my harm ocd came back very strong today. I was watching a movie with explosions and the voice in my head said “do you think that is beautiful? Is it beautiful? It’s beautiful. You like explosions?” And it’s terrible cause my brain keeps telling me I like explosions but I don’t think I do but it’s saying it’s cause I like people dying?? I feel like I’m going crazy. And Sometimes I’m accidentally a little rough when picking up my little dog and he doesn’t squeak or anything but I keep thinking I’m hurting him and I’m nervous my nails must hurt him or that I’ll accidentally hurt someone with my nails even tho they aren’t that long so I’m going to cut them. Anyone else with this? Help

Thank you!!?

I have the same obsession! How’s the ERP working out for you so far? And can I ask how you stop analysing? For me it’s a very automatic process

@199903 I completed the NOCD program with a therapist. I held a knife (that was fear of self harm) and my final top tier exposure was watching the Joker. I fear losing my mind/control and acting violently. It was very hard. I finished up about a month ago. But now, if I want to watch something I’ll just do it. For example, my boyfriend and I just started Mindhunters (it’s about serial killers and it’s graphic). How do I stop analyzing? Well, I still do it. It’s a habit we slowly unlearn. Have you ever practiced mindfulness meditation? It’s a bit like that. While I watch the show I’m still triggered (what if I want to hurt others, am I enjoying this, I’ll analyze my bodily sensations) my thoughts are more graphic than I’ll put here out of respect for triggers. But with that said, I don’t beat myself up when this happens. First of all, you learn awareness. So, learn to notice the obsessive thoughts that you have. Identify them. Label them. “I’m having an obsessive thought.” Or literally “obsession.” Don’t interact with it! This one is hard bevasue when you have a “what if I turn into a serial killer” of course you’ll want to analyze the heck out of that. But, you have to first, sit in the anxiety. Be okay be uncomfy. Your anxiety only persists if you participate in it. So, as long as you keep backing out of the analysis, your anxiety will ease up. And it may look like (okay I’m analyzing, come back to the show, focus on the dialogue...but what if...nope, obsession...I’m busy watching this show...ground yourself...I’m feeling too anxious I must enjoy this...obsession, it’s okay that you’re anxious, it’s neither good/bad, you’re busy watching a show, come back to it...) And last. Be patient/kind to yourself while you gently come back to the present moment and experience the anxiety. It’s also very important that you don’t perform compulsion while you’re doing the exposure of watching a show that triggers you (like turning it off, distracting yourself, research, reassurance, and so on)

@Breanna The more you do this, our brains rewire themselves and create new healthy pathways so our first instinct isn’t that gut analysis. But for now, don’t beat yourself up when that’s your response. Just recognize it, and zoom out from it. Focus on the task at hand. Tell your anxiety that you’re too busy to participate with it! lol I know it hard.

@Breanna Thank you! I also have a fear ion going insane/ losing control/ being a sociopath or psychopath. It feels better to know I’m not alone❤️

Thank you for this advice!❤️