Why does harm ocd make you feel like you actually want to do bad things even thought you don’t? Especially when the anxiety is not their. Even though I’m diagnosed with ocd it makes me doubt if I ever have ocd. Any tips for sitting with the uncertainty especially with themes this horrible like harm ocd?

Maddiamber

183d ago

Ocd wants you to answer its question to wether it is ocd or not. Very typical. You don’t need to engage with these questions. Just observe them without going down the rabbit hole

BetterDays

183d ago

What if it feels to real? Like for me it’s hard to sit with the uncertainty because it’s like but what if I snap and hurt people and sometimes it feels like an urge and that’s scary. Any tips for just sitting because often when I tell myself maybe maybe not ny brain continues to ruminate on the what if’s.

Maddiamber

183d ago

@CHz Ocd wouldn’t be a debilitating illness if it didn’t feel real. You don’t want to ask yourself or others for too much reassurance because that just feeds the thoughts. Remember thoughts are just thoughts and we don’t need to engage with them. As hard as it is, practice saying “I don’t need to engage with this thought or solve this what if question.” You can do hard things and not let ocd bully you into answering its questions. Just accept the presence of the thoughts and they will pass on their own. Hope that helps

Maddiamber

183d ago

@CHz Thoughts, urges, sensations, images.. they’re all the same. Don’t latch onto the word urge. Anxiety makes intrusive thoughts feel threatening on every level, mentally and physically. Just sit with the discomfort and it will lose its power.

dogluv13

182d ago

So well said @Maddiamber !!! @CHz I don’t want to give you reassurance but please know that I have been exactly where you are and I am making progress with ERP. Stick with it, you can do this ♥️

178d ago

Hi CHZ, doubting whether or not you have OCD, especially when diagnosed, is definitely page 1 of the OCD playbook. @Maddiamber was on point with all of the descriptions of why OCD does what it does and has some very good advice. If it didn’t feel real, it wouldn’t cause us anxiety/discomfort and be causing it us issues in our lives. It’s also what makes it difficult to determine what is an intrusive thought vs something else. Try to remember that you are not your intrusive thoughts, you did not ask for them and they do not define you. As tricky as it is, as @Maddiamber said, try not to interact with your intrusive thoughts either by dwelling or trying to actively disprove as that will just make them more “real.” Sitting with uncertainty is definitely not easy, especially in the beginning but it will get easier with practice over time. Have you tried practicing ERP with one of your minor themes first, just to get used to it and get in more practice before tackling your more major themes? I had to start small and work my way up. I would not claim that I don’t still slip and indulge in compulsions or intrusive thoughts from time to time, but it is far less often and far less severe. As much as possible I try to flat out ignore my intrusive thoughts or note them and try to tell them “so what” or “maybe it will, maybe it won’t” statements to not give my OCD a satisfactory definitive answer and try to go about my day. Which I know is far easier said than done depending on the thought. Hang in there and stay strong, it will get easier, but it takes time.