- Username
- Bri007
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 3y ago
I had really really bad health ocd. My therapist taught me something called urge surfing. Sit with the urge to check your temp, ribs, etc in your mind’s eye and “surf” it like a wave, keeping It in your mind and resisting doing it until it dies down or passes. To this day I have a different theme or two now but if I get really stressed I’ll find myself doing the same checks I did during my health ocd and I just kinda laugh to myself. If my broken ass brain can get through it, so can you! You got this
this is helpful
Thank you, I'm I think I'm scared to not give into the compulsions one it's so second nature so I have to be much more aware of it but two because I'm scared I'm putting my health in jeopardy. I somehow have to get over that to the point where I just want to focus on the anxiety and identify it as such rather than a health related issue.
I’m the same. I’m consistently checking my body and inside my mouth for signs of the worst. If I don’t check, then I’m not caring enough about my body. If I stop checking then I’ll find out too late that something is wrong and ultimately perish from it. I hate living this way.
@saltnburnem Yes, I'm right there with you. It just took so much out of me to not check certain things I'm concerned about during my night time routine. Some days I'm able to stave off compulsions other days I just feel like I have no control. Have you found anything to be helpful at all?
@Bri007 Nothing. I’ve been having an anxiety attack since 11:30 this morning because I’m not supposed to check my body. It feels worse not to check.
The only way to stop it is to not give into compulsions. Sit with the anxiety, as much as that might be difficult it will be the best thing in the long run. It will make you feel better long-term
Thank you for the support.... This is going to be very challenging.
Thank you 🙏
Thank you both so much. The visualization of riding a wave sounds like a good technique to try.
The anxiety itself is like a wave as well. It always follows a similar pattern. It surges, peaks, and then declines. The surge is the worst because your anxiety goes crazy and the urge to do a compulsion is so strong. It feels like an eternity. But it really only lasts a couple minutes. This is essentially what doing ERP is like. I did nothing but give into my compulsions for over 30 years because I didn't know I had OCD. Giving into a compulsion does relieve your anxiety. But the relief is very short lived and it makes your OCD worse. But doing ERP will give you long lasting anxiety relief and it basically reprograms your brain.
this is so true, i didnt realize my checking and googling and all of that were making me worse, because now i cant function without doing it. learning to deal with the feelings will help in the long run
Yes, the goal is to except the uncertainty that you might be OK and you might not be OK. Living with that uncertainty is what will kill and starve OCD. Do not compulsive, that OCD wins.
That’s the hard part. I HAVE to know I’ll be ok.
When you are faced with a question about your health, just say I don’t know. Don’t search for the answer
Yes it will be - you will be okay. Feel free to reach out to me anytime over Instagram, mlm575757 is my Insta.
Thanks you. I have been in ERP therapy in the past but if you don't give it you're all it's never going to work. I think that I was just I'm so stuck at major that I had to get better at identifying the compressions because it was just part of my life. Thank you so much for the support
Sorry speech to text
Thank you I have been in ERP therapy in the past but if you don't give it you're all it's never going to work. I think I was stuck in doing the compulsions it was so second nature that I had to get better at identifying the compulsions because it was just a part of my life. This time around I am forcing myself to do as much as I can but I may need the help of medication
And that is totally okay. There is no shame in needing medication.
I appreciate that, I've been trying to do without but I think if I throw myself into some low level ERP and can't even get past that then I'm going to have to really rethink medication. But we'll say I'm just getting into restarting and developing a new hierarchy with my new therapist so I'm kind of going back to my foundation
My ocd has randomly become so bad this past week that i cant even get dressed. I constantly feel like i have bugs on me, i have started to hit myself when i get frustrated. Its never been so bad and i have no idea what to do. Every second im on edge i cant relax. Does anyone experience this or have any advice?
What are common ERP exercises for Health OCD? I just feel exhausted and I know I need help... My compulsion is going to an urgent care. I also google my symptoms. Going to the urgent care all the time cost so much money. :( And of course google makes things so much worse because everything is deadly according to google. This past month I’ve convinced myself I had pancreatic cancer, brain cancer, Parkinson’s disease, ALS, and colon cancer. I’m exhausted and just want this to stop.
My OCD has been flaring since last night and all morning. Then I get a moment of clarity and apply the tools that I've learned, ground myself again, and continue on with my day. Then a slight thought will trigger my OCD and I'm fighting it again. It keeps happening and its still just 10 am right now. Has this happened to anyone else? What things have you done or told yourself that were helpful for you when this happened to you?
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