I am looking for ways to beat my OCD when I need to remain highly focused. My OCD flares when something is highly important and requires seriousness and focus. However, my OCD is very quiet when I do something that I am fully invested in and am actively enjoying - some people call this being in the zone. However, whenever I need to do something that requires immediate and constant focus such as listening to a class, writing an exam or studying... my ocd gets loud. This usually leads to avoidance and procrastination... any advice, suggestions or help on identifying the mechanisms at play here and how to overcome would be GREATLY appreciated. ERP is great but I find I can miss information when I’m trying to do ERP AND trying to focus on a lecturer, simultaneously, for example... there’s gotta be a way...

gratefulsuns...

Date posted: 5y

I have that same avoidance and procrastination thing and i really would like to hear some help to that.

pureolife

Date posted: 5y

A combination of the “thank you brain” and “worry time” techniques might help. Thank you brain: when your brain feeds you an intrusive thought, thank your brain to acknowledge it and then choose to refocus on what’s in front of you. The idea here is that intrusive thoughts tend to recur and intensify when we try to ignore them, but acknowledgment doesn’t mean we have to follow them or resolve them. Worry time: give yourself a scheduled time of day for worrying about your OCD. Whenever you get intrusions outside of that time, note them and promise to worry about them during your next worry time. The idea here is that you don’t have to try to stop your brain from worrying, which is impossible, you just have to give it structure. I’d say, acknowledge each thought by saying “thank you brain, I will worry about you at 3:30pm today.” Or whatever time works for you. Get all of your worries out then. Maybe schedule these times for after whatever you need to focus on.

gratefulsuns...

Date posted: 5y

I could try that tomorrow, thanks!

Paula33

Date posted: 5y

Thanks for that! I find it tough to manage pure O sometimes what my brain is telling me IS actually important like text said person back before you forget, but I am busy focusing so I try to acknowledge the thought and continue my work... here’s the punch I WILL actually forget to text back and this can be hurtful or even bad for one’s career, etc. I hate to say it but sometimes I feel my OCD keeps me safe, in line and responsible... if only all my ocd thoughts were helpful...

pureolife

Date posted: 5y

@Paula33 For things gentuinely helpful, make a note (a phycal notebook and pen is easy enough to carry around and writing a note takes 3 seconds and little energy whereas typing out a text or doing any other real task can take much longer and requires your full attention). These thoughts are only helpful when you can attend to them at the right time. If you suddenly have to attend to tasks in the middle of a lecture every time your OCD kicks in, the pros are no longer outweighing the cons. Attend to these worries later, at an appropriate time, not whenever your OCD decides it wants to.

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