How would I do exposures for pure-o? I know I need to stop ruminating but I’m not sure how? It seems to happen automatically and I try to stop myself. Should I do nothing, or try and acknowledge that I’m experiencing an intrusive thought?

Ignoring it can be a compulsion so acknowledging it and then it letting go is a good practice. Label it then let it pass.

Thank you!

This is a great question!

So I have been struggling with this as well since most of my themes are pure o. I finally had something click in my brain and I understand how to handle ruminating. The first thought you have that pops into your head is not something you can control at all… but the mental gymnastics that happen afterwards are. So for me with pure o, mental review is something I do a ton of. Lots of thoughts reviewing and analyzing the original obsessive thought that pops into my mind. Also replaying memories and so on. So, you are already having a sort of exposure when you get the original thought, and the response prevention would be stopping any mental review, mental checking or other rumination or mental compulsions, and just being uncertain instead of doing the mental compulsions . So I have been just saying the original bad thought out loud or in my head, and stopping myself from ruminating by saying something like “there’s no way to know”, or “ maybe so, maybe not” or even “thanks for this awesome thought ocd” etc. I have heard it’s really good to do mindfulness where you just watch the thought come in and label it, and then let it go without ruminating. Good luck! I am in the same boat with you and it is horrible!