OCD Support Thread

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^Yes, and, they can't protect me or anyone else either. Hey, wouldn't it be cool if the good thoughts repeated sometimes too? That could get annoying after a while but hey: at first, it would be a welcome change of pace. Someone complimented me over on another thread, but no, that's not the thought most likely to run through my head.

I'm feeling quite a bit better, which is awesome because years ago, I'd often have anxiety attacks because the thoughts ran on, too fast for me to slow them down or redirect them. I've made progress, and people without anxiety have absolutely no idea how amazing it is to know that I prevented an anxiety attack. The little victories, they can't understand... Well, I suppose they could get a taste if I told the whole before-and-now story or something. But still.

You say that now. Over time though, you'll learn a technique here, a helpful thought there, hopefully sooner rather than later. I believe that about you because you've already started the process, you're eager to learn, and so you'll find your answers. Some of them anyway. Sometimes I say, man! Why am I still stuck with anxiety and obsessions after all these years? And the other voice in my head says, but I've overcome lots of fears, I don't have as many random anxiety attacks, and I'm more aware of the subtleties in my feelings. The cognitive stuff is really important for me, but the feelings make a big difference too and lots of therapists seem to ignore them.

Haha my therapist disagrees. Apparently I'm so rigid and stuck in my ways that I am unwilling to learn. I'll learn if you tell me what it will do for me! I've been told to go outside and breathe air. How is that going to stop a severe OCD obsession ? I am trying my hardest, though. I've gotten slightly better, I think. It's just really hard, and I wish people would understand that about anxiety. I have OCD because that's just how it is. I think OCD can really suck at times, but I'm willing to try and get rid of it. The paranoid thoughts are back, by the way, and I'm trying to see if I believe them or not. It's annoying, but when they go away it's great ! I hope I will be able to learn more.

Maybe you're both right, depending on perspective. You want to learn but not mindlessly try things that make no sense to you. That sounds logical.

The problem is that OCD and chronic anxiety are not logical. Going out for fresh air is one of many ways people ground themselves in the present, rather than being stuck in the past or imagining horrific futures. It's not about logic for me at all. It's about changing scenery to perhaps influence my thoughts and my attention. It's not literally the fresh air or whatever. It's the mindset I'm trying to create. It's hard, so every little moment I can actually notice that fresh air, in all its rich detail, in the midst of anxiety, is a little victory: one I often don't bother to acknowledge.

Does my experience make any sense to you? Have you ever had a similar experience?

True, although I told the basic story here: I used to get a lot of anxiety attacks, I tried lots of stuff even when it felt hopeless, and I feel glad every time I realize something is working after all that. Maybe the story really can be that simple. They know what it's like to work at something and have things finally click into place, even a little.

I'm blind, so I can't see the image you posted. Since you intended it for me, I figured I would let you know, and ask you if you could describe it for me. Thanks.

DataB4 , how did you choose your avatar? , were you always blind?

I chose my avatar based on the alt text of the images. It's the text that shows up when you can't see the image. You, or the computer, can see it if you look at the HTML source. If there's no alt text, my software will read the file name instead. Unfortunately I couldn't find a Star Trek avatar on WP.