- Date posted
- 3y ago
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 3y ago
It’s actually because we misinterpret the instrinctual “safety signal”, and interpret it as a desire to act on a thought. The safety signal happens when we try to suppress a bad thought, and so it creates a sense of anxiety and feeling of what it might be like to do the act. The brain is basically processing what we are afraid of and responding by making it feel like we could do it. But in actuality, if you get this urge it means you won’t do it, because it’s a signal that you’re under high distress from it.
- Date posted
- 3y ago
Is there a way to prevent the urge from arising?
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 3y ago
@PolarisJoy No, that would mean suppression. And suppression is the exact thing that makes it stronger. The only way to weaken the urge is by exposing yourself to the thought without reacting to it. Allowing the thought and feeling to pass, will weaken it. Eventually the urge might go away. But that’s not up to you to decide. It’s not about taking the urge away. It’s about changing our relationship with the urge.
- Date posted
- 3y ago
@Sasha Spot on. I completely agree
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 3y ago
@Lms526 🙏
Related posts
- Date posted
- 14w ago
I have the thought of what if I lose control and do something out of my control like scream for no reason or yelling in a store or just blurting stuff out that’s not in my control and it causes so much anxiety and causes me to feel weird. I always think I’m on the edge of losing control of myself and it’s exhausting living like this. Any tips?
- Date posted
- 12w ago
OK, this might sound really dumb, but when you guys get intrusive thoughts, do they just come once and then go away? I’ve heard that repeatedly thinking about an intrusive thought is considered ‘checking,’ but it doesn’t feel like I have any control over how many times it comes up in my head. It’s not like I’m trying to check anything—it just keeps showing up, almost like it’s terrorizing me every time. I can’t seem to stop it from looping, stop remembering it, or prevent it from coming up. Every time it does, I feel horrified, and I already know it’s going to horrify me. I don’t think I’m actively trying to see if my feelings have changed, so is this still considered checking? How do other people get an intrusive thought and just move on? Doesn’t it pop up a million times for them too? I always thought that was normal, but now I’m hearing this could be a compulsion, and I feel really confused, scared, and lost. Is this why my OCD feels so extreme? Because I really don’t feel like I can control how many times the thought pops up.
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- Date posted
- 12w ago
Does confessing an intrusive thought just make it come back stronger?
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