Blahblah Posted October 13, 2017 Share Posted October 13, 2017 So I seem to be developing some new OCD type behaviors around a particular issue (having to do with a specific diet compliance/extreme monitoring). Are there any effective tactics you use to stop unwanted behaviors/thoughts like these in their tracks?? This is beginning to consume alot of my thoughts and I'm becoming too obsessive about it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyRedhead Posted October 13, 2017 Share Posted October 13, 2017 (edited) @Blahblah, do you have a therapist to talk with about these thoughts?.........Have you told your pdoc? A good therapist could advise you of different techniques that *might* combat these thoughts. I say "might", because my OCD is very extreme, and nothing so far has worked for me...I do have a new therapist who has suggested a therapy called "thought-stopping", but I'm hearing feedback from others saying it didn't work so good for them, and that it's outdated. But there are other therapy methods besides "thought-stopping", that might work for you, such as ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy), which @jt07 mentioned to me. I've done a little research on ACT and I'm going to ask my therapist about it....Sounds better to me than "thought-stopping": https://www.mentalhelp.net/articles/acceptance-and-commitment-therapy-act-for-obsessive-compulsive-and-related-disorders/ Edited October 13, 2017 by CrazyRedhead Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blahblah Posted October 13, 2017 Author Share Posted October 13, 2017 @CrazyRedhead I just started having these specific obsessions. I'll admit, NEVER had any compulsions until recently. I've always obsessed alot, and spend waaaaaaaay too much time researching random stuff online for hours. I have repetitive thoughts I cannot stop. Something new for me though, are the compulsive behaviors (tracking food intake obsessively, weighing food, cutting out all foods that aren't deemed super super "healthy", taking too many health supplements/vitamins, etc) My therapist asks me alot of questions, we talk about it, but she doesn't employ any specific techniques or have any solutions for me. (This is one of the issues I have with her) . She doesn't do CBT, she is more analytic-style. Thank you for the link. I will check out ACT...yeah I've tried CBT and "thought stopping" with rubber bands and all (that didn't help, sometimes it makes it worse) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swamp56 Posted October 13, 2017 Share Posted October 13, 2017 7 hours ago, CrazyRedhead said: But there are other therapy methods besides "thought-stopping", that might work for you, such as ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy), which @jt07 mentioned to me. My therapist practices a form of this whereby the thoughts are accepted and explained verbally as they relate to the disorder (e.g., I have thought x because the OCD is afraid that x might happen, and I must tell the OCD that the thought is unreasonable while not denying it). I've found it somewhat effective when my symptoms start getting bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CeremonyNewOrder Posted October 13, 2017 Share Posted October 13, 2017 Read up on or ask your therapist about mindfulness meditation and cognitive behavioral therapy. These therapies will help you to challenge the distressing thoughts and reduce the stress that they cause and you will learn how to live with the thoughts (they can't be completely erased from your consciousness). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phidippus Posted October 15, 2017 Share Posted October 15, 2017 First you have to identify the fear driving these behaviors. Once you have done that, you can get to work on extinguishing the fear. The standard therapy for OCD is ERP or exposure and response prevention. Finding a therapist who specializes in ERP may be tricky. ERP basically makes you face your fears and if you do it with some humor it can work miracles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianOCD Posted November 22, 2017 Share Posted November 22, 2017 (edited) The typical response for me is to try and not fight it...just let it be there and it will become like the rest of our thoughts freeflowing through the brain. We only get hung up on the weird thoughts when we're stressed/anxious/depressed. Those thoughts are actually always there anyways...even though good moods. As for meds, Ativan or a benzo usually helps tons with OCD. Edited November 22, 2017 by BrianOCD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paintedsky Posted November 23, 2017 Share Posted November 23, 2017 I wonder if it would be helpful to talk to a nutritionist or similar dietary expert. They would supposedly be vigilant about food without feeling obsessive. Maybe they would be able to relate to the specific behaviors and you could see how to feel healthy about them. I hope that's an okay suggestion... I also agree very much with earlier posters about therapy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aur462 Posted December 13, 2017 Share Posted December 13, 2017 I'm not sure what "analytical" encompasses with your therapist. If my ability to analyze were harnessed into the right form of energy I could detonate an atomic bomb. If your therapist is examining a lot of nuance, anything but minimal time on your childhood, etc., they may be fantastic therapists, but not when it comes to OCD/similar. You have thoughts and/or compulsions that assail you. Most therapists are poor at treating OCD, obviously. Regardless of the approach taken, it sounds like your therapist is not a good fit from what you've expressed. I agree with mindfulness. The thoughts ain't going anywhere. I would suggest finding a well-reviewed, intelligent audio book or paperback on the subject. There are bound to be good websites also, but I would recommend getting a good book first so you'll be able to discern the randomness on the web. I've been impervious to therapy when I've tried it - not for lack of commitment. They just haven't been able to infiltrate my noggin. It always seems like they know little more or occasionally less than I do about OCD, and when they are OCD "specialists" (twice), they still aren't able to help. It could be that OCD can be inherently challenging to treat in my case because while I'm otherwise openminded, I have an expectation of the way things should go, click, whatever the preconceived dynamic may be I'm expecting, that may be rigid and oppressive to the therapeutic process (read: inflexibility/rigidity). Nonetheless, it's too bad I've had to "do it on my own", outside of just having loved ones to talk to. My brain is "avant garde" (if you will....please do) in my estimation. It also seems to be programmed with software that is incapable of being "updated" in a region/s of my brain responsible for "staying out of my own way." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nobusime Posted June 10, 2018 Share Posted June 10, 2018 Hey there @Blahblah... What's been said above about a therapist could be the key. He or she will be able to tell you about techniques to counter the development of the behaviours...In particular, there are therapists that work with Psychotherapy (yeah, Freud's stuff), who could prove terribly beneficial to what you are asking for...I've found such help available in a couple websites, including this one's article: "Curing OCD with Psychoanalysis"...I am feeling a bit down right now so I won't elaborate much more, but I hope you get the help you need! Good luck and Godspeed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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