- Username
- Anonymous
- Date posted
- 4y ago
I used to have it really badly and it doesn’t affect me so much anymore. I will sometimes still do manual but the difference is I don’t let thoughts about it consume me. If I notice I’m doing it I do something to distract me and I move on. It doesn’t occupy my head space like it used to and I used to think I’d never figure it out but the truth is that one day all these worries just won’t seem as big anymore
I'm on the upswing from it right now. It's not fully conquered but I've been fighting breathing since April and only in the last few weeks have I kinda figured it out. I did a lot of research on pramayana breathing and did some intentional exposure to manual breathing by doing it for like, 2 straight hours, and then ultimately had a moment of "I'm fucking tired of this, I'm just going to meditatively check in to my environment." These events happened sequentially, and since then I have had very little anxiety about it. When I do, I keep my mind focused on the concept that mindfully paying attention to my breath is actually exposure and that I am willing to sit with the discomfort of it. I then flit in and out of paying attention to my environment until the urge to monitor my breath has fully passed. It took a LONG time though.
So you are mindful of your breathing and your awareness of it passes? I have a constant focus on salivation and swallowing that I've had for 2 years straight
For me it's all been about chillin with the notion that I might pay attention to a thing and it's fine if I do. It's easier said than done, but a lot of the breath anxiety for me started because I was like, oh no, not this again.
I never lose awareness of it. Its such a tiring thing
Anyone have any tips for Somatic/sensorimotor typs ocd? Hyper focus on bodily sensations such as breathing. I find this one often comes back extremely bad when I least expect it. Things like meditation and focusing on the breath stuff really triggers me.
anyone got any tips/advice on how to overcome somatic ocd/ sensorimotor ocd
I am currently struggling with somatic OCD. It started yesterday and continued to build up more and more this morning. I want to be proactive and not just run away from it in fear and let it get any bigger. Basically I am super aware of my blinking, breathing, and swallowing (I do kindly ask that no one gives any other forms that somatic OCD can take. I heard about these and then instantly latched onto them :/) I did make an imaginal script saying the following. I will never stop thinking about blinking I will never stop thinking about breathing I will never stop thinking about swallowing I will never have piece of mind and the thoughts and sensations will consume me. it will destroy the relationship with my son and wife and I will have a miserable miserable life. I recorded myself saying this and started listening to it on repeat for 15 min at a time. I also have been telling myself whenever the thoughts come up to not fuse with them and do my best to not engage with them. However I do find myself thinking...what if I start thinking about it when I go here or go there, etc. Which creates anxiety and makes me fearful that I will not get rid of this. When I hyper focus on these three things it makes it hard to breathe, swallow, and even see because it makes me dizzy. I have had TONS of themes in the past but I have to be honest this one scares me quite a bit because these are things that I 100% need to do each day in order to function as a human being so its like each time I do any of them even naturally my brain connects it and creates anxiety. ****So I am wondering if the script I wrote is the best way to combat this? and additionally are there other things that I could do in order to conquer this? I know seeking reassurance is not a good thing but I would love to hear how others have overcome this and got free from it....without being triggering if possible :) Thanks so much for everyone on this platform. I cant even tell you how much I appreciate you all and have learned in the short couple of weeks I have been on here.
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