- Date posted
- 5y
- Date posted
- 5y
I love this explanation! Thank you!
- Date posted
- 5y
This helped me so much
- Date posted
- 5y
Really helpful info. Thank you.
- Date posted
- 5y
"pain should be confronted to be defeated" I like that. I need to hear this today.
- Date posted
- 5y
This is spot-on. If you were an alcoholic, you wouldn't continue to give yourself alcohol (i.e., perform compulsions). Resist and see the change :)
- Date posted
- 5y
Did you recover from OCD? You seem to have such a accurate perspective on this disorder.
- Date posted
- 5y
I just started my process. I had OCD most of my life, but was very comfortable with it, the recent world situation and personal issues got my subconscious mind to scare me so much, I had no choice but to change. I did all I could to learn and connect dots from all sources I found. I still keep on connecting the dots. Mind Over Matter. đ¤
- Date posted
- 5y
When you mention a lack of self love, this video popped up in my mind. I do agree that, at least for me, this might have happened due to a lack of self love. But your addiction analysis, having an addictive personality myself, seems to be a very plausible theory on ocd mechanisms. https://youtu.be/Q9yKaI0vLJs
- Date posted
- 5y
Hi, Lack of sufficient self love, is a common feature and repeating pattern for the great majority of anxiety conditions, which OCD is part of, so we are all here coming from the same place. All humans need to feel good, when it doesnt come naturaly by ourselves, we give this power over us to either a certain external factor, behaviour, or drug, to do it for us. Thats why addiction and OCD are usually cooccuring. They stem from the same root, the need to be loved, to feel good about ourselves.
- Date posted
- 5y
It does make a lot of sense. I knownit wont happen overnight, but when I do try to be kind and love myself, Im immediately flooded with guilt or intrusive thoughts.
- Date posted
- 5y
@luchalysol Happens to me to, and many others. Thats the subsconscious part of us sabotaging. Thats why we keep at it, until this door is unlocked. I think if we trace to the roots of addictions and OCD, both stem from insufficient self love. Kind of explaining why some peole get easily addicted to drugs and alcohol and others don't. All humans need to feel good, when it doesnt come naturaly by ourselves, we give this power over us to either a certain external factor, behaviour, or drug, to do it for us. Thats why I believe perhaps that OCD is not only about recovery, but rather acquiring a new mindset for a lifetime of correct and healthy self management, practicing everyday self love and relaxation.
- Date posted
- 5y
@DavidS I can see that. Ive always had somewhat of a fear of being a bad person. But it skyrocketed when I had what I now believe was an onset of cleanliness ocd. I was worried about having bad breath, almost suddenly, brushed my teeth multiple times a day. I started avoiding people because of it. I then became so insecure that I developed an aloofness and superiority complex to mask my insecurities which then led to me realizing I was wrong, feeling guilty and horrible. And now I have harm, moral, responsibility ocd, manifesting mostly as pure o.
- Date posted
- 5y
@luchalysol This is where the trap is. Guilt, shame, and thinking we are bad people is exactly where the subconscious mind pulls us towards- the Compulsion. The Reaction (Your part) to the Action (Subconscious mind/Unsolicited/Cravings/Obssessions). Determine you are not playing this game. You do not perform any Reaction thought feeling nor behaviour based on the on the Action of the subcondcious mind. You know way better how to feel happy and relaxed. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.madeofmillions.com/ocd/pure-ocd/amp
- Date posted
- 5y
Comment deleted by user
- Date posted
- 5y
Im working on it everyday. I want my life and the old me back. I hear stories from my chikdhood and I just cry cause idk what happened to me. Ive always felt a bit inadequate and unloved by many, but I was always cheerful. Now Im a shell of who I used to be. I dont want to be a bad person, I just want me back.
- Date posted
- 5y
I am glad this approach makes sense. I find it somehow simplifying the recovery and explaining how both challanges 'addiction' and 'ocd' are more similar than not. As Yoda said: one must unlearn what they have learned đ¤
- Date posted
- 5y
I donât agree at all. I am sorry but thatâs not what I feel. How can you be so sure? Like you beat OCD comparing it to a drug knowing that thousands of people are still trying to figure out a way out of it and trying to better understand its mechanisms. OCD is such a difficult and multifaceted problem that we need to be open mind. Imagine just for a second your theory doesnât hold up. It means you stuck in a world where you have zero chances to overcome your OCD because the way you see it is wrong. But of course u free to believe whatever u believe itâs true.
- Date posted
- 5y
Nothing in what I wrote changes the approaches currently offered, but perhaps it will help find new approaches. Have you noticed how drug addicts that went through rehabe tend to mention how many days, weeks, months, years they are drug-free? What they actually say is, yes they do get thoughts, but they don't act upon it. Same here, yes thoughts can come unsolicited but what counts is our response, or actually lack of it.
- Date posted
- 5y
@DavidS Iâm a recovering addict and totally agree with you
- Date posted
- 5y
@Kat2244 Prop to you for recovering from an addiction. That must take a lot of strength and dedication.
- Date posted
- 5y
@Kat2244 Thank you Kat2244 I hope it will help gain new coping skills for recovery, and maybe one day the scientific communities will find new ways to assist.
Related posts
- Date posted
- 13w
The subject of OCD matters to the sufferer because it feels like confirmation that they are fundamentally unlovable and unwantedâas if even existence itself doesnât want them. They feel like an error, carrying a deep sense of guilt and shame, as if they were inherently wrong. They suffer from low self-esteem and a deep internalized shame, because long ago, they were fragmented and learned a pattern of fundamental distrustâespecially self-distrust. But the real trouble doesnât come from the content of the most vile or taboo thoughts. It comes from the fact that the sufferer lacks self-love. Thatâs why, when you begin to walk the road to recovery, youâre taught unconditional self-acceptanceâbecause thatâs what all sufferers of OCD have in common: if you arenât 100% sure, if there isnât absolute certainty, the doubt will continue to attack you and your core values. It will make you doubt everythingâeven your own aversion to the thoughts. You have to relearn how to trust yourselfânot because you accept that you might become a murderer somedayâbut because you enter a deep state of acceptance about who you truly are. Itâs not about becoming a monster at all. Itâs about making peace with what lies at the root of the fear. Making peace with the guilt. With the shame. Making peace with yourself and the person you fear you might be. Because that fear is not rooted in reality. Itâs not rooted in any true desire to act. Itâs rooted in your identityâspecifically, in what might threaten it. Thatâs what confirms the belief that you are fundamentally wrong. And OCD fuels that belief by using intrusive taboo thoughts to attack your very sense of self. But then I wonder: letâs say, for example, someone fears being or becoming a sexually dangerous personâhow could that person practice unconditional self-acceptance? I would never accept myself if I were to harm anyoneâthe thought alone makes me want to cry. I know itâs not about whether or not someone acts on the thought. Itâs about the core fear underneath it. So how do you accept yourself when the thoughtsâand the feelings around themâfeel so completely unacceptable ?
- Date posted
- 12w
OCD master post Do's and don'ts of ocd: Don't : Try to ignore (avoidance) Try to make sense of it (Ruminate) Act on it (compulsion) Argue with it (basically Ruminating) Distract yourself in spite of it (avoidance) All of the above will make ocd worse and does not work. Do: Acknowledge it Accept uncertainty Redirect your attention once acknowledged to something else Have healthy distractions available (try to use different ones every now and then to avoid creating a compulsion) Exaggerate the thought until its ridiculous, borderline unrealistic and funny. Respond with "maybe, maybe not", " sure", "cool", "thanks, you do you, I'm gonna do my thing, feel free to stay though" The above responses can train your mind to not deem them as threats and over time will trigger the fight or flight response less and less. You'll most likely make mistakes here and there but as long as you stay vigilant and don't get complacent, this should help. Ironic process theory and our internal alarm system: https://youtu.be/xoSlOnUuw-U?feature=shared Ironic process theory is to do with attachment and the idea of non-existence. The more we try to not think about something that already exists as a thought the more it'll prove it exists and demands your attention. With attachment, people tend to ignore or argue against in spite of the thought. If you do this you are doing it because of the thought, therefore giving it more life. Thirdly your brain will start to set an internal alarm via thoughts and hormones or even bodily reactions every time you are stressed, just to see if you're not stressed about that trigger even if it's not what triggered you in the moment. To combat this, you'll need to find a way to deal with the thoughts directly and let them be and get through it via Erp, or being able to accept the thought as a thought and redirecting your attention without attachment (despite or regardless of the thoughts) Erp done effectively: When you do Erp in therapy sessions, it's done in a controlled way and on your own terms. A lot of people make the mistake of only doing it in therapy with only ocd related themes. Truth is, you can do it with any level of discomfort and it's good to practice whenever you can as long as you're mindful of other people. When you're doing it out of therapy and on your own terms, you challenge a potential trigger and then welcome the feeling that follows. I find welcoming or accepting the feelings existence helps a lot. I would welcome the fear and all the horrible feelings until I'm crying and trembling and on the edge of a panic attack, the feeling always fades and trains your brain not to deem it as a threat anymore. No more ocd firedrills. Why practice is valuable. Imagine you have a boxing match with an opponent coming up, and that opponent is tough. They train every day, and you don't train at all. Who do you think will win when the day of the fight comes around? The opponent of course. So train yourself so you stand a fighting chance or risk getting your butt kicked every time OCD enters the ring. Hormones and circadian ryhtm: So the circadian rhythm is your internal body clock. Your hormones learn patterns and release at certain times of day. Usually based on the amount of sunlight exposure you get. Cortisol the stress hormone is the one to wake us up and if you do not find a way to deal with those hormones first thing, your ocd alarm will go off and bring up scenarios or thoughts to fill in the gap as to why your body is stressed. ERP, Exercise, breathing meditations, cold plunges are great for the morning to eliminate excess cortisol. Sunlight helps too, roughly 30 minute exposures is enough to help keep your circadian rhythm healthy. Melatonin kicks in when it starts to get dark or you've went through your hormone reserves for the day. The more you go through in a healthy way, the better you'll sleep. Rough neuro science explanation : https://youtu.be/BJshegpcFv8?feature=shared So your brain will use one of 2 pathways to process external stimuli. The direct pathway, being the shortest route to process in case of a threat or perceived threat. This pathway is dominant in those who have ocd. The there's the indirect pathway which takes longer but is related to rationalising thoughts. This pathway is used less by people with ocd. This pathway requires sufficient seratonin levels in order to be used and that's why SSRIs are popular medications for people with ocd. Food and drink consumption: So I tested myself based on lots of personal research around what we put in our body and how it effects ocd. Sugar, fructose and glucose levels spike quite quickly depending on your source. It can lead your body being stressed and releasing the corresponding hormones to notify you are stressed, then your brain will try fill in the gap whether you're aware of this or not. Whole fruits tend to be the best source as they contain fibre, acting as a slow release of energy rather than flooding your system. Caffeine has the same effect without question, and also screws up your circadian rhythm if not taken at sensible times. Trans fats, saturated fats and processed foods are also bad. These may not effect your brain as quickly as sugar or caffeine but stress your body over a slower and longer period. All of the above are not just inflammatories for your muscles and organs, they are neuro inflammatories, making it much harder for your brain to use the indirect pathway for rationalising your thoughts, therefore supporting the direct neuropathway and your usual OCD patterns. The foods I started to eat are heavy in anti inflammatories to help my brain function better, anti oxidants to help lower the stress in my body, and food that support seratonin production to promote the use of the indirect neural pathway. The list below is vegan friendly, but you can look into this to suit your preferred needs âTryptophan - leafy greens, sunflower seeds, water cress, soy beans, pumpkin seeds, mushrooms, brocoli, peas âvit b6 - nutritional yeast, muesli, avacado, pistachio nuts, butternut squash, banana, quinoa, brown spaghetti, chestnuts, hazelnuts, oranges, tahini, potatoes, chickpeas, kidney beans, peanuts âhigher b12 complex - yeast extract, Soya milk, almond milk, tofu, tempeh, seaweed, beetroot âVit D - portobello mushrooms, shitake mushrooms, orange juice, soya yoghurt âzinc - beans, cashew nuts, Lentils, chia seeds, linseed, hemp seeds, wholemeal bread, blackberries, pomegranate juice, spinach, strawberries, pecan nuts, Brazil nuts, oatmeal âComplex carbs - quinoa, brown rice, peas, corn, sweet potatoes, barley, lentils, nuts, legumes âThiamine / Vit b1 - beans, peas, legumes, nuts, brown rice âMonounsaturated fats - extra virgin olive oil, other oils, nuts and avacados âVit c - guava, peppers, kiwi, mango, papaya, strawberries, brocoli âPolyphenols - berries, dark chocolate, cocoa powder, nuts, flax seeds, olives, green tea, artichoke, red grapes, spinach âAntioxidant - Brocoli, spinach, carrots, potatoes, artichoke, cabbage, beetroot, kale, spices âAnti inflammatories - olive oil, avacado, walnuts, tomatoes, dark chocolate, leafy greens, brocoli, ginger, turmeric, berries, grapes, chia seeds, pepper, garlic, spirulina âRaisins, red wine, grapes Mindfulness and being in the moment: So our brains do not know the difference between a real threat and a perceived threat and will react the same regardless of how we can rationalise it. A lot of us are stuck in the past or the future and mindfulness promotes being present. The past and future are both illusions of the mind. They are not happening now but our ocd brains react as if they are real. Anything that is not happening now isn't real. So practicing anything that will pull you closer to the present moment will help to ground you in reality. Everything that doesnt exist in the present is infinite and we cannot be certain of any of it, all we can be certain of is the here and now. Core values, self judgement and breaking the cycle : A lot of us are stuck in cycles, going around and around. These cycles are due to a lot of our core values and the thoughts/ past actions not lining up with the. These can be caused by trauma and/ or conditioning. Usually we can't let go because something clashed with the way in which we judge things, but the problem doesn't actually lie in our focus, but the values in which we judge them. The problem isn't what we weigh, but the scale itself. This is where it can get tricky, especially if what we think feels justified. It's not that your judging the scenario, actions or thoughts incorrectly, it's that your values are a bit on the extreme side. For example, I had harm ocd for 2 years and it was telling me to hurt everyone and everything in every way possible. This theme came about because I had a random intrusive thought once that clashed with my extreme values on morals having been raised by a reformed ex gangster and animal rights activist. The fault was caused by the conditioning I received. So when you go into therapy, please try to understand your conditioning and challenge them through Erp and some self compassion because it's not your fault. Where the fault lies does not matter, because that doesn't change what you need to do. You have to heal yourself regardless of it all.
- Date posted
- 8w
OCD master post Do's and don'ts of ocd: Don't : Try to ignore (avoidance) Try to make sense of it (Ruminate) Act on it (compulsion) Argue with it (basically Ruminating) Distract yourself in spite of it (avoidance) All of the above will make ocd worse and does not work. Do: Acknowledge it Accept uncertainty Redirect your attention once acknowledged to something else Have healthy distractions available (try to use different ones every now and then to avoid creating a compulsion) Exaggerate the thought until its ridiculous, borderline unrealistic and funny. Respond with "maybe, maybe not", " sure", "cool", "thanks, you do you, I'm gonna do my thing, feel free to stay though" The above responses can train your mind to not deem them as threats and over time will trigger the fight or flight response less and less. You'll most likely make mistakes here and there but as long as you stay vigilant and don't get complacent, this should help. Ironic process theory and our internal alarm system: https://youtu.be/xoSlOnUuw-U?feature=shared Ironic process theory is to do with attachment and the idea of non-existence. The more we try to not think about something that already exists as a thought the more it'll prove it exists and demands your attention. With attachment, people tend to ignore or argue against in spite of the thought. If you do this you are doing it because of the thought, therefore giving it more life. Thirdly your brain will start to set an internal alarm via thoughts and hormones or even bodily reactions every time you are stressed, just to see if you're not stressed about that trigger even if it's not what triggered you in the moment. To combat this, you'll need to find a way to deal with the thoughts directly and let them be and get through it via Erp, or being able to accept the thought as a thought and redirecting your attention without attachment (despite or regardless of the thoughts) Erp done effectively: When you do Erp in therapy sessions, it's done in a controlled way and on your own terms. A lot of people make the mistake of only doing it in therapy with only ocd related themes. Truth is, you can do it with any level of discomfort and it's good to practice whenever you can as long as you're mindful of other people. When you're doing it out of therapy and on your own terms, you challenge a potential trigger and then welcome the feeling that follows. I find welcoming or accepting the feelings existence helps a lot. I would welcome the fear and all the horrible feelings until I'm crying and trembling and on the edge of a panic attack, the feeling always fades and trains your brain not to deem it as a threat anymore. No more ocd firedrills. Why practice is valuable. Imagine you have a boxing match with an opponent coming up, and that opponent is tough. They train every day, and you don't train at all. Who do you think will win when the day of the fight comes around? The opponent of course. So train yourself so you stand a fighting chance or risk getting your butt kicked every time OCD enters the ring. Hormones and circadian ryhtm: So the circadian rhythm is your internal body clock. Your hormones learn patterns and release at certain times of day. Usually based on the amount of sunlight exposure you get. Cortisol the stress hormone is the one to wake us up and if you do not find a way to deal with those hormones first thing, your ocd alarm will go off and bring up scenarios or thoughts to fill in the gap as to why your body is stressed. ERP, Exercise, breathing meditations, cold plunges are great for the morning to eliminate excess cortisol. Sunlight helps too, roughly 30 minute exposures is enough to help keep your circadian rhythm healthy. Melatonin kicks in when it starts to get dark or you've went through your hormone reserves for the day. The more you go through in a healthy way, the better you'll sleep. Rough neuro science explanation : https://youtu.be/BJshegpcFv8?feature=shared So your brain will use one of 2 pathways to process external stimuli. The direct pathway, being the shortest route to process in case of a threat or perceived threat. This pathway is dominant in those who have ocd. The there's the indirect pathway which takes longer but is related to rationalising thoughts. This pathway is used less by people with ocd. This pathway requires sufficient seratonin levels in order to be used and that's why SSRIs are popular medications for people with ocd. Food and drink consumption: So I tested myself based on lots of personal research around what we put in our body and how it effects ocd. Sugar, fructose and glucose levels spike quite quickly depending on your source. It can lead your body being stressed and releasing the corresponding hormones to notify you are stressed, then your brain will try fill in the gap whether you're aware of this or not. Whole fruits tend to be the best source as they contain fibre, acting as a slow release of energy rather than flooding your system. Caffeine has the same effect without question, and also screws up your circadian rhythm if not taken at sensible times. Trans fats, saturated fats and processed foods are also bad. These may not effect your brain as quickly as sugar or caffeine but stress your body over a slower and longer period. All of the above are not just inflammatories for your muscles and organs, they are neuro inflammatories, making it much harder for your brain to use the indirect pathway for rationalising your thoughts, therefore supporting the direct neuropathway and your usual OCD patterns. The foods I started to eat are heavy in anti inflammatories to help my brain function better, anti oxidants to help lower the stress in my body, and food that support seratonin production to promote the use of the indirect neural pathway. The list below is vegan friendly, but you can look into this to suit your preferred needs âTryptophan - leafy greens, sunflower seeds, water cress, soy beans, pumpkin seeds, mushrooms, brocoli, peas âvit b6 - nutritional yeast, muesli, avacado, pistachio nuts, butternut squash, banana, quinoa, brown spaghetti, chestnuts, hazelnuts, oranges, tahini, potatoes, chickpeas, kidney beans, peanuts âhigher b12 complex - yeast extract, Soya milk, almond milk, tofu, tempeh, seaweed, beetroot âVit D - portobello mushrooms, shitake mushrooms, orange juice, soya yoghurt âzinc - beans, cashew nuts, Lentils, chia seeds, linseed, hemp seeds, wholemeal bread, blackberries, pomegranate juice, spinach, strawberries, pecan nuts, Brazil nuts, oatmeal âComplex carbs - quinoa, brown rice, peas, corn, sweet potatoes, barley, lentils, nuts, legumes âThiamine / Vit b1 - beans, peas, legumes, nuts, brown rice âMonounsaturated fats - extra virgin olive oil, other oils, nuts and avacados âVit c - guava, peppers, kiwi, mango, papaya, strawberries, brocoli âPolyphenols - berries, dark chocolate, cocoa powder, nuts, flax seeds, olives, green tea, artichoke, red grapes, spinach âAntioxidant - Brocoli, spinach, carrots, potatoes, artichoke, cabbage, beetroot, kale, spices âAnti inflammatories - olive oil, avacado, walnuts, tomatoes, dark chocolate, leafy greens, brocoli, ginger, turmeric, berries, grapes, chia seeds, pepper, garlic, spirulina âRaisins, red wine, grapes You can eat all of this and not feel the effect of the benefits. You need to tell your body to produce seratonin through what you do. Stuff like exercise, meditations, and walking in nature will help do this. Mindfulness and being in the moment: So our brains do not know the difference between a real threat and a perceived threat and will react the same regardless of how we can rationalise it. A lot of us are stuck in the past or the future and mindfulness promotes being present. The past and future are both illusions of the mind. They are not happening now but our ocd brains react as if they are real. Anything that is not happening now isn't real. So practicing anything that will pull you closer to the present moment will help to ground you in reality. Everything that doesnt exist in the present is infinite and we cannot be certain of any of it, all we can be certain of is the here and now. Core values, self judgement and breaking the cycle : A lot of us are stuck in cycles, going around and around. These cycles are due to a lot of our core values and the thoughts/ past actions not lining up with the. These can be caused by trauma and/ or conditioning. Usually we can't let go because something clashed with the way in which we judge things, but the problem doesn't actually lie in our focus, but the values in which we judge them. The problem isn't what we weigh, but the scale itself. This is where it can get tricky, especially if what we think feels justified. It's not that your judging the scenario, actions or thoughts incorrectly, it's that your values are a bit on the extreme side. For example, I had harm ocd for 2 years and it was telling me to hurt everyone and everything in every way possible. This theme came about because I had a random intrusive thought once that clashed with my extreme values on morals having been raised by a reformed ex gangster and animal rights activist. The fault was caused by the conditioning I received. So when you go into therapy, please try to understand your conditioning and challenge them through Erp and some self compassion because it's not your fault. Where the fault lies does not matter, because that doesn't change what you need to do. You have to heal yourself regardless of it all.
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