Posted by Kat26 on June 26, 2002, at 17:49:31
In reply to Re: HELP NEEDED IN TACKLING OCD PROBLEM!!, posted by rainbowlight on June 26, 2002, at 13:33:42
Hey Freedom,
as a fellow OCD sufferer I can understand very well how ANNOYING these thoughts can be. Hey, I think it is great that you feel better when you pray. I pray a lot too.
I have really been helped by Prozac, but I think cognitive/behavioral techniques are good too.
Have you ever noticed that what you obsess about changes over time? Like, right now it might be your walking style, but maybe a month ago it was something completely different?
It has sometimes helped me to remember that WHATEVER I OBSESS ABOUT AT THE MOMENT, SOME DAY IN THE FUTURE IT WILL BE NOTHING BUT ANOTHER OBSESSION OF THE PAST. You knw what I mean?
My psychiatrist has shown me that when you resist the compulsions, anxiety increases. When we do the compulsions, the anxiety is gone for the moment - but just to come back with a vengeance. What we really need to do is LET THE ANXIETY INCREASE (by not doing the compulsions) until it reaches the point WHERE IT LEVELS OFF AND FINALLY GOES DOWN AGAIN by itself. And that will ALWAYS happen. If we do the compulsions, we cut that off from happening, and the anxiety can make its painful comeback.Hope this helps a bit,
Kat26
poster:Kat26
thread:110808
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020617/msgs/110849.html