- Date posted
- 4y
- Date posted
- 4y
Unfortunately you’ll continue to do mental compulsions because trying to suppress these thoughts make them more aggressive and intrusive. Try to sit with the thoughts and try to not add value to the content. An average person has 60k+ a day... mostly subconsciously of course and everyone gets intrusive thoughts... we just want certainty and wonder why. If you haven’t already, look into getting with a therapist that specializes in treating OCD to learn how to practice ERP each day, you’ll learn that when these intrusive thoughts come you can continue to do what you want and it’ll just fade to the background
- Date posted
- 4y
I don't get this. I don't understand or know how to apply thinking without adding value
- Date posted
- 4y
Please some help
- Date posted
- 4y
@j420 Me either
- Date posted
- 4y
@j420 Ok so let’s just take one of the thoughts that are intrusive to you. When it pops up, just sit with the thought but don’t think or dissect it a part. Just say “I don’t know, maybe, will not today !” And stay in the present. Are you in therapy at all yet?
- Date posted
- 4y
@j420 I want you to learn from a professional, I may not be explaining it correctly I’m sorry but I know that when a thought comes that I don’t necessarily agree with or want, I accept the uncertainty and let the sensation and feeling pass
- Date posted
- 4y
@NOCD Advocate - Danielle Yes I'm seeing Thelma. I'm so frustrated with my brain. I'm 51 and had this most my life. I am frustrated with trying to figure out how to let an intrusive thought "just be there"and I also need to learn some self compassion
- Date posted
- 4y
Yes because i have difficulty letting the thoughts flow. I want to fight so bad but i know the process to recovery is letting the thoughts happen and just fade over time
- Date posted
- 4y
I feel your struggle. Many years ago I used to try and 'block' intrusive thoughts or images in my mind by playing words or images in head. Eventually I would play the same things in my mind, then in same order, and more words/images added on. The intrusive thought would become more harder and anxiety raising to suppress out with my 'thought train' compulsion and I did not want it to appear while I was actually trying to do something. Now I just sit with it, time out until I'm calmed down.
- Date posted
- 4y
I am sorry that you are struggling with this, I have definitely been there
- Date posted
- 4y
Danielle. So what's the difference between ERP and sitting with the thought.
- Date posted
- 4y
@j420 You simply just don’t engage with the thoughts or give them value, it takes work. ERP is the practice of actually triggering these thoughts on purpose and allowing them to exist while not engaging with them.
- Date posted
- 4y
@NOCD Advocate - Danielle Thanks Danielle you I think have made it clearer to me. So engaging is hyping up my belief that I will kill myself when all I need to do is agree that I might and not trying to believe it. My mind is already saying that right
- Date posted
- 4y
@NOCD Advocate - Danielle I think I've had this all wrong because I have been giving the thoughts value. I thought that's what I was doing when I was sincerely trying to believe them.
- Date posted
- 4y
@j420 Yes don’t engage at all, just state that you noticed the thoughts and continue to sit with the uncertainty
- Date posted
- 4y
@NOCD Advocate - Danielle It’ll take some time, you are forming a new way of doing things
- Date posted
- 4y
@NOCD Advocate - Danielle Thanks Danielle. I appreciate you responding to me
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 4y
yes
- Date posted
- 4y
Sometimes yes
- Date posted
- 4y
yes :( i can’t escape
- Date posted
- 4y
Yes
- Date posted
- 4y
All day every day 24/7 almost
- Date posted
- 4y
I feel your pain
- Date posted
- 4y
I have the thoughts 24/7 and they never pass
- Date posted
- 4y
I had the same thing. I learned to stop rumination engaging with the thought. My life is so much better. Erp and therapy works!
Related posts
- Date posted
- 23w
Any one else deal with this? Like from the moment they wake up to the second they fall asleep, the intrusive thoughts are there?
- Date posted
- 22w
Usually my compulsions are always motivated by fear. I feel like a child when I have compulsions. Like for example, my brain convinces me that someone is in my house and I need to open every cabinet and all the shower curtains, and do tons of other crazy things like march instead of walking so that if someone where to shoot at my legs they'd have less of a chance of hitting me. How do I stop it? I am just going about my day and I can see in my head, myself getting attacked or something and so my only option to calm myself down is to do a bunch of random actions that will keep me "safe". Does anyone else experience this? Or convince themselves that they are under Milo Murphys law? That anything bad that can happen to them will, so they need to never do anything that could result in anything bad, and avoid everything? And how do you convince yourself you're not in danger?
- Date posted
- 15w
My biggest is ruminating, i talk and talk and over share with myself and others Like what are some exposures?
Be a part of the largest OCD Community
Share your thoughts so the Community can respond