- Username
- ocdillustrated
- Date posted
- 4y ago
I loved everything you just said but thoughts will always be the basis of everything whether with OCD or not. Especially for the people who are not aware that their thoughts are already irrational. I've had my major episode in which I've doubted my sanity already --- too irrational to comprehend that they are just thoughts that come and go because that time, they're not thoughts but already voices that wake me up moment by moment at night. When a thought arises, OCD people have it worse. Although we do all get such thoughts, OCD people have it so much more --- and mosquitoes are a bother when it becomes too much, that is why we have repellents. So, both thoughts and compulsions are both a problem. A compulsion would not exist without a thought --- and a compulsion can be reduced with a thought as well. The problem here is that when we become too irrational to be able to control ourselves. And yes, the only thing we can control is how we respond, it's just that sometimes too many stimuli (voices) will not give you the freedom to choose what to respond. So I hope we all get better!!
I see what you're saying, yet I disagree. There is lots and lots of research that shows that people without OCD have the same types of unexpected thoughts as people with OCD. People without OCD randomly think about steering their car I to traffic, whether they could get sick from a toilet seat, shaking their babies, whether the house is really locked, etc. There isn't any difference in the content of their unexpected thoughts. What bus different is the level of importance people with OCD attribute to the unexpected thoughts, which leads to the level of distress they cause us, and the maladaptive actions we can see to try to get rid of them.
@NOCD Advocate - Katie Wow, just reread that.. typos galore! Let me know if you have trouble pricing together what I'm saying. I can rewrite it if needed
@NOCD Advocate - Katie *piecing
@NOCD Advocate - Katie Hmm yeah, there is no difference but isn't it with OCD that we experience it so much more? β’^β’ So can't we just say both the thoughts and the compulsions are the problems? I do think that what's needs to be exercised is proactivity since I agree that we are so reactive. π
@beautifulmind What do you mean by "experience it so much more"? Are you talking about frequency of thoughts or distress they elicit?
@NOCD Advocate - Katie You experience the racing thoughts a lot more
@beautifulmind As if they're not thoughts anymore but voices that keep popping up. People have caught me laughing and talking by myself in public. Not the normal way but the distressing one
@beautifulmind It's very common for comorbidity to occur with OCD, but OCD on its own does not include hallucinations (auditory or otherwise). It's important to talk about ALL symptoms you experience with your therapist, so that your treatment plan can be catered to exactly what you need!
@CR βββwhat CR said. OCD doesn't include hallucinations. If you're hearing voices that you respond to as if they are real, that's a clue that something more than ocd may be at play.
@beautifulmind Those voices can equally be intrusive and super distressing, spitting out really mean things about who we are, and wild things that we could do or desire. And it's not uncommon for psychosis-related mental disorders to include compulsions too- so that may be cause for some confusion between OCD and hearing voices! Like Katie says below, if you're hearing voices and are able to respond to them, there may be more than OCD at play. As the post mentions, with OCD, you can work on how you react to intrusive thoughts and obsessions, so that they don't "ruin the camping trip", that's why treatment can be so effective! :)
@CR I don't really know what it was those days ---- but I was so irrational, and like i said, I've been caught laughing by myself before. Idk know if that is still OCD π And yes, I will seek therapy soon
This is helpful Katie. I have been practicing engaging in an activity and enjoying myself despite having OCD thoughts and anxiety. I also try to avoid black and white thinking. It is easy for me to dwell in self pity thinking I have it worse than anyone that doesn't have OCD. The truth I have many good things in my life to be thankful for but sometime OCD clouds my judgement and makes me focus only on my issue of having OCD.
I just posted another oictupost explaining some research about out of context thoughts. It's relevant to this conversation. In the mosquito/camping metaphor, it means that people with OCD just are surrounded by more insects in general. More butterflies, more ants, more spiders, more beetles, and yes, more mosquitoes. However, and this is important, plenty of people have more out of context thoughts than average (more insects) without having OCD. We're back to where we started. The thoughts aren't the problem. The way we interpret and react to thoughts are the problem. Additionally, perceiving something as a threat causes us to be hypervigilant for signs of it. This isn't just a human thing, it's a animals thing. After all, any species that didn't keep an eye out for threats in its environment wouldn't have survived. The problem is that if we see thoughts as threats, we notice reminders of them everywhere and that causes more thoughts. Similar to if you're camping and perceive mosquitoes as threats, you'll be on the lookout for mosquitoes, and then will notice them everywhere. If we away the mosquitoes away constantly (aka do compulsions) we reinforce the belief that mosquitoes (thoughts) are threatening. Then we look out for them even more. The behavior we use to respond to unwanted thoughts drives the cycle of have more or less of them and whether they are more or less distressing.
Yes. The thoughts are not the problems. Our reaction to those thoughts are the problem. Good reminder!!!
Oops *swat the mosquitoes away*
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