Is obsessive thinking a form of OCD?

Suffering from OCD? Post your history, experience, comments and/or suggestions
shello
Posts: 56
Joined: Mon Mar 23, 2009 12:28 pm
Location: Missouri

Post by shello » Tue Dec 28, 2010 3:58 pm

My therapist has told me that I have obsessive thinking which is what causes my anxiety. Which is what I have known all along. That's what is soooo very great about this program!!! I kept going to therapist after therapist telling them my problem was the way I think. They didn't understand and couldn't help me. They had no idea how to help me. This program has been a lifesaver but I am bad at committing to doing the full 15 weeks in a row. I start and stop and start and stop...so I am a constant work in progress. If I could do this in house I would be much better off.

Is my obsessive thinking in the OCD category?
"Remember, when the world pushes you to your knees you are in the perfect position to pray."

Molly77
Posts: 94
Joined: Wed Dec 22, 2010 5:21 pm

Post by Molly77 » Sun Jan 02, 2011 9:54 am

I wonder that myself since the past two days my obsessive thinking has been out of control. Today it was driving me nuts...but I wonder that too.

shello
Posts: 56
Joined: Mon Mar 23, 2009 12:28 pm
Location: Missouri

Post by shello » Sun Jan 02, 2011 4:13 pm

I never know where to post my questions about obsessive thinking. Anyway it just stinks! My psychologist says that I don't have anxiety - I have obsessive thinking that causes my anxiety. Seriously I thought that was the cause of most peoples anxiety- am I wrong.

Sorry your thoughts are so out of control lately. I know tomorrow can be better!

I think I am thinking too much about how to cure the anxiety versus just letting the program and other tools work. I think I obsess over getting fixed. I am always researching it. Does that make any sense at all?
"Remember, when the world pushes you to your knees you are in the perfect position to pray."

Molly77
Posts: 94
Joined: Wed Dec 22, 2010 5:21 pm

Post by Molly77 » Mon Jan 03, 2011 9:46 am

yes that makes sense. I do that too. I have been obsessing about doing this perfectly, to perfectly be well. Then I obsess about how I stand, bellybutton to spine..silly? LOL!! I know but when I am wrapped up obsessing it gets old really fast and then I obsess that I am obsessing and get discouraged.

YES!! It is the thinking that causes the anxiety most times, especially when it causes anxiety disorder. That is what it says in the program and that makes a LOT of sense to me! We internalize with obsessive thoughts, worrying, stressing..causing the anxiety to stay.

NeverQuit
Posts: 162
Joined: Mon Dec 06, 2010 1:22 pm

Post by NeverQuit » Mon Jan 03, 2011 1:50 pm

In some of my OCD books they talk about Pure O, or pure obsessionals, with no outward compulsions attached. This sounds very similar, if not the same, as what they talk about on the obsessive thinking tapes. I find that with my pure obsessions (no outward compulsions) there are a lot of inward, mental compulsions that occur, such as replaying a situation over and over to "check" that it was okay, or a conversation that I had, etc. I think this is a form of OCD too.

shello
Posts: 56
Joined: Mon Mar 23, 2009 12:28 pm
Location: Missouri

Post by shello » Wed Jan 05, 2011 10:25 am

I totally do that. I even replay horrible things from the past or embarrassing things I did. I even obsess over one statement I may have made at work. I will think about it over and over and over again. I can't let anything go. I am going to look up this Pure O thing. I can even have a clear mental image of every event. Wow. I don't have outward compulsions but maybe I have inward ones. Interesting.

Molly- Every once in a while I will get so sick of all the thinking I just say To heck with it! and actually have a good day until something else sets me off. LOL
"Remember, when the world pushes you to your knees you are in the perfect position to pray."

LyndaLu
Posts: 794
Joined: Sun Oct 03, 2010 4:43 pm

Post by LyndaLu » Wed Jan 05, 2011 1:44 pm

Hi shello:

Session Three, Changing your negative thoughts into positive ones is a great session. Obsessive thoughts, catastrophizing, we all do it. The way we think is the way we feel. If we are full of obsessive thoughts, then we are going to create the anxiety that comes with it.
Stick with the Program, but don't worry about doing it PERFECT. I was the same way when I started, I was gonna do one Session per week. Well, I didn't. Don't worry about doing it perfectly. I spent a whole month on Session Six because I was just having a bad time in December and could never get myself going again. Then I just said to myself, just move on, move on to the next Session. So I did. I am
working on Session Seven now. I could work on it for a week, or two weeks.

We obssess. We try to be perfect. We start worrying about things that haven't even happened yet. That is why we are here on this website, to get help and support and to exchange
experiences and ideas.

Stay in touch. You are a great person with terrific skills and have a good heart.

Lynda Lu

Molly77
Posts: 94
Joined: Wed Dec 22, 2010 5:21 pm

Post by Molly77 » Wed Jan 05, 2011 3:20 pm

thank you shello. That helps thank you for the encouragement. I have to say that I started out with really difficult moments today and it ended up feeling pretty calm and serene. A bit of the anxious feelings have come back a bit right now but I am telling myself, that "it is just a feeling and feeling uncomfortable is apart of life that I am capable of handling. It will pass and I will live. I don't need to run from feelings or uncomfortable feelings. I can get through them." Knowing that this is a part of life helps sometimes..it's normal. Thank you lyndalu, that is an inspiration! It is true... I was telling myself that but I just needed to hear it from someone else first, LOL before I believed myself :roll:Or maybe it was that I just needed it reinforced.

Paisleegreen
Posts: 1778
Joined: Mon Oct 25, 2010 5:27 pm

Post by Paisleegreen » Wed Jan 05, 2011 3:58 pm

I agree with lynda Lu, that you don't have to do each lesson perfectly. The Program is meant to be used all through your lifetime, because we will have stress in our life. Some stress will be easier to manage than others. Just remember "baby steps"

Molly77
Posts: 94
Joined: Wed Dec 22, 2010 5:21 pm

Post by Molly77 » Thu Jan 06, 2011 4:16 am

small steps, baby steps..thank you good advice and I have been trying to remind myself of that all the time. You just helped validate my own positive thoughts! Thank you Paislee

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