Can anyone explain about CBT?

[lesmana]

Hello, my name is Ferry. Im 25 years old and I think i have Hocd and scurupulosity. I worry all the time that I might be gay, and there are thoughts/voices that's trying to convince me that I'm gay, and also there's this constant image of gay men and I cant make this images and thoughts dissapear. the same happens if i commit a sin. this thoughts would try to convince me that I havent been forgiven, that resulted in me asking for forgiveness over and over again!!!

I try to educate myself and I read about coginitive-behavorial technique, but it's full of techinal term and i dont quite understand it since my english is not that good. can anyone explain it to me in layman's terms. I read that in one of the tools of CBT is to confront it and challenge it, and this thoughts started to spike saying that means I have to accept I'm gay. I read about few examples of people with Hocd that when they accept maybe they're gay, they realize that they're not. And this freaks me out!!!!! what is this mean? Does this mean because i have this fear and thoughts about being gay, I have to accept that maybe I am? I dont want to accept it because I know I'm not!!! I just cant bring myself to be sure. And now this thoughts tell me that I have to try to do sexual activity with man, in order to know for sure i'm or not, and it freaks me outtttttttttt because I dont want to. Can anyone help me pls?? Thank u.

 

[keryakos]

Well i dont have any experience with it personally and i dont want to sway youre opinion one way or another ..if you want some indepth information about CBT itself i suggest you search on google ..type in Mayo Clinic website ..and Cognitive behavioral therapy ..also search for THe NHS ..and psyco therapy .. Also you can check out the websites of therapists who practice CBT

 

[gracealone]

Hi Lesmana,
It doesn't really matter what the OCD theme is. Exposure -Response Prevention therapy is always hard because it works toward getting your brain so accustomed to, or so habituated to the disturbing thoughts and images that it eventually stops freaking out about them.
Exposure means that you allow the thoughts to pop into your consciousness and even hang out there without responding to them by engaging in any of the compulsive activities which we OCD'ers do to try and gain a feeling of reassurance. For purely mental obsessions like the one you describe that means that you have to ignore the thoughts and accept the intense anxious feelings that accompany them and not work toward trying to prove to yourself that you're not gay. The more attention you give the thoughts by warring against them the more powerful they become and the more stuck they get in your brain.
The overstimulated fear response in an OCD brain tricks the mind into believing that the presence of the thoughts means that we want to act on, believe in or accept them.
My favorite website for explaining how ERP works is;
www.ocdonline.com
I've found Dr. Philipsons articles on pure "O" to be very helpful.
Praying for you,
Mitzi

Hello, my name is Ferry. Im 25 years old and I think i have Hocd and scurupulosity. I worry all the time that I might be gay, and there are thoughts/voices that's trying to convince me that I'm gay, and also there's this constant image of gay men and I cant make this images and thoughts dissapear. the same happens if i commit a sin. this thoughts would try to convince me that I havent been forgiven, that resulted in me asking for forgiveness over and over again!!!

I try to educate myself and I read about coginitive-behavorial technique, but it's full of techinal term and i dont quite understand it since my english is not that good. can anyone explain it to me in layman's terms. I read that in one of the tools of CBT is to confront it and challenge it, and this thoughts started to spike saying that means I have to accept I'm gay. I read about few examples of people with Hocd that when they accept maybe they're gay, they realize that they're not. And this freaks me out!!!!! what is this mean? Does this mean because i have this fear and thoughts about being gay, I have to accept that maybe I am? I dont want to accept it because I know I'm not!!! I just cant bring myself to be sure. And now this thoughts tell me that I have to try to do sexual activity with man, in order to know for sure i'm or not, and it freaks me outtttttttttt because I dont want to. Can anyone help me pls?? Thank u.

 

[hisbloodformysins]

We used cbt as the main treatment in the hospital I used to work in. It is proven to be the most effective.

The whole point of CBT is to change the way you think... if you change the way you think, then you'll change the way you feel, your happiness, your coping and so forth.

I can tell you how to use CBT for negative thoughts... but as far as OCD is concerned.... and having these images, that really aren't your own.. but are your own... well, CBT can apply to that, but that's also something different.

I highly recommend reading "battlefield of the mind" by joyce meyer.. it gives practical and common sense input in dealing with thoughts like that.

HB

 

[hisbloodformysins]

Something that is extremely effective in conquering OCD thoughts and feelings is applying scriptural truth. Not condemning scriptural truth, because condemnation is not of God and therefore any message that promotes it is contrary from the truth, and a perversion of the true word. But it helps if you renew your mind with the word of God, God's holy god breathed word and compare your thoughts/beliefs to the truth as you know it...

Also asking God for wisdom as you set out on this venture.

HB

 

[RachelZ]

Sorry you're struggling Lesmana...I don't know a whole heap about CBT except it is as had already been said changing your thinking to change the way you feel. It's funny cos some people are totally into CBT for OCD and yet others aren't. Whichever route you go down and I know ERP - Exposure Response therapy - is highly regarded by folks on here who have made significant recoverys, I think it's possible to do the therapy without compromising your faith. For example, if you have a thought regarding being gay rather than think "OK well I am then!" and then not fighting it you could maybe say, "Oh well...whatever..." and move on to do something else. In both instances you've not fought the thoughts which I think is supposed to disarm the power of OCD, but with the latter one you haven't agreed or disagreed about being gay you've just made a choice not to fight in your head about it. Does that make sense? Others may have better suggestions...Seajoy had a thread a while back about ERP which you could look up. Hope you get the help you need soon, take care, Rachel

 

[hisbloodformysins]

When we used CBT we'd teach the patients to first identify the trigger, then the automatic thought (your thought that is triggered by the trigger), then the emotion and response... but we'd teach them to take their automatic thought and changing it around to "thought automatic" in other words, think with purpose, chose the way you are thinking about the situation or trigger... in a positive way.

The psychiatrist in our hospital came up with a programmed that descrived a potato who was created by a wizard that gave the potatoe eyes but no hands... and when the potatoe opened it's eyes for the first time he was immediately blinded by the sun and it hurt his eyes... he became very agitated thinking "I don't like that sun, it hurts my eyes", and he therefore would be what you'd call an "agi tater"... but then one potatoe opened his eyes and was immediately blinded as well, but after thinking about the situation for a minute he decided to start looking around and chose to think of the sun as a positive thing "oh, look at what beautiful things surround me" and he was then called a "sweet tater" because his thoughts were positive and he ended up being sweet.

I don't know if that helps.. I hope it does.

HB

 

[lesmana]

Thx u guys. I'm still anxious and try to understand this thing, but your replys really touched me and make me feel welcome and not alone. Thx u so much. I'll praying to u guys (and girls) too. God bless u

 

[annrobert]

Hi Ferry,
Welcome to CF forums.

Hello, my name is Ferry. Im 25 years old and I think i have Hocd and scurupulosity.Have you gone to a doctor about this?

I worry all the time that I might be gay, and there are thoughts/voices that's trying to convince me that I'm gay,

I do not know if you have ocd or not but it sounds like you think you have it.Only a doctor or professional can diagnose it though.
Ocd attacks those things that are most important to people.OCD attacks relationships with God ,people, health,and friends. Whatever is most important to a person.Since you worry about being gay and it is so important to you that you not be gay ,OCD might be latching onto this to try to convince you that you are. If you did not care about being gay ,ocd would not latch on to it.


and also there's this constant image of gay men and I cant make this images and thoughts dissapear.

I know it is very hard to do ,but try to ignore the images and thoughts,they are of no significance and do not deserve the time of day.It sounds like ocd acting up.The worry about it just makes it harder to to ignore.OCD lies to us.Jesus says come to Me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.So we can come to Jesus and tell Him about our problems and troubles and ask Him to help us and He will.That is a promise He made to us.Ocd wants constant reassurance.


the same happens if i commit a sin. this thoughts would try to convince me that I havent been forgiven, that resulted in me asking for forgiveness over and over again!!!


This sounds like ocd again.Since being forgiven is so very important to a person ocd latches on to try to convince them that they can never be forgiven.Again this is very hard to do but try to ignore the thoughts.Most of us here understand the fear of not being forgiven and it is very painful.But Jesus says He that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out.

I try to educate myself and I read about coginitive-behavorial technique, but it's full of techinal term and i dont quite understand it since my english is not that good. can anyone explain it to me in layman's terms. I read that in one of the tools of CBT is to confront it and challenge it, and this thoughts started to spike saying that means I have to accept I'm gay. I read about few examples of people with Hocd that when they accept maybe they're gay, they realize that they're not. And this freaks me out!!!!! what is this mean?

I do not know much about the different therapies but I have heard some are very good.SeaJoy told me about one kind that helped her ,I think ERT, and I am interested in finding out more about it ,though I have not done it yet.I wish I could tell you more about it ,just I myself do not know.Other people on here could probably tell you .A doctor should be able to explain more about it also.


Does this mean because i have this fear and thoughts about being gay, I have to accept that maybe I am?

Definately not , it just sounds like ocd to me.

I dont want to accept it because I know I'm not!!!

You do not have to accept it because you know you are not and that is the proof that you are not.Again it sounds like ocd is trying to torment you.



I just cant bring myself to be sure.

ocd is often referred to as a doubting disease, and needs reassurance many times over and over.



And now this thoughts tell me that I have to try to do sexual activity with man, in order to know for sure i'm or not, and it freaks me outtttttttttt because I dont want to.


You do not have to do anything you do not want to do regardless what the thoughts tell you.The thoughts cannot control you.Although it can be very hard to ignore the thoughts you do not have to obey them.I do not know if you have ocd or not .I am not a doctor or counsellor .Only a doctor would know if you have ocd or not, and it might be helpful for you to talk to one about this.

Reading the bible and meditating on God's Word is very helpful ,since Jesus is the Word of God and His Words are truth and they are Life.Getting the Word of God inside us is so important.I hope this helps you some.
take care
annrobert



Can anyone help me pls?? Thank u.