OCD/Anxiety insights I gained from therapy

[Charlotte]

Last year I completed around 16 session's of CBT for OCD. I've just come across (notes) the insights I gained and learnt at the end of the therapy. Hopefully this may help anyone that is managing the same type of issues:

• Always make the most emotionally difficult decision
• Checking and reassurance feeds OCD and or anxiety
• Reassurance is functionless (you don't believe the reassurance anyway and ultimately it adds to the anxiety, it is part of it (same movement))
• The mind is unbelievably sneaky, extremely shifty so always be aware of subtle checking and reassurances that may be happening without you even knowing
• Always do the thing that will make you feel the least secure, the least comfortable, the least abnormal move.
• Love yourself and treat yourself like a vulnerable child

(By checking I mean checking anything related to your OCD and or anxiety e.g. fixing your hair, looking at a specific part of your body, checking switches are turned off, checking other people's behaviours and or actions, the list goes on)

These insights I brought forward and applied into everyday life after therapy. They serve me well.

[Markus]

@Charlotte Good stuff.

[bejapuskas]

Thanks Charlotte  

[Charlotte]

@Markus @bejapuskas ❤️

[improvementedward]

@Charlotte Thanks for sharing this. As someone who struggles with OCD/Anxiety this is really helpful.

[Charlotte]

@improvementedward My pleasure Mr dude ❤️

[BjarkeT]

Great stuff very valuable information.

[Consept]

Good stuff, i also suffer from OCD/anxiety and can agree 100% reassurance is really the thing that just keeps the cycle going. Feels hard not to do it but its so important

[ajasatya]

@Charlotte solid advice right there

[KyleR]

Thanks for sharing Charlotte  “checking and reassurance” I’ve noticed myself in these patterns way too often and mental commentary about how it’s all good or labelling a certain event as a trigger and this is just that bla bla. Guess it’s about being present enough to notice then changing the thought process? Easier said than done in a lot of cases tho 

[Charlotte]

@KyleR Kyle one of the things that the therapist said and always remained in my mind is behaviour change can change thought patterns. I did question this initially but came to realise through experience she was right. 

So observing thought patterns doesn't always work in some instances. 

I'd recommend firstly writing down your checking and reassurance habits and then taking it from there.

 

[KyleR]

@Charlotte Thanks will do one thing I have noticed is I’ll look to past and future like “ah this is what triggers it” or “this what I’m like when this happens” so when a similar occurrence is approaching I’ll freeze up or something, like anticipating it which definitely makes it worse, but am definitely catching it better. Not this, not this