Tips for getting over OCD: 1. Move away from themes, treat the what ifs as all the same, do not get caught up in the content. 2. Let go of rumination and other compulsions, it is the doing that is keeping you stuck. Recovery is through non-doing, not responding and allowing your brain to see you're no longer afraid of thinking ANY thought. 3. Engage in life again, don't allow the scary fairy tale stories to be anything more than what they are (junk thoughts).

Justmesadly

Date posted: 4y

This is great advice

probablynotmary

Date posted: 4y

I needed this thank you

Anonymous

Date posted: 4y

I think mine go away when I am out of the house. I work from home so I’m home all the time which is probably taking a toll on my mental health. These have helped me a lot but I’m still struggling: 1. Understanding OCD and what ruminations, reassurance and how that affects your compulsions. Knowing this will help you understand it’s OCD, not really you and you can’t help it, you don’t want it. It’s a bully trying to trick you. 2. Sit with the anxiety when the thought comes even if it doesn’t feel good. Agree with it or say “maybe” and acknowledge it, let it go but don’t avoid it. Take baby steps if needed with statements, like rather than full on agree just say “oh that’s OCD talking” and carry on. 3. Don’t analyze if, don’t reassure, don’t check. Just let it flow like water. 4. Don’t avoid it. Be around it, the more you’re around it the more your brain feels normal and begins to normalize it and not feel anxiety. Again, baby steps. These have helped me by reading online but I still am struggling sometimes but it’s better.

Anonymous

Date posted: 4y

Totally, people without OCD or any other type of disorder or illness are still struggling isolated, so it helps if we look at that as a shared experience. Honestly 90% of my suffering has went away as soon as I decided not to get into the content of the thought and ruminating over it, because the "obsessing" part of OCD is ruminating, its the thing people without OCD DONT do, what separates us, from people without the disorder is our engagement with the thought, we don't allow it to pass over us. Check out people like dr Michael J Greenberg, Ali Graymond and Mark Freeman. All have been very helpful at breaking this stuff down for me

Anonymous

Date posted: 4y

@Jay Mc I notice people make intrusive thoughts comments without realizing so it’s common but yeah they probably don’t obsess over it. Like when we are near something dangerous like a cliff someone makes a comment like “what if this and this happens”. My sis in law actually made an odd comment jokingly. Kids bop music was playing over and over at their aunts house for their baby but it was still playing even when she wasn’t around and she out loud said “um can we change the channel, this makes me feel like I’m a molester watching kids and it’s weird”. Whereas I wold probably make that comment in my head and obsess why I would even think such a thing.

Anonymous

Date posted: 4y

@Anonymous I feel like thats what separates people with OCD from regular folk, we take all thoughts to have some meaning or reflection in reality when really we are just super sensitive and caring people. A sense of humour is important, it helps see the thoughts for the random and meaningless occurrences they are

Caitlyn Abate

User type: OCD Conqueror

Date posted: 4y

Very inspirational thanks

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