ocd without ritualization

[Cleansed44]

Hi,

I am not diagnosed with ocd but part of me thinks that I may be ocd. I don't ritualize though, I just get very unsettling thoughts that usually jump to the worst case possible. The thoughts are things I don't want, so I wouldn't call them temptation.

It just feels like a seed is planted and I can't stop my mind from letting it grow. Thankfully I learned the power of Jesus' name and the ability to rebuke satan. I really feel like I am recovering but curiosity makes me wonder if it is possible to have ocd without ritualizing. In the past these things have been debilitating and caused me great pain. Any advice?

 

[hollyda]

Hi,

I am not diagnosed with ocd but part of me thinks that I may be ocd. I don't ritualize though, I just get very unsettling thoughts that usually jump to the worst case possible. The thoughts are things I don't want, so I wouldn't call them temptation.

It just feels like a seed is planted and I can't stop my mind from letting it grow. Thankfully I learned the power of Jesus' name and the ability to rebuke satan. I really feel like I am recovering but curiosity makes me wonder if it is possible to have ocd without ritualizing. In the past these things have been debilitating and caused me great pain. Any advice?

It sounds like you could have Pure O, which is obsessions without compulsions. I've had OCD for 20 years, but most of it has been "Pure O." You might experience less direct/obvious forms of compulsion, such as asking for reassurance and going through a mental ritual to assure yourself whatever thought you had isn't true. If it is an unwanted thought that causes distress and doesn't fade, I'd make an appointment with a doctor to see about being diagnosed and exploring various treatment options.

Good luck!

 

[Cleansed44]

I would say the mental ritualization and seeking assurance is an accurate description of my ritual. I don't know how to stop these things from occuring other than praying, which isn't a bad thing but I don want my faith to turn into a religion or ritual.

 

[hollyda]

I would say the mental ritualization and seeking assurance is an accurate description of my ritual. I don't know how to stop these things from occuring other than praying, which isn't a bad thing but I don want my faith to turn into a religion or ritual.

Here's pretty much how it works.

If you tell yourself not to think of something, the reverse will happen. Tell yourself not to think of pink elephants and that's all you'll think about.

It's also important to note that thoughts don't equate fact. If I think, for instance, that I am an international superstar, no matter how often or how hard I think it, it's not reality. The same works for obsessive thoughts. Say my current obsession is I fear I might harm someone. (This is a very common OCD thought). The thought itself does not cause harm to come to anyone. I can think it, but thinking isn't action. In particular, if you respond to these thoughts with revulsion rather than pleasure, you can pretty much identify they aren't homicidal thoughts.

OCD is an anxiety disorder, therefore the thoughts generated reflect things you fear. If you fear something, you're not going to do it intentionally...the same way I fear spiders, so it's doubtful I'd buy a pet tarantula. Therefore, the key to minimizing the anxiety associated with these thoughts is simply to not respond to them. Don't fight them, don't talk to them, don't bargain with them -- just let them be there. They aren't hurting you. Things that aren't real can't cause harm in this capacity; if you know the thought isn't real or irrational (as most people with OCD do), then its existence doesn't threaten you. Heck, rather than fight the thought, try encouraging it. Be as obsessive about that thought as possible, and do so willingly. Make the thought boring rather than frightening, and you will find yourself thinking about it less and less.

 

[OCD=Owie]

Agreed. The goal isn't to reason yourself out of the problem. The goal is to adopt and attitude of. "whatever happens, happens." Hollyda was spot on: just let the thoughts be there. Don't judge them as good or bad, just let them bounce around in your head without addressing them. Easier said than done, I know, but once you get the hang of it, it really works.

 

[Cleansed44]

Thank you by the way. I haven't been going through that big of an ordeal as of late but had a melt down a few weeks ago and what you guys are saying did help me out of it. I just get upset and feel so awkward because I reached out to people (reassurance) and nobody could relate. I also feel like I will be judged permanently by them. The only comfort I had walking away from it was knowing that it scared me so much. If that were the case it couldn't have been me, hope that makes sense. I guess I just feel scarred by them and don't know how to move forward because it seems like there is a "trigger" everywhere.

 

[hollyda]

Thank you by the way. I haven't been going through that big of an ordeal as of late but had a melt down a few weeks ago and what you guys are saying did help me out of it.

It's really hard when it first starts happening. Even now that I have my OCD more or less managed, I do have my bad days, and have to remind myself that my coping mechanisms are there for a reason.

I just get upset and feel so awkward because I reached out to people (reassurance) and nobody could relate.

One of the things that made me feel better immediately when I was first diagnosed was the realization that I was not the only one who thought these things. Once you realize what you have is quite common, it makes you feel less isolated. And OCD is pretty common. It affects as many people statistically as does asthma.

I also feel like I will be judged permanently by them.

It is true that not everyone will understand, but it all depends on how you share it. When I first spoke with my fiance about this, I began with, "I have OCD. This means I suffer from unwanted thoughts. I am doing much better than I was, but here's an example of something I worry about." Present it as your condition is causing the thoughts, not you. After all, these thoughts aren't ones you'd want to claim. I like to think of mine as generated by an entity outside myself; it lives in my head, thinks things I don't like, but isn't me. (My notification sound on my phone, to remind me of this daily, is from Pink Floyd's Brain Damage: There's someone in my head, but it's not me).

The only comfort I had walking away from it was knowing that it scared me so much. If that were the case it couldn't have been me, hope that makes sense.

This makes absolute sense, which is what leads me to believe you likely do have OCD. I'm not a mental health professional, though I am 99% convinced based on your symptoms.

Also, the thing that helps me almost more than anything is doing this. Talking to other people with OCD and trying to help them by imparting advice I need to follow when it comes to coping with myself. Other OCD suffers know what you're going through, so make good use of this thread. If possible, find other OCD support groups and forums. You're not alone in this, and you don't have to be. Regardless, there is someone else going through what you're going through.

 

[hollyda]

Agreed. The goal isn't to reason yourself out of the problem. The goal is to adopt and attitude of. "whatever happens, happens." Hollyda was spot on: just let the thoughts be there. Don't judge them as good or bad, just let them bounce around in your head without addressing them. Easier said than done, I know, but once you get the hang of it, it really works.

This. Completely.

(and thanks!)

 

[tripletiger1200]

What you've described is exactly like what I have. The worst thing you can do is try to reason your way out, because then your bad thoughts get mixed in and things get worse. For me they are untrue thoughts against God, so it helps to start from a point of accepting the Bible as fact, and then saying that if the Bible says this then it must be true, even if I can't get to that logical conclusion myself.

 

[OCD=Owie]

Absolutely agree.

 

[VZ2011]

Extreme spiritual fearfulness (over blasphemy & going to hell) & doubting (even while you are pursing God, reading his word, and in prayer)are forms of spiritual OCD. They and other racing negative fearful thoughts are the result of a vitamin deficiency which causes a chemical imbalance in the brain and is treatable with extreme daily doses of vitamines. If you or a loved one experience extreme spiritual fearfulness, OCD or schizophrenia tendancies (paranoia, visual hallucinations, hearing voices), depression, insomnia, racing thoughts, panic attacks, anxiety, other mental distresses, do yourself a favor and reasearch depression, schizophrenia, OCD vitamin and orthomolecular therapy and the work of a canadian doctor named Abram Hoffer. Basically he developed a treatment (that truly WORKS) with Vitamines. It's a minimal cost to incur to invest in your physical and mental AND SPIRITUAL wellness. I am not peddling anyone's vitamines. You can get any brand at Walmart or a grocery store or a vitamine store on line. These Vitamin supplements have been a tremendous help to my relative and myself who continue to experience greater and greater healing each day that we continue with this vitamine therapy. Relief comes within the first couple of days and continues as you continue to take the vitamine supplements. You must take them for the rest of your life or risk a relapse. [/font]

1000 mg niacian daily (get a combination of flush-free and regular niacin) the regular will cause you to flush--(you will get red and hot but this means it is working--the longer it takes you to flush the more you needed it. the redness goes away in about 15 minutes. The flush-free niacin will not make you flush. If you start to feel nauceaous, lower the dosage or skip a day altogether with it, then take a "normal" dosage, like 100-500 mg. An extremely high dose like 1000-2000 is for when things get extremely uncontrollable and it should only be temporary. It's too much to take regularly. After a day or two you could start to feel naucious from that much, but it will jumpstart the seratonin in your brain to help you relax and control your thoughts, then you can lower it to 500.

2000-3000 mg Vitamine C take 1000 mg 3x a day[/font]
HTP5 - At least 100 mg daily
Vitamine B 8 - (inisitol) - 10-18g per day depending on severity of your OCD (it's alot but take it)
Vitamine B combo vitamine 2 or 3 per day (with B1, B6, B12)[/font]

Essential Omega Fats (with fish oil and flax) take 2-3 per day.[/font]

Results will be notable within a day or two, with the greatest results starting at around 6 weeks of taking these.

Swear off all junk food, all artificial sweetners, all refined white sugar products, all alcohol, eat GOOD NUTRITIOUS FOOD, fresh and frozen vegetables, fruits, unsweetned fruit juice, filtered water or spring water, cut down on caffeine. Going gluetin free is also good but it's not necessary for ever

Please research these things on line yourself as I am not allowed to post URLs on this site. I would have

Please, also understand that you must honor Jesus Christ and trust his shed blood and ressurection fully for salvation. Read the word daily and pray, and live according to biblical principals and this along with proper nutrition, will eliminate spiritual OCD and extreme spiritual fearfulness

Hi,

I am not diagnosed with ocd but part of me thinks that I may be ocd. I don't ritualize though, I just get very unsettling thoughts that usually jump to the worst case possible. The thoughts are things I don't want, so I wouldn't call them temptation.

It just feels like a seed is planted and I can't stop my mind from letting it grow. Thankfully I learned the power of Jesus' name and the ability to rebuke satan. I really feel like I am recovering but curiosity makes me wonder if it is possible to have ocd without ritualizing. In the past these things have been debilitating and caused me great pain. Any advice?