Does anyone have suggestions for getting over the mental block of accepting thoughts as they are without it meaning that you are accepting the real life action or consequence (ie the content) of the thoughts. Example being accepting the thought of stabbing someone coming into your head without accepting the idea that stabbing is okay or a good thing.

You are not your thoughts.

I find that it helps to remind myself that the reason the thought is sticking out is because it's so abhorrent to me. I have all kinds of random thoughts like "what if I gave this person a carrot?" that just stay buried because my conscious mind doesn't care about it, and the intrusive thought is only sticking out to my conscious mind because I find it to be terrible.

Wow thank you for the helpful tips everyone I really tried to detach from my thoughts today and just say oh hey harm thought you know what I had no control over this and I’m not gonna feel bad, I’m even gonna think of another one even though it made me anxious. And then I reminded myself after that hey these thoughts live in imaginary OCD land and they can’t hurt me here in the real world and did a little grounding meditation. It really helped. It’s still a work in progress to not attach myself to the content but I’m trying!

Which courses me to ruminate

A tool that has helped me so much is visualizing the thoughts as clouds in the sky. Letting them come and go. Sounds so simple but once you get the hang of it, it really works.

So just imagine it as a cloud and imagine the cloud leaving?

@jen22 that’s cognitive diffusion in a nutshell lol nice work

Oh I didn’t know that is what it’s called! ? And thanks!

So positive affirmations have really helped me. There are a bunch of videos on YouTube that you can easily utilize. Our minds are designed to absorb information, especially when repeated so I found that affirmations can be helpful with OCD. Also, it can be a bit helpful when there’s a voice in the video saying it with you :)

ACT is acceptance and commitment therapy. Basically it uses cognitive decision and mindfulness. Fusing with ur thoughts feeds the OCD. Thoughts are just words in ur head. Decision means detaching from ur thought but still accepting it’s there. It changed my life no lie. Check it out

The author is Russ Harris

That’s what I struggle with, I don’t see how I can accept without thinking it is messed up

Yes that’s it, its called detaching from your thoughts. Don’t force them to leave just let them come and go like clouds. A big waste of time for me was trying to get rid of or force thoughts away which is a waste of energy instead your at ease with them and allow them to come and go. Look up cognitive diffusion, and let me know if you need any help!

I also tell myself “I hate these thoughts or intrusive feelings and I do not want these in my life” And as I’m saying that, I let the thought or feeling flow through me. So I’m “accepting” that they are there but I’m also speaking into existence the fact that I want nothing to do with these things

ACT is an amazing tool. Look it up Talks all about cognitive diffusion and mindfulness. The book on Act is called The Happiness Trap. Please read it. It’s a game changer

@stacie what is that book about?

Sorry it’s defusion not decision

Thank you