What are some examples of mental compulsions and how can you identify them in yourself? I am struggling with what counts as a mental compulsion since it’s not as black and white as a physical one.
For me it is ruminating on thoughts! Checking if this thought feels right of this thought feels wrong. And checking my body and thoughts and emotions when I think about different things or see people. I struggle with rocd so I check for feelings ALL the time!
@Girl101 this!! thank you ❤️
Mine are repeated words/phrases thought intentionally to get rid of another “bad” thought/mental image. The purpose of the repetitive thought is key, not necessarily what words are used. Examples: - “It’s ok, it’s ok, it’s ok” OR “you’re ok” over and over - “God is with me” used specifically for car accident images (rooted in PTSD) - “I will live and not die” used for self harm images (taught by my CBT therapist who didn’t recognize it was OCD) - Forcing the bad mental image away and replacing it with a good image (eg. picturing a stop sign every time)
@enlightinlove aren’t compulsions supposed to be avoided though? this is where i get confused because these seem to be good things to tell yourself to help with intrusive thoughts
@Anonymous I wasn’t sure either, esp the one for car accident PTSD.. But that’s where the scrupulous/morality OCD type can come in with scriptures, prayers, and things that seem to be good things to think, but the purpose of the thought is off. It’s the difference between thinking it as an affirmation to just remind/motivate yourself vs thinking it to neutralize a “bad” thought. From what I’m reading, OCD is about one’s relationship with their thoughts, not what they’re thinking. The fact that we’re labeling the thought as “bad” and feeling the need to do something about the thought is the “problem.” I meet with my ERP therapist Monday so I’ll get more clarity.
@enlightinlove thanks so much for ur comment! it’s hard to figure out but we got this ❤️
I’ve been feeling the urge to avoid intimacy or purposefully engage (for reassurance that I won’t give into a compulsion) because of intrusive thoughts and fear that I’ll “check/test” my reactions. My OCD is making me so scared that I’ll purposefully think of a child and try to see if I like it. It’s so complicated but I guess I’m mentally checking if I would mentally check during intimacy. I’ve even envisioned myself checking and it’s making me so nauseous. I know it’s a compulsion like any other but the sound of “touching yourself to the thought of a child” sounds atrocious and vile. I’m terrified I’ll automatically start checking next time I am being intimate. I truly feel so worried. If anyone has gone through something similar, I’d appreciate hearing your experience. Or if anyone has any advice?
So maybe the title wasn't the best to to put it but when you guys start having obsessive thoughts how do you stop them before it turns into compulsions and anxiety?
When I was a child, before I knew this was OCD, I struggled with constant "magical thinking" compulsions (don't step on the crack or mom's back will actually break, etc). When I later learned this was OCD, it almost immediately solved it. Any time I got a magical thought, I would say to myself "that's just an OCD thought. ignore it." and it just stopped coming! Like seriously it fixed the magical thinking stuff forever. But of course the OCD has resurfaced in other ways. So naturally, I've tried to use the same strategy since I had so much success with it previously. But I wonder sometimes if telling myself "that's just OCD" is almost functioning as a reassurance compulsion? I hate how meta this gets. For example, I have ROCD that comes and goes. So sometimes I'll get a thought like "what if i'm still in love with my ex?" and then I'll tell myself "that's obviously just an ROCD thought" and will feel relief, almost like reassurance. But it comes back. So is telling myself that it's OCD a reassurance compulsion ?? It's just so weird because it worked so perfectly as a kid with the magical thinking thing.
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