- Date posted
- 13w ago
Not a good place!
I'm really not in a good place! The thoughts just keep coming! Even when I ignore them or agree with them & it's literally making me sick to my stomach!
I'm really not in a good place! The thoughts just keep coming! Even when I ignore them or agree with them & it's literally making me sick to my stomach!
Deleted reply.
It's definitely making me anxious. I want the reassurance, but I know that doesn't help!
Hi, I wrote this reply to someone who was going through the same thing. I will cut and paste, it might help _------ The short answer is to ignore those thoughts. I know it’s easier said than done, but here’s a helpful way to think about it: whenever you experience these intrusive thoughts, remember that they don’t come from you and are not under your control. Imagine you’re walking to a very important meeting, and along the way, you encounter an annoying dog that barks at you incessantly. The best response is to walk calmly and not pay any attention to it. You wouldn’t bark back at the dog, right? Eventually, it will lose interest or fade away into the distance. The same principle applies to those intrusive thoughts. Don’t try to stop the “dog” from barking; instead, let it be and focus on what truly matters—your life and your important goals.
I've been through many many intrusive thoughts & many themes, but this one particular one takes the icing!
What's helping me is: 1. Saying "I am panicked about these things because I don't want to do them. My body is protecting me." 2. "If I feel the urge to do them I can always call for !!HELP!! first ." 3. What are the compulsions actually accomplishing? Let's say you "kick the cat" or "punch your friend"...okay? And? What's next....? 4. Sitting in the anxiety. Imagining yourself actually doing it. Have the panic attack. Dont compulse>>>>this is the hardest part. 5. Ashwaganda and vitamin C. Daily walks. Limiting gluten and dairy. I've been in almost a 10 day harm OCD episode after getting fired from my job and finding out my neighbor committed. I have had OCD tendencies since I was a child (but nothing concerning enough to get therapy at the time) and the stress of all of this has me in my worst flare yet. However, the anxiety has REDUCED itself in comparison to the beginning after a lot of rest and practicing the things listed above. I am a therapist myself (not OCD related but I remember reading about stuff in school!)
my therapist suggested that some of my less bad rocd intrusive thoughts are actually mine, and not intrusive. She ended up taking it back when she saw the alarm on my face and saw how panicked I got. I feel really freaking anxious. We were only talking about it because I mentioned a lot of doubt surrounding those less bad ones, but it only filled me with more doubt. I don’t want those thoughts to be mine. I really don’t. I feel scared and so discouraged after this session. I feel scared about the worst thoughts, what if those aren’t intrusive. I feel so much doubt.
I am having a really hard time being home for the holidays. My intrusive thoughts are constant and loud. It sucks too, because my thoughts get triggered when I'm around one of my family members. I just want to distance myself, so I can stop the thoughts and feel like I'm not going to hurt anyone. I'm so distressed and depressed. What do you do to help calm your mind and remind yourself that you are a good person, despite what the thoughts say? I've already meditated, taken my Lexapro, and tried to remind myself that these thoughts want to attack the things I care about the most. Thanks. ❤️
I struggle so bad with intrusive thoughts. They can be so bad that I'll cry because I KNOW that's not how I feel or want to do. (Too embarrassed to say what they're about) I'll constantly try to figure out why I have them, and constantly figure out what they mean, causing me to constantly circle around and around. I had to get on anxeity meds, which helped a little but the thoughts still happen. How do you help yourself with this? How do you know that you're just not some physcopath? 😅
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