on with my day. Non engagement responses are very helpful here too. https://www.treatmyocd.com/blog/heres-why-response-prevention-is-the-key-to-ocd-recovery https://www.treatmyocd.com/blog/effective-ways-you-can-respond-to-unwanted-thoughts
I need advice for intrusive thoughts. I used to feel like I could handle them. They weren’t nearly as bad as the things that related to my actual life. But now, I’m suffering. I haven’t had a sexual experience in over a year that didn’t involve constant intrusive thoughts. Most are somehow related to kids and I keep chasing off the thoughts but it’s so bad. I know you’re supposed to ignore them but I don’t know how I can just ignore that and continue what I’m doing. But they’re coming on stronger. I had one earlier I could not get rid of just as things finished so the thought came on strongly just before my orgasm hit and now I feel absolutely disgusting. I hated the thought and I know it’s not me and it was not enjoyable but it still feels like I was getting off to it. I feel sick. I’m so fucking tired of these thoughts. They’re in my every day life too and it’s all the time. I just want it to stop but ignoring it feels so wrong. What should I do?
Anyone else have repeated thoughts that play that are negative. Basically a back and forth of you telling yourself you don't want X to happen but having a thought that slips saying you do. Like being stressed out one day and saying "man I wish I were dead". But instead of letting it roll through your mind and thinking nothing of it, you obsess if you actually want that outcome for yourself and you are now scared you'd fatally harm yourself whenever you feel anxious or stressed even though you know you wouldn't. So now I repeatedly get I wanna die stuck in my head and I feel the compulsive need to say no I don't to combat the thoughts and it happens throughout the day and even when I wake up.
I know the solution is to always say “yeah that could be true, but I am choosing to live my life anyway.” However, I feel like my biggest issue is my brain always assuming that it is immediately true when I do that. Like if I say “maybe I’m attracted to teenagers, it’s possible,” then my brain INSTANTLY starts rationalizing that thought and defending it and being like “oh okay so you think this now and it makes sense because xyz, and now that’s who you are and your real desire is now and always will be teenagers.” I feel really alone in this area of feeling like my brain “accepting the thoughts” means my brain immediately accepts them as true. I obviously don’t want to think they’re true but I feel so stuck now.
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