- Date posted
- 6y
- Date posted
- 6y
Focus on one obsession at a time. Don’t try to stop all of your compulsions at once - if another obsession comes, try to ignore it or do whatever you can do focus on exposure for the first compulsion. Choose something easy to complete first, something that you will 100% be able to complete, so that when you’re working on the hard stuff you’ll have a small victory to look back on. If, for example, you’re worried about needing to knock on a door three times before entering a room, but you also have to tap your foot three times against the floor before you enter the room, don’t try to stop both at once; try to stop the knocking, and then once that is complete, stop the foot tapping. I hope this helps! Keep us updated on how things are going.
- Date posted
- 6y
I've been wondering about the same thing. Sometimes I'd just forget about some obsessions when they pile up and be very anxious about it. But often after some time I don't care anymore.
- Date posted
- 6y
It’s just there are so many, I don’t know where to begin or how to do it. I know what I need to do but here’s the thing, if someone is afraid of contamination and fear of feces, I doubt they would be touching feces for the ERP. So how then, would one be doing an ERP for that? I’ve tried imaginary but it doesn’t help. I feel stupid and foolish and couldn’t take it seriously.
- Date posted
- 6y
Well what fear would you like to conquer first? Maybe we can think of an ERP together.
- Date posted
- 6y
I’m not sure. My two most problematic Ocds are contamination fear and checking compulsions. But these two work hand in hand. I should probably start by stop writing my dreams every hour each night to get better rest so I’m not tired but I’ve tried stopping once before but it came back stronger and it was after something traumatizing. But even when I feel rested the thought of doing the ERP exhausts me. Getting out of bed to use the bathroom is both my contamination and checking. Throwing things out is also contamination and checking. I don’t go anywhere else in the apartment just bed and bathroom. I’m going to have to start packing because I have to leave where I am in about two weeks, I’m just so exhausted. I’ve thought about going to the hospital but I’ve been there three times and each time they say they’d help me I’m still stuck in bed. And hospitals are scary because I don’t have control and you have to do everything on their time and that’s extremely difficult for me.
- Date posted
- 6y
You should start with something minor. Can you write down your dreams only every two hours? See how that goes. Or do you check something several times? Try checking it one time less.
- Date posted
- 6y
I’ve tried reducing the amount of times I write my dreams but if I don’t I start to become anxious and can not fall asleep. Only when I feel safe I can go back to sleep. I’ve been getting better at trying not to feel guilt and ruminate about dreams that I know I had and remember (I try to recall all my dreams before I open my eyes-usually have few episodes) up until I open my eyes and I forget what I was literally thinking of a second ago. That used to bother me so much. I’m able to do that when I’m so exhausted I just sleep. So when I do forget I can write it off as I was really tired and can fall back to sleep. If that makes sense? The checking is strange. I check multiple times when either I’m lacking in rest, I’m exhausted or experiencing depersonalization from anxiety. Also I get light headed and nauseous and start doubting my eyes. So I take pictures. I used to have to record myself but it’s very rare. A lot of pictures still? Yes. But I also try to think of the best way to check and clean one time. Throwing things out is a bit more difficult. I know what garbage is but I’m afraid that something small like my SD card with my embarrassing videos/photos or earrings that belonged to my deceased mother (examples) that I may accidentally throw away. I know they are just material items and but I feel like I’m tossing my mother out or I failed her or I killed her again or that I’m irresponsible and don’t care about her. I’m also afraid of forgetting. I know no one can rob me of my memories but there are things in the past that I do not remember until I see the item. And most importantly sentimental items are hard to let go.
- Date posted
- 6y
I know how you feel I've got similar issues! It's really hard... The only thing we can do is resisting compulsions as often as possible. Have you tried GG OCD? It's an app that tries to change your thought patterns, it's worth a try!
- User type
- Staff
- Date posted
- 6y
@crazy.cat.lady Have you been doing erp in this app? Erp is supposed to be the most effective for getting beyond those compulsions!
Related posts
- Date posted
- 24w
I’ve been stuck in this cycle for the last month or two and am not sure how to get out of it. Basically, I will work on ignoring the thoughts and not responding or engaging plus limiting/completely eliminating compulsions. After a week or two of constant work, the amount of intrusive thoughts in a day goes down. The anxiety each thought causes also goes down with some, but not all, thoughts passing without notice like they would for a normal person. The thoughts that do stick cause anxiety and make me want to ruminate or do other compulsions but I make sure to limit them. After a bit, I’m in a pretty good head space. This is usually when it goes down hill. I’ll start to question if I even have ocd because some of the thoughts (once again not all) pass without notice. The difficulty resisting compulsions goes down and so does the anxiety, only increasing the questioning. I spend a while questioning if I’ve ever had ocd in the first place and then something sets me off or the questioning itself becomes a trigger and I get stuck back into the same ocd cycle with constant rumination, anxiety, and other compulsions. This lasts for a week or two before I know I need to stop and try and work hard to get back to ignoring the thoughts. And the cycle just restarts over and over again. Does anyone have any tips to stop this from happening? It’s really harming my recovery as every few weeks I dive back into the same negative place I was.
- Date posted
- 22w
I have really started to take control of my compulsions and im starting to string together better days! Still not great days or even good, but they are better!!! I have controlled my outward compulsions (googling, research, reassurance, checking) the past couple of days and felt the positive impact of that. But unfortunately, I am realizing that the rumination is still constant. My sexuality and relationship are the only two things constantly on my brain, and if they aren’t I freak out and wonder why im not thinking about them! Anyone have any advice on how to deal with the rumination. Sometimes I don’t even notice im doing it, but it’s taking up 90% of my day. Once I start to tackle this I think I may make some real big progress! Hope everyone is fighting today! ❤️
- Date posted
- 20w
My biggest is ruminating, i talk and talk and over share with myself and others Like what are some exposures?
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