- Date posted
- 5w ago
Help!
I am currently having a bad ocd trigger and doubt, and ocd is coming up with more what if’s? What do I do?
I am currently having a bad ocd trigger and doubt, and ocd is coming up with more what if’s? What do I do?
One of my favorite articles to recommend to cope with intrusive thoughts or mental compulsions is linked below. I find members usually are surprised by how well these strategies work with a little bit of practice! As always, if you feel you need additional help coping or struggle to implement these strategies on your own, working with an ERP therapist would be a great step to help you learn to cope as well. https://iocdf.org/expert-opinions/how-do-i-stop-thinking-about-this-what-to-do-when-youre-stuck-playing-mental-ping-pong/
Hey Tony, I agree with what @OCDhelpinghand shared. They gave solid advice for how to use ERP to challenge OCD here. I would encourage you to consider linking to an ERP & OCD specialist for support in challenging OCD. I'm sure it feels scary, we truly are here to help and you can have a free call to learn more! Here is a resource to get you started, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=riKw294RZMw&t=126s
@Hi_123 - Hi there, I am sorry to hear you are struggling. I would be happy to provide resources you might benefit from. If you are looking for assistance from a therapist, please feel free to hit the therapy button - we would be happy to assist if we can. No one has to live in fear of their own thoughts.
If you can, try to ACCEPT the OCD thoughts and whats ifs. Sit with them. Acknowledge them, but don't try to change them, don't try to reassure yourself, etc. Just BE with them. Treat them almost ambivalently. For example, tell yourself: "Hello OCD thoughr. Nice to see you", or "Here comes that thought again, oh well". The more we fight these thoughts, the more they stick around. The less attention we pay to them without compulsing -- asking ourselves what ifs, mentally checking, etc -- the quicker we allow them to pass through us.
@Hi_123 Of course! What do you need?
@Hi_123 Like to another post? Sure!
Remember that OCD’s only job in the world is to go to whatever lengths necessary to make you perform compulsions. If more what-ifs are coming up for you, that tells me that you’re on the right track!
Unfortunately I’m not an expert, but I have been helped myself by trying to force myself to meditate. Sit with your eyes closed, and do diaphragm breathing exercises for about 10 minutes. It helps me greatly at times
Thx 🙏🏻
Try practicing neutralizing statements to combat the OCD thoughts such as: "A thought is a thought" or "I'm going to live in the present" or "I don't have to solve this right now." After saying this in response to the OCD thought, try and move on with the day. The neutralizing statements help to not get in the "battle ring" with OCD and just kind of tell OCD that you don't have to listen to it and almost blows OCD off. This is a part of a strategy under exposure and response prevention therapy which is the gold standard treatment for OCD. I hope this helps!
Cold shower and war heads candy
I’m going through a really bad flare up. I developed ocd many years ago when I had my first child. Postpartum ocd. I suffer from harm and pocd. At first I had mostly mental and some physical compulsions but the physical faded away pretty early on and i’ve just done mental compulsions since. My ocd was in remission for alot of years and if the ocd would pop up now and again, I was easily able to shrug it off and not engage. A few years ago I went through a stressful time in my life and the ocd came back to stay. At first it was bad but then it got better and has been pretty mild until now. It’s been really bad this week and the physical compulsions are even back. I never thought it would ever get this bad again. My ocd is making me doubt who I am and how I feel. I know it’s all ocd and not real or true but the ocd makes it feel so real that I can’t easily dismiss or disprove it. The more I try to disprove it the more real the ocd makes it feel. I’m really struggling and don’t know how to get back on track. I don’t have access to a therapist because there are no ocd specialists near me and my insurance doesn’t cover online therapy. That’s why i’m reaching out here. Has anyone been through a rough relapse? How can I get through and past this??
whats up guys what are some tips dealing with ocd and what to do when a thought makes u anxious ??
so i was on instagram and it came up with other signs of ocd then someone commented this doesn’t mean you have ocd now im stressed that its not ocd background - i had so-ocd for a few years then got treatment for it but am now on the waiting list for further treatment for other stuff but i dont have another theme which makes me feel like its not ocd my day to day life consists of touching the door handle every time you go past it or someone will die, and inability to send emails without re reading loads of times and getting other people to check because im scared i wrote something bad but the what if it’s not ocd thought is triggering me now and i don’t know what do
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