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
Two things are happening: I get thoughts that just keep looping. They almost feel like song stuck in my head. Also, I’ll imagine something and I feel my stomach drop. Then as the seconds go by I keep getting fragments of the this thought but with different details. For example, it’s kinda like how a “vision” is portrayed. I’ll get a glimpse of the thought and then it’ll rapidly expand into something worse every few seconds. I don’t know if I’m causing this or if it’s just an automatic thing like any other intrusive thought. It feels unavoidable, idk if this is a compulsion or if it’s just another manifestation of an intrusive thought. Apart from that remembering an intrusive thought triggers the full thought again and then it just keeps looping or expanding. I don’t know how to stop any of this. Help?
OK, this might sound really dumb, but when you guys get intrusive thoughts, do they just come once and then go away? I’ve heard that repeatedly thinking about an intrusive thought is considered ‘checking,’ but it doesn’t feel like I have any control over how many times it comes up in my head. It’s not like I’m trying to check anything—it just keeps showing up, almost like it’s terrorizing me every time. I can’t seem to stop it from looping, stop remembering it, or prevent it from coming up. Every time it does, I feel horrified, and I already know it’s going to horrify me. I don’t think I’m actively trying to see if my feelings have changed, so is this still considered checking? How do other people get an intrusive thought and just move on? Doesn’t it pop up a million times for them too? I always thought that was normal, but now I’m hearing this could be a compulsion, and I feel really confused, scared, and lost. Is this why my OCD feels so extreme? Because I really don’t feel like I can control how many times the thought pops up.
My mind just starts racing with thoughts all day. I overthink aswell so I just tend to sit in the thoughts and can’t escape. I mostly have thoughts that tell me I don’t like the things I do like snowboarding or backpacking or if I even if I love my girlfriend. Deep down I know I do but then I start getting worried that the more I think these things the more they come true. Then I have tons and tons of more thoughts throughout the day and it just feels like I’m constantly having anxiety and constantly battling my brain over things that don’t even make sense. I’m only 17 and this is extremely hard and I feel like I’m wasting these teenage years. I don’t know what to do or where to go. I’ve picked up reading my bible and praying more but the thoughts persist please help.
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