How do you do ERP for Harm OCD?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 20 ส.ค. 2024
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Thank you so much. I struggle with the constant thought of, "What if I lose my mind and become a serial killer?" Schizophrenia was a big one for me as well.
Handmaid going through the same thing
You’re saying you were afraid you had schizophrenia?
I have the same thoughts 😂
Guys don't worry. I've had this theme and felt like its the end of the world, but then found out that it is a very common theme. It feels like, you are quite sure its true, but its not.
Same here
I absolutely hate my harm OCD!!! things that I would never do in real life are the thoughts that drive me insane. I am currently seeing a CBT
Yah, When I have my cloudy days I can feel scared of myself. As if I am a monster and could hurt anyone I like. And indeed, the crazy part is that I did not realize this was OCD too until now. I thought something was simply wrong with me and that I had some kind of demon inside of me..(yup).
Same
I have struggled with harm harm ocd since age 9 .. I am in therapy now but it has destroyed areas of my life.
But it has been getting better.. thank you for this video
I'm having OCD for last 6 years. Now it's mostly gone. All these years I mostly avoided ERP. I traveled from harm OCD to Religious OCD to Harm OCD again. The anxiety comes and goes within 48 to 73 hrs. But only ERP has helped me. I've a fear of my subconscious will get altered to a bad person. When I'm not under that typical OCD feeling, I laugh at it. But when anxiety comes back, it suddenly starts to feel real. Even though I know it's nothing but the OCD. Anyway, thanks for the help!!! Keep up with the videos.
🙌
@@everybodyhasabrain 🙌
Kaise kiya plz btye
I've had OCD since I was 9 years old. I'm 21 now and for the past year I've had increasingly worse harm OCD. god, it's horrific. my psychologist just started me on ERP for harm OCD (I've never done ERP for anything else) and I feel like I'm about to explode! I'm so thankful I saw your video and it makes so much sense that harm OCD is something that occurs much later after you first develop symptoms (I've been through health ocd, counting, checking, etc) and that you should start elsewhere. TY!
I'm glad it helped. I never knew that violent visions and things like that were part of OCD, either until I went to see a psychologist and it was on a diagnostic test. I just thought my imagination was really violent. That all went away after I did Exposure-based CBT and it's great to have my imagination back. The more we talk about the diversity of OCD symptoms, hopefully, more people will get help. All the best on your journey with this!
Its ironic, the first time I had harm OCD was when I was a kid and it involved a knife as I was holding it near a loved one. I thought for sure that thought of harm only meant I was a psychopath like all those evil people I heard about in films. Later I became a butcher and worked with knives as a profession for over a decade. Even when I was a cook in the army I was fine. Truth be told, I had a number of obsessions outside of knifes at that point, like falling off a building and so forth. Now that I have given up butchering and traded a knife for a computer is now that I am afraid to hold one. I am so afraid I will stab myself in the eye out of pure impulse that I cannot hold pointy knives, be it to cut bread or to cut a steak. I went back to work as a butcher for Easter week as it is the buisiest week in meat because I needed the money, but to do my job, I HAD to wear safty glasses, unheard of in the meat industry. So I got laughed at and made fun of and told at one point by my boss to take them off. I admit, after a solid week of working with the knife I was a bit calmer, but those glasses became my shield that I had to have two pairs in case I lost one. No way was I going to work without those glasses. It now appears though after this heavy exposure, my OCD is looking for new things to damage my life with. One of the now is screaming on public transport. Its just sad that I was never this bad and I have gotten worse. I only just realized now that I am 35 that all these years these thoughts I had were due to OCD. I just wish I had the internet growing up to see that I was never alone. Now I need to heal myself.
No you're never alone. Power to you!!
How are you doing now? I struggle with this as well.
You're welcome! Keep pushing!
I just found out a couple days ago that I have this. I've been suffering for 2 years. It was debilitating. It's destroyed areas of my life. I'm happy to know what it is now. I feel like I can finally rebuild my life. Thank you for making this video. I plan to get this therapy soon.
I hope you learn many useful tools at therapy!
I love your videos. It have helped me so much! I`m dealing with harm OCD, and is working on it with my therapist. Being a psychologist myself, but struggeling with OCD most of my life. I haven`t really understood that I had OCD until my symptoms got worse. But finally I`m getting help and I`m so grateful for that. I will show him your videos, so positive, helpful and full of hope.
i had harm ocd for years and was afraid to tell anyone. it became so big i had to get help. i overcame it with great therapy. but then after my husband and i divorced and he told the court and judge i wanted to kill my children and i lost custody of my kids. i was a homeschool mom of 5 kids. he was a flight nurse and knew what ocd was but told the court i was a homicidal maniac. ive never been right since. its been a real nightmare. my ocd is gone but so are my kids
See, your husband's move was completely political. He wanted the sole custody of your kids. Don't go back to check your morals.
That's the question I'm talking about. Accept the uncertainty (trying to get a yes/no answer is just your OCD tricking you into pursuing certainty) and then act according to your values (the answer to the question shouldn't affect your actions because healthy actions come from your values, not reactions to fears in your head). Trying to be certain if something is "normal" is a typical OCD symptom. Focus on the actions that will take you where you want to go in life. They don't need labels
I had the same issues with falling off buildings and getting hit by cars, and a bunch of others, too. Along with all sorts of compulsions. But I thought my compulsions were necessary and I thought that what I "saw" was just my creative imagination. I didn't get diagnosed for years. BUT the diagnosis is only useful for getting insurance to cover treatment. Whether they're labelled as OCD or not is irrelevant to whether you want to keep having them in your life. They are things you can get rid of.
I really enjoy watching your videos :) i think you have a great way of explaining things in terms that everyone can understand. Your light hearted, upbeat approach is refreshing also. I do not have ocd but i wish everyone success.. You can do it x
Thanks, Jaye!
I did not use medicine while I was doing CBT or before or after. But that doesn't mean you can't also experience a similar level of recovery by using medication temporarily in conjunction with CBT. It just means that I didn't use medication.
Thanks, Brian. Sorry to hear about the OCD symptoms dragging life to a stop. Have you tried a therapy like Exposure & Response Prevention (ERP) or Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT)? They helped me tremendously to deal with my harm-related OCD symptoms. It is super hard but it's possible to put them behind you. Keep pushing. I hope you find the right support to help you up and over this. It really is possible to live a life doing all of the things that you're terrified of right now.
@angellightrose There are many books that can teach you the skills. I have a book that covers everything that helped me. You could share it with your therapist and work through the exercises together: bit.ly/youarenotarock
Thanks, I hope it explains some things. Let me know if you have any questions. Thanks for following our Tumblr, too! Feel free to post questions or submit stories/artwork about recovery and mental health.
Really brilliant mark. I wish I had this when I had no idea I had ocd. I just thought I was a psychopath and it really was just the worst thing imaginable.
Now I have done cbt and researched ocd and done erp it's amazing to think I have survived because before it was a matter of time before my life imploded....
Great that you are raising awareness and facts about anxiety. Well done my friend
I have had harm OCD since I was 9 years old. I am now 22 and I still have harm OCD thoughts and compulsions every now and then. I sought help when I was 19 and it bacame too much for me to handle- OCD started taking over my life. It disabled me in my daily activities. I have had terrible harm OCD around other people and I know what you are going through! You are not alone and there is hope. I am extremely sad to hear about your situation. That must be horrible!!!! I pray that God will provide.:)
Fuck GOD ! GOD who fucking GOD WOULD PUT HUMANS IN SUCH A SUFFERING! FUCK HIM HELL MY ASS WE PEOPLE WITH OCD LIVE HELL EVERYDAY !
my fear is that I will just get so annoyed with these thoughts that Ill end up carrying it out just because I can't take it anymore.
That's a very common fear! It's useful to cut out the compulsions.
Same dude your not the only one I can imagine horrible things and think I’ll do it
Thanks for sharing your story. Sorry to hear about that. There's so much misinformation and ignorance out there about OCD that it causes a lot of problems. Hopefully by sharing our stories online more people can understand that it's an illness that can be dealt with and not something to be afraid of.
Mark,
you and I have dealt with the same exact phenomena, (especially with knives and for me particularly weapons etc.) I am blessed to have stumbled upon this video. I too am currently in a master's program and experiencing many deleterious thoughts. I was diagnosed with OCD almost 10 years ago, but it has never been this bad. Your quick simple tips have already worked wonders for me. I will continue to explore your channel and videos, on top of paying a visit to my CBT. Thank you!
i wish i had seen these videos when i was really struggling with ocd.They would have helped me so much.
This makes so much sense!!! I have hope for this
I think i have this and its so hard i always feel like a bad person i just wanna live life with happy thoughts wish i could talk to someone ab this i dont want anyone to see me differently😭
It's great you can see that the fear is about how people see you. That's really common. Quite often, harm obsessions/thoughts aren't about the harm at all. They're about social anxiety and our identity. It really helped me to see that because I was actually doing a lot of compulsions throughout my life to control what others thought about me. And I saw that as "normal" and necessary. But what I was doing was teaching my brain that I needed to avoid anything that would make people think bad things about me. So then the helpful brain started thinking about the worst things that would make people judge me. The brain is just doing that to help us chase that certainty and control we're craving. The most helpful way to tackle this was to cut out all of that "normal" stuff I was doing in my life to control what others thought about me.
Same 😭
You're a great guy, going through a horrible bout of this at the moment that just appeared last Tuesday, fears of cutting myself and things like that, it's an awful feeling, thanks for clearing this up, will speak to someone ASAP!
I'm not sure exactly what you mean by "because of OCD". Compulsions can cause all sorts of physical harm and getting caught up in our obsessions can open oneself up to being harmed from people or things around us. That's why it's so important to get help. OCD is treatable so there's no need to be experiencing that harm, regardless of whatever thoughts our brains might throw at us.
Starting with small things also helps you build up your strength so you can through yourself into those scary fears. I've heard therapists say that "it's not OCD if it doesn't get in the way", but that seems to just keep the OCD in your life, festering, until it spills over into things that do get in the way. Tackling the little things helps put a nice buffer between you and relapse. Otherwise you're always running right along the edge of the cliff. Keep pushing with this! It's ok to be scared!
See that fear of telling your doctor as part of your anxiety disorder. You're probably worried about the possibility of something negative if you do tell him, just as you're worried about something negative happening with any of your other compulsions. So I'd suggest talking with him. Asking me will only fuel your anxiety disorder. Besides, my answer to every question is always the same: Accept the uncertainty and then act according to your values.
I never knew I had these kind of thoughts too, haha. When I walk behind my niece on the stairs I see myself kicking her en her head smashing to the ground which makes me wonder if im a psychopath lol. But I never do compulsions to get rid of those thoughts.
It helps if the therapist has a clear plan for how the exercises progress bcs if you're not progressing, that upsets the therapist's plan and they have to fix it. If your therapist didn't have a plan for you, it's easy for therapy to quickly become a lengthy process with no end in sight bcs there weren't clear goals defined at the beginning. An effective therapist will be like a personal fitness trainer: they should have the exercises planned out, and know how much to increase the weight each wk
I would definitely want to see progress after 6mos. So should your therapist. I've heard of that method of recording and listening to thoughts but I've never met somebody who it worked for. An effective therapist will give you homework but they should also have a clearly defined plan for how you're going to tackle one compulsion at a time, progressing each week or every two weeks to a new compulsion.
You're welcome! I hope your doctor is able to help you with those other things as well.
Thanks for the insight. I like my therapist and really don't feel like going through opening up to a new person but it may be time for me to start seeing someone else. Look forward to your next video.
I have struggled with WTI anxiety every day the oil markets open. Compulsive behavior to make money. Got my first house and caused me to retire financially independent early because of it.
when i was little i used to sleep on the floor if i spent a night at a friends house and would always think "what if they step on my head and it blows up" or "if i walk near the refridge and the earth shakes it'll smash and kill me" i would get fear and avoid stupid stuff i realized that was a form of ocd when i was 16 and am 22 years old now and am married but still struggle with ocd harm
That's the main problem OCD that feels real, so is confusing when you have OCD, because of that you fear you are in denial.
That's why it helps to keep the focus on changing actions and patterns of interaction instead of getting caught up in trying to judge and label stuff as real or not. If labeling something as "real" becomes an excuse to do compulsions, then the brain will throw up whatever you judge as "real" because it's after the compulsions. But when we cut out the compulsions as patterns of interaction with experiences, regardless of how we judge the experiences, then it's much clearer how to make changes
Thank you, thank you and thank you! I didn't know you have tumblr, you have a new follower! :)
Have you ever had violente thoughts, thoughts of harming a loved one? What compulsions related to harm have you had? Did you stop driving? Eating with forks and knives?
You might be reassurance-seeking. It's very normal for somebody to have those compulsions and many others. I avoided driving and had lots of knife compulsions. But the specific compulsions don't matter. what can help the most is eliminating whatever compulsions are getting in the way of living your life. If you can access a therapist experienced with helping people recover, that can be a helpful way to get started
katia daldegan I was scared of Driving cuz I was scared of getting stuck in traffic and having harm ocd thoughts come on when I was sat there not doing much. But thing is if you are scared of Driving due to intrusive thoughts, YOU MUST DRIVE!! otherwise you give the thoughts power and this is what makes them more of a problem
I was told I get intrusive thoughts because I have unresolved grief. My brother passed and we were literally so close, no one or nothing could seperate us. I miss him so much and I don’t know how to deal with it.. I go to the gym, volunteer, see someone, work and going back to studying. Some days are harder than others. I am ashamed of myself for allowing these thoughts into my mind. Although everyone gets these thoughts at least once in their life time, I still can’t help but feel bad because I know it’s wrong 😭
Want to talk. I'm so sorry to hear about your brother
I lost my brother too. My intrusive thoughts have gotten worse. How are you doing?
Well s#it. I didn't even realize that my OCD had taken the form of thoughts exactly like those. I was so distracted by other types of obsessions. Good to know. Thanks
I fear so much losing control and jumping off a window or getting stuck on a middle sidewalk and the traffic light goes red and I can't escape cause there are lots of cars passing by on both sides and I fear acting out of fear for being stuck I'll try to run away and get hit by cars, these fears are killing me, I'm avoiding all the situations and when I can't I feel like I'm losing it and I just got lucky I didn't act out, it's been more that 10 years like this, it's hell and I'm on therapy but It always comes back.
i really appreciate this blog. Like a lot. I have harm ocd with intrusive thoughts and its super hard to deal with. my life has stopped.
Also Another variation on this would be those who keep questioning themselves as to whether they might have already done some of these things, either very recently, or in the past
I totally agree with you! I went through the exact same thing. I have those exact same thoughts and impulses.
Thank you for posting this!
Thanks for the message. I'm glad the video helped. ERP definitely works but you might find it helpful to try building up your skill with ERP by tackling some of those other symptoms you mentioned if there still around. But ERP will make you feel like you're going to explode. The first day I did it (leaving the house without checking the door knob) was amazingly difficult. I was stuck standing in the hallway and couldn't move. But it gets better and better the more you practice. Keep pushing!
Interesting, but I have a question. Why do you think other OCD subtypes should be treated before harm obsessions/compulsions if it's uncertain whether harm OCD could be worsening the others? I feel that since they're all part of OCD then they're interconnectedness and it would be tricky which type to treat first.
I also noticed you didn't bring up what could be the scariest kind of harm OCD - the fear of harming (or worse) other people on purpose. This needs to be talked about a lot more because many people with that form of OCD might refuse to get help out of fear of being misjudged as dangerous or insane. A lot of such sufferers live in terrible fear and depression as they try to hide it, especially if they're not aware it's just OCD.
Your second paragraph is why I recommend that. People bring a lot of assumptions and unhelpful beliefs and judgments to harm fears. The fear of harming somebody "on purpose" is no different than any other fear and set of compulsions around that fear. Seeing it as different is part of the compulsions. So starting to work on cutting out compulsions in other areas is a way to see that compulsions are compulsions, regardless of the content. The superficial topic is irrelevant. It's no different than saying we need to talk more about Harm OCD around alpacas. Many people live in fear of being judged for having thoughts of harming alpacas. It's not discussed enough.
2:55 you have no idea how much that single sentence has helped ground me. Thank you
You're welcome!
I'm wondering, do you think distracting yourself is a good method to keep these horrible intrusive thoughts from occurring? I've suffered from Pure-O for years now and I'm tired of it, especially since Harm OCD has become part of the picture. Distracting myself works well, but only as long as I'm distracted. These thoughts continue to come back and it's difficult to ignore and/or suppress them. They take control of everything and oftentimes when I have a harm-related obsession I feel like I'm actually going to act upon this, that I'll turn crazy, go down a dark path and think I'm still sane but do some insane, terrible thing. Thoughts about how I would do something pop into my head. I've thought that confronting them and just going through the entire thought process would help but it scares the living hell out of me.
Thank you again, that one sentence reminded me that the reason I find these thoughts horrible is that I'm not crazy. But then the thought comes back that maybe it's that all of society is crazy, and that the horrible thoughts aren't that bad after all, which scares me half to death. It's this incessant circle of doubt and fear and anxiety and it controls my life.
BarracudaProd1234 I think you answered your question. You try to distract yourself already and the thoughts keep coming back. Not only is that not working, it may actually be part of what's causing them. An anxiety disorder is all about trying not to feel things or think things or experience things. So the more you try to avoid these things, the more you'll experience them.
These are treatable issues. I used to experience what you're describing and I don't anymore. I'd strongly recommend help. They don't have to control your life.
If you go to get help, you might find it useful not to focus on "Pure O". What you described sounds like totally normal OCD. You're describing compulsions in reaction to obsessions so I wouldn't get too hung up on labels. I found it really helpful to deal with my mental health. I wanted to change the state of my mental health. Being open to look beyond the labels can help with making helpful changes in many areas of your life.
All the best as the journey continues!
Thank you. I've seen a counselor a few times and am planning on seeing a psychiatrist soon.
Hey Mark, I did imaginary exposure for my false memory/harm OCD. I do hope that it gets better as I would always think that thoughts dealing with future harm are easier to treat as compared to thoughts about having hurt someone in the past, like almost immediately after.
Does imaginary exposure works for harm ocd? Is it right to do imaginary exposure for harm ocd?
interesting, my harm ocd is related to past, not now.. it seems more rare, i cant find anyone else with this.
Hi, I have false memory OCD that I might have killed someone in the past. We're all in this together!
Hi, from what I've researched it is equally common as future harm thoughts. But I don't know, I've come across fewer people who have thoughts about past harm. That makes me scared. We're all in this together!
I have had self harm related thoughts about the past; generally fearing someone hates me because I did something terrible to them (like sexually assault them) but then fear that I can't remember and maybe I did the terrible thing and am waiting the day they send some authorities on me and find out the terrible thing I did and can't remember and am sent to prison or the like; and then I can't ask the person if I did the terrible thing to them because they'll hate me even more for not remembering...fun times! That theme kind of just goes away on it's own for me(?) but perhaps because I can't really engage in any compulsions, and know I can only wait until time passes and no authorities are sent on me. I would usually also (If I knew the person) dare to just go up to them and say hi and see if any ill feelings were held. That might be considered a sort of unhealthy check, but it was instead of avoiding them (like I did with some people for...half a year to a year or more in school) like my anxiety wanted me to do.
Felt exactly the same!!!!!!!!! Thought I was destined to be a serial killer. Always felt scared of myself.
Same
Mark, your videos are great! You mentioned here not to start ERP with your biggest fear because it will be overwhelming. I quit my compulsions cold turkey by myself about 4 days ago, am experiencing tremendous mental pain, but finally feel like I have turned a very slight corner. Assuming my brain can continue to tolerate such anxiety and pain, how long might it take to go back to a manageable level of functioning? I've heard anywhere from one to two weeks....Thanks!
Thanks, Neil! Congratulations on cutting out those compulsions. I have a video on something called The Uncertainty Curve and it's a tool that can help you track how long it takes for the urges to engage in the compulsions to subside. You can find the video in my channel. Whenever we cut out compulsions, it's a great opportunity to learn about how our brains change. I hope you find the experience useful for the future, whether you're cutting out other compulsions or bringing healthy behaviors into your life. Happy New Year!
Hey Mark. Thanks for the great videos! I have been in therapy for harm OCD for about 6 months now with little progress. My therapist tells me to do ERP therapy at home by making a tape or my worst thoughts and listening to it again and again. I am reluctant because I just feel like there should be more direction given then that. Do you think I am being unreasonable? What should I be expecting from a good OCD therapist?
My real problem is i developed harm ocd after my panic attacks. It just came out of nowhere when me and my fiance was in the kitchen. And i know i can never hurt him. Now i can cook but i am scared of knives and I can’t sleep anymore until he wakes up in the morning. It makes me feel like i will loose control when I’m sleeping and i will do something to him. So i keep myself up until morning for the past 2 months now. I want these thoughts to go Away 😪😪😪
This is very normal to experience and it's very possible to overcome these challenges and learn how to cut out the compulsions. If you can work with a therapist or a workbook that focus on recovery, those can be good places to start.
Mark, I have harm ocd. Certain situations triggers thoughts, urges. If I can't avoid the thoughts, what do you think if I think about harming other people on purpose just to handle.
That last part...You have intrusive thoughts about harming people to handle anxiety causing situations? Or you are saying you are thinking of actually acting on the thoughts just to get rid of the anxiety?
Interesting how you talk about the starting on small things and building up, it does make sense, however I've always thought I should cut out the larger things first, lol. I have a therapist who has even told me, that I didn't need to necessarily even cut out the smaller things, so long as they did not impact my life/ "get in the way of things". I think it just feels like that is just holding on to the OCD though. Maybe that's why I'm just so/tired, scared to challenge any more of the fears...
God bless you,,you got it right
.Hey Mark, very insightful video, ERP therapy is the way to go but Would there be any medication you would recommend for Harm ocd or in general ?
Owais Kahloon I was prescribed pregablin by my psychiatrist for my anxiety, starting at 25mg and going to 50mg then 75mg and so on so forth going up each week, until i found the dose that made me feel really calm
Hey Mark,
I think my ocd "started" with the harm thoughts because before that i never had an issue with intrusive thoughts but a creepy doku kinda triggered them (about month ago). I no longer have thoughts about the doku but right after i had all kinds of terrible thoughts and thru not avoiding it's gotten so much better.
I'm seeing a therapist but neither them or I know which behaviors before the thought are OCD related. If you have any Tips for me to uncover those that would be great!
Trying to chase certainty about causes is actually something I consider a compulsion. It's not possible to time travel so it's not possible to take action on that stuff in the past. Instead, we can shift the focus to the present. Compulsions are all about chasing certainty, trying to control and avoid uncertainty. So in the present, that's something you can work on accepting and put your time and energy into where you want to go.
@@everybodyhasabrain I had intrusive thoughts about the doku so i know that i got them because i watched it. But i completely unterstand that searching for possible causes or OCD related behavior in the past won't change anything. Thank you for answering!
I have a question what is exactly is an urge in OCD, why is it labeled as an urge? Wouldn't an urge be a desire? So if we are against what we're going through, why is it called an urge?
I wouldn't get too caught up in the semantics of it. You can label that whatever you like. It's the pressure one feels in the short-term to engage in some activity.
Hey mark! Where have you been? I miss new video from you! :( how are you?
I'm doing wonderfully. I just got back from a conference and I've been writing a book. But I'll get back to videos soon. Thanks for asking!
I feel like I'm the only person with it in 2021
That's a very normal thing to feel!
Hi I need help I suffer from severe harm ocd to the point where I can’t be around my mom without thinking I’m going to harm her, I can’t be around knives I start having pain in my hands and I just don’t know what to do anymore. Then I start thinking what if I act upon these thoughts just to make them go away but I know I really don’t want to. I don’t know what to do anymore it’s causing me to have severe anxiety and depression, please help
Tell yourself that your thoughts are not you, they're just thoughts. I've dealt with harm ocd for 6 years so I know how fucking awful it is but I promise you it's just thoughts and there are techniques to help you get them under control. Also you should know that usually people with harm ocd are some of the least likely people to act on these thoughts and ironically you're probably a more peaceful and empathetic person than others and that's part of what makes the thoughts so distressing and makes you start to obsess over them and think having the thoughts means that somehow you want to act them out. Because studies show that almost everyone occasionally has these violent thoughts but most people just shrug them off and people like us don't and obsess over them and convince ourselves that these thoughts say something about who we are. The thoughts don't represent desires. Also therapy can help an insane amount even without any drugs. Also a way to make it worse is to try really hard to avoid the thoughts, because you can't run from your mind and fearing the thoughts will just turn them into more of a monster when really all they are is fleeting thoughts. When you accept the thoughts and know that they're just thoughts and have nothing to do with actions and have nothing to do with your desires you'll start to demystify them and they'll become less distressing. That's just one of the many ways to help manage it. I know it's a living Hell, trust me, just know there are ways to get over it and deal with it and become normal again. 6 years ago I thought I'd have to kill myself to escape the thoughts. And it got better. Try to reach out and talk to someone you trust closely about what you're going through and seek help from a therapist because it seriously can help. Stay strong love, it'll get better.
Mark, thanks for All the tips/insight. I find that having "Compassion" for myself, is helpful, even though my OCD voice says I'm not "Deserving of it". My Practicing Mindfulness Course, "The Greater Courses-Prof Mark W. Muesse", says that one can search the whole world over, and there is no person more deserving of Compassion, than Oneself. I find when I practice "Loving myself", I have more Love/compassion for others. Mite make a good video, for u, if u want ideas. :) OCD Trumps my good feeling
Do you find a link between harm OCD and hyper- responsibility in different topics?
I wouldn't see those as different at all. It can help to not get caught up in labels like that. There's just mental health.
I have Harm OCD, and I’m terrified of causing harm on purpose with a knife; I’ve picked up knives and held them to try to ease the anxiety before. But when I do I then fear that because I can hold a knife, that means my fear isn’t real and I may be capable of harm because of it, or I *will* hurt someone when I’ve never harmed anyone in my life. It’s draining.
This is very common. I struggled with compulsions around knives. Here's a blog post about getting over it: everybodyhasabrain.tumblr.com/post/141269270954/how-i-got-over-knife-ocd-symptoms
@@everybodyhasabrain what about when you're resting with your eyes closed and those images from thoughts jus pop up non stop and they bother you how u get rid of those
@@luh4682 Those details wouldn't make a difference. It can help to see that checking on stuff like and believing it's somehow different is the compulsion. It also helped me to recognize that thoughts weren't bothering me, I was bothering them!
hi bro. is there a way i can do erp aloneon harm ocd. my obsessions are when im driving my car. feels like im gonna put it in reverse while its on speed. cant afford a therapist bro.im broke
Hey Mark, and thanks again for an amazing video! You help me so much! I’m pretty sure I suffer from Harm OCD, as my thoughts generally revolve around this topic, and I’m doing my best to cut out compulsions it’s just really hard cause sometimes I don’t even notice them! But, I’m only a teenager and I have no idea how I would tell this to my parents.... I have a fear they might think I’m crazy... and even then I have no idea who I would go to first for a teen to get help for this. Anyway any advice you could give me? On telling my parents and seeking help?
And I told my parents I suffer from anxiety... and one day I was getting really close to telling my mom and she stopped me and said, “Those aren’t bad thoughts are they?” And that freaked me out... so I just steered away from it. I just don’t know how I would explain this.
It's ok to find this challenging. Overcoming the fear of talking about this stuff is one of the first compulsions we get to tackle. One thing that can be useful is keeping the focus on where you want to go and how the stuff in your head is interfering with life. For example, if it's interfering with school, you could talk about wanting to study and needing some help to do that. Or if it's interfering with relationships, you can talk about how it's getting in the way of that. It's always difficult to talk about our mental health but by focusing the conversation around where we want to go, and can be a bit easier because we're talking about the thing we want, the thing we like, instead of the stuff we don't like. That stuff we don't like is just a challenge we're going to overcome on the way to doing the stuff we want to do.
Enjoy the steps ahead!
Mark Freeman thank you so much for responding! I will do this! Thank you!
If I am doing ERP my response is to not speak wrong in the public speech..Should my response prevention be to actually do the opppsite and make fun of myself..or hittong the other car if fear of hitting...or practically do the opposite.Please answer.
No, ERP involves cutting out the compulsions. So whatever the compulsions are that you're doing around something like speeches, it's those compulsions you'd cut out.
@@everybodyhasabrain During speeches, my compulsion is to try hard to speak right because my mind becomes over-stuffed and ultimately blank and if I don't speak wrong intentionaally or otherwise do compulsion..I wouldn't be able to deliver properly..
I'm trying to follow erp therapy on my own because unfortunately I can't afford a therapist right now, I've been reading and educating myself to try to do it as best as.My question is how do i do ERP for Somatic Ocd?(such as obssession about blinking,swallowing,breathing) Please give me adivice if you have some. Thank you!
One way of approaching ERP that I found useful was recognizing that it's all about changing actions. So I want to cut out the compulsions and do things I value instead. Watch out for getting caught up in thinking that somatic symptoms are somehow different. It helped me to see that I tried to check and control experiences in my body the same way I did to things around us. Checking the stove top to see if it's hot is the same as checking my heart rate to see if it feels too fast. Focusing on whether my hands feel clean or contaminated is the same as focusing on whether my blinking feels right. Avoiding particular foods or situations because of swallowing fears is the same as trying to avoid particular foods or situations because of social anxiety fears. Etc. ERP is about seeing that the way we're interacting with experiences inside and outside of our bodies isn't working well for us, so we change those interactions! If you don't have experience making changes with how you interact with experiences, it could help to start learning how to make changes with something external first. For example, the exercise I often give clients first is to learn how to not check their phones. If somebody can't accept an uncertainty about whether they got an email or not and then not check, how are they going to accept an uncertainty that's much bigger, like uncertainty about dying, and not check that?! Just like with physical fitness, when working on mental fitness, it helps to start small.
I cured it on my own. Couldn't drive because of violent images. Firstly i didn't know i had ocd. Then i started with cycling for 20 days. Then shifted to scooty and now i love to drive. Had very exhilarating moments, anxiety, shivering in my whole body but it's going great. Took me just a month or so..and i had to continue the practice. I still fear but i keep saying "you can handle this". But i have a question, i did this Big thing and i think i am unable to do small ones..any tip?
It might be useful to not see these other changes as "small" or the other one as "big". There are just things you want to do. If you're struggling with doing something, then you can look at what supports will help you do it.
@@everybodyhasabrain yes..thank you !!
I've recently went to my doctor under suspicion of OCD. I get these harm thoughts, I don't SEE them with my eyes but in my head and they go on for a few seconds and then I flinch. Like falling off buildings, being hit by cars when I cross the street or harming myself or others. I get scared of acting on them. I also have little compulsions like counting, hand washing, arranging etc. Do you think it sounds as if I may have it? I'm 17, the little compulsions have been there a long time.
Awesome video! I suffer from harm OCD and OCD. I started big though because I was actually doing life threatening ocd and severely hurting myself.. And one day I just got so sick of it and did it for the last time. I got it on video so I know I did it. I've been 10 day's harm OCD free.. Very hard but I will get threw it. Also, a question.. Now I know that I'm done my harm OCD and I'm trying to push threw.. it is very hard.. So far so good though. I just got to keep reminding myself that I made a promise to myself and I'm not breaking it and I've already come so far.. Ten day's is a lot when you have lived in fear everyday of you're life worrying if you're going to die. I can say I'm very proud of myself. It's just hard because my OCD will be like "re do it over" or "pick another day" or "you didn't do it right" or "just hurt you're self one more time" and i say nope, you really gotta fight back. My OCD don't like how I stop OCD either, it wasn't "perfect" and I keep telling myself nothing's perfect. Now, do you think I'm coming about it the right way? I did harm OCD all day on feb at, thought I was done forever until I couldn't resist and then I did it again and again and finally on feb 2nd.. I went down stair's to my mom and asked her if she'd help me do it one more time (like I always do) and then she yelled at me and said things like "if you don't stop it, you will never stop it" and "you always say one last time" and I just started crying really bad and I finally realized and she pushed me to, to realize that it's never gonna stop if I don't stop it and plus I'm gonna get seriously hurt or end up dying from it.. I couldn't take it, I went up stair's and did it with my eyes (the thing that was bothering me the most at the time) and I haven't done anything since February 2nd of this year.
The question part, I was going to ask a question but I started weighting something else! My bad. 😜
sabrina mudgett
Great vid. Question: I have the same harm compulsions with knives, balconies, stairs, harming animals ect...my issue is that the thoughts that make me the most anxious are to do with harming children (falling over and hurting them, accidentally harming their eyes, stuff like that)...do these courses deal with that as well? I've had this for about 3 years and haven't done much about it (kind of stupid). I also get anxious about talking about it and sharing my thoughts with other people, kind of a double whammmy.
It's important not get caught up on the superficial symptoms and perceived differences amongst OCD symptoms. Reacting to the fear of harming somebody is no different than reacting to the fear of leaving the stove on, or reacting to the fear of having germs on you, etc. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy can be a great way to tackle OCD symptoms so it can definitely help to get started on therapy.
Thanks for the clarification. :)
Sir I think there is no therapist for Rep here in the Philippines that's my problem only psychiatrist my doctor is a psychiatrist all she does is to prescribe anti deppresant for me and she just only listens to my symptoms she doesn't talk about tips or whatever that may help me..
There are many therapists who now offer help online via Skype or Gchat. So if that's something you can access, that might be an option as well. Books can help guide the process, too.
I've been pushing it for so many days now, I haven't given up and have done barely any compulsions, but I have started overthinking if it has gone or not, and then I decided to stop overthinking, but I'm fighting like this everyday. Any insight?
I have an 11 year old girl that just started this OCD thing two weeks ago...naturally she dislikes this very much and is upset as she can't stop it. I want to show her this Video, do you recommend that? It was a blessing to see and hear this... thanks!
Well, I'd talk it over with the therapist you're working with and see how it can support the homework this 11 year old girl is doing to overcome these issues. If you're not working with a therapist experienced in using evidence-based therapies to help people recover from OCD, then I'd recommend that. Structured, methodical approaches to dealing with OCD are very effective. It is possible to recover. But showing a random video here and there is not going to have any magical effect. These videos are meant as supports, not replacements for the healthy changes that need be happening at home every day. So I would suggest working with somebody that can help the entire family make those changes and support recovery.
Do you have any knowledge of anyone in the Pittsburgh area that specializes in this? She has had an extreme amount of stress over the past year which ended in a loss of her normal home and other things several days before all this began. I admit I am totally lost as it is an intangible and I am a fix it person.... very heartbreaking. If you know of anyone I'd appreciate the input. Thanks!!
Connie Malinski I am not personally familiar with anyone in the Pittsburgh area so I would try calling the University of Pennsylvania
OCD Clinic: The Center for the Treatment and Study of Anxiety. Since they're in the same state, they would likely be more familiar with local options. The director of that clinic is Edna B Foa, who has done a lot of great research on effective OCD treatments.
Good topic
so is harm ocd or even ocd in general curable? and when I say that, I mean 100% gone? and is it normal for harm ocd to manifest not at birth, but mid life? please answer
I suffered from "harm OCD" and I don't have it anymore. It is 110% gone. I also only developed full-blown OCD later in life. Acceptance & Commitment Therapy helped me tremendously. But it's important to remember that OCD is much more than the symptoms that bother you. So try to go beyond the harm-related stuff. One of the common mistakes I see people making with recovery is that they only focus on a narrow part of the illness, the part that causes the most anxiety. But then they keep practicing OCD in other areas they like, so they keep relapsing. Tackle the entire beast!
+Mark Freeman thank you. no idea how much you helped me
It helps to look for patterns of thinking and behavior that mimic the other compulsions that bother you. For example, a few weeks ago I left the gym and as I was walking away, I wondered if I might have forgotten my water bottle in the locker room. It had happened in the past. I felt the urge to open my gym bag and check. So there was an uncertainty about something happening that I didn't want, and there was an urge to do something to try to be certain that the unwanted thing hadn't happened.
So I did NOT check my bag.
That's because that pattern of reacting to an uncertainty about something "bad" happening is how people practice OCD. If I'd reacted by checking, that would only encourage my brain to give me more uncertainties. And the more I would react, the more complex and frightening the uncertainties would become.
+MTL 514 That's where being mindful comes in. In the past, when I struggled with anxiety disorders, anxiety was the fuel for all of my actions. I had constructed my life around compulsions. Cutting out compulsions meant finding a completely new way to live. So I had to learn how to live by my values and be mindful of the present, instead of depending on reacting anxiously in the future.
+Mark Freeman I have Contamination/Health OCD. That stems from me having allergic rhinitis or sinus disease frequently I've been to medical doctors and I receive allergy shots but I still always have to deal with mild-moderate sinusitis and this caused the OCD. I use to go to the gym now I can't go. I use to go out now I don't. I'm on zoloft 100mg and xanax 1mg daily. My fear is that I'm sick already and I don't feel like getting sicker. I don't want to risk getting sicker than I already am. I been told to stop ruminating about it and to do imaginary exposure. Like go into the situations I'm afraid of and in my mind say this might make me sicker this might make me sicker. Also been told to say I might be sick or I might just have a medical condition over and over. My hands have to be clean before eating, I don't eat at restaurants, I try to avoid crowds and you know the rest. What sucks is not just the contamination fear which would be easy to beat but what sucks is the fear that I'm sick or will become sicker. Like I said I was told by different drs It's a medical condition that wont kill me. But one dr scared me to death when I had an acute infection and thought it was a mycrobacteria which I took antibiotics for a month and than got tested and chest xrays and blood work everything came back normal and the test for bacteria came back negative but I told him I think it was
still there he goes why I said Its a false negative because the antibiotics and I said it will come back he than gave me Zoloft and said to stop obessing that it was a medical condition but common or nothing hazardous. I HATE MY LIFE ITS SO HARD TO DEAL WITH THIS THING!
GOD bless you. How do I find someone that specializes in this. I already see a psyciatrist. But they aren't too interested in really helping me with one on one therapy which is what I desperatly need but they just give me drugs for my bipolar. I really need help. I live in La California. Thank GOD for u. Do u think I should seek a specialist. But I have no money for it. Please give me some feedback. Thanks again
If you're in LA, I'd recommend the OCD Centre of Los Angeles (OCDLA). They cost money, but they might be able to connect you with a support group that is free. Peer support groups that focus on recovery and supporting each other through the ERP process can be very effective.
Hi Mark! I messaged you on Instagram about this, but I get these intrusive thoughts of wanting to do/wanting something bad to happen. I would NEVER actually want to do these things or want them to happen. They scare me a lot and I feel like a terrible person. Is this OCD? I've been worried lately that its not and im some crazy person. But these thoughts came out of no where and I've never had them before. I know I wouldn't want/do these things deep down but my brain keeps telling me "what if you did."
Checking for reassurance about this is a really common compulsion. It might seem like you want to chase certainty about whether it's OCD or not but it helped me to recognize that's exactly the thing that fuels these intrusive thoughts. The more we chase the high of certainty, the more we teach the brain to give us the withdrawal of the uncertainty and intrusive thoughts. And then the brain has to keep thinking up worse intrusive thoughts so we can keep checking and get even more relief highs. So it helps tremendously to cut out compulsions like this to check for reassurance.
@@everybodyhasabrain Thank you!
Dear Mark, can obsessions be about anything? I have been suffering for ocd for 50 years, was diagnosed when I was 10...and in the last 3 years, been diagnosed after years of meds, erp, cbt,act, mindfulness practice...years of 4-5 hours of daily erp practice with no improvement, 30 minutes of panicked sleep per night, depression,suicidal thoughts, constant nausea and diarreah. I think this is beyond what folks can help, and was told my only options were dbs invasive brain surgery or tms. Since the grievious worrysome mental thoughts arent in the books, like the common harm ocd, germs, hit and run, symmetry,sexual ocd...my brain keeps telling me its ok, trust me, im helping you out my keeping you miserable and in the dundgeon of hel-,pardon the language, but there arent human terms to describe this inhumane torturous treatment. The thoughts keep telling me after 40 years of never being able to figure out the solution, to keep embarrassing bad things from happening and leaving me homeless on the streets, my friends and family shaming and disowning me, because I just couldnt get this one little thing figured out...then Im free. How does one keep hope after just being bedridden for 10 years and now docs wont even talk with me because they say Im too sick and need to go to the hospital...but the hospital says i need to go to a psychiatrist. I know this is way beyond what medical science is capable of tackling and i just need to use my Positive inner joy, happiness and playful creativity to find any ki nd of peace i can.
Thanks for your videos, Mark...even tho I dont get my suds level down from a 10...i feel Proud that i am trying.
Take care and god bless
I find it helps to recognize the content/topic of an obsession is irrelevant. It helps to shift the focus to changing actions and cutting out compulsions.
@@everybodyhasabrain thanks Mark...even tho my brain says its ok to keep replaying the same anxious worrysome loop, solving, figuring, gnawing, regurgitating and its ok to live in Hel- because you will solve this thing, and then you will thank me for tornenting, torturing in misery and destroying any shred of joy you might have...your going to be so happy...keep mentally repalying, dont quit now, you are so close to freedom. I guess im too sick to realize it, Mark...but is this the compulsions you are referring to. The docs and my twin bro clearly see its the same as if someone is checking for ie a door over and over...but it seems like life ir death to get this thing figured out, or else.
Sorry mann, Im so worn down and exhausted and ashamed that Im not smarter after 50 years of meds and treatment.
Your videos have inspired me...
Take care Mark, Im really proud of you and grateful. Ive watched so many of your videos over the years, and tried to apply, and meditate w, you, i feel like you are a friend. I really feel like a burden on my family and society, but all i can do is my Best. Take care and god bless.
Hi mark. So I have been had pure o OCD for more then 10 years I'm 22 now. I'm currently trying to practice different mindfulness exercises. I was wondering what the relationship is between accepting the thoughts and doing ERP. I also find it hard to identify my compulsions because all of them are done in my head as far as I am aware. I wasn't really aware what I was experiencing was OCD until only a couple of years ago, but what I went through was torturous, mainly manifested through thoughts that I don't like. I also went to therapy but I think the therapist wasn't experienced in OCD because they had me trying to challenge these thoughts, which I challenged obsessively for a few years believing that the thoughts were the problem and I could get rid of them by challenging them which I now know was wasted effort because it's impossible to get rid of thoughts like that haha
+matt234567 Here's a video on mental compulsions that might be useful: th-cam.com/video/T8vWWt7Z4G4/w-d-xo.html Accepting thoughts can be a great way to practice ERP. For example, if somebody were leaving the house and they had an intrusive thought about the door being unlocked and somebody breaking in, they could accept that thought as a thought, and not have to engage in a compulsion because of it.
mark freeman.. I haven't been diagnosed with harm ocd. but I have these horrible images thoughts my brain wants me to be the opposite of who I am. I am depressed. I know I have this stupid mental illnes. what should be the first step to over come.
Are you able to access a therapist that's experienced with helping people recover? That can be a great place to get started on cutting out compulsions.
Mark, just curious why one of your "Sticky notes" behind you says, "Keep your Forehead down". Does that help you Focus/be mindful of the Present...If I'm getting a STRONG Creepy URGENT thought, especially if I'm in Public wit a Lot of People :( UGHH, and I'm getting "ATTACKED"...and STRUGGLING to be with them, I use my Inner Voice Spectator/Guide/Sergent to tell me to Look down, and go within myself, and at the same time, I move my Focus/awareness to a "Sweet spot", Away from All the NOISES...
Do you have any tips for how to recognize what a compulsion is? I've been like this for at least 10 years and it peaked about 1.5 years ago, I'd see my self throwing myself into traffic and hurting children and obvious problems and now it is more so problem with questioning being healthy or knowing if I am okay..So I guess my question is if I am doing something other than accepting the thought to get rid of it, is that a compulsion?
Thank you very much.
The way to identify compulsions that helped me was cutting out anything that was an attempt to cope with, check on, or control uncertainty (or any other feeling/thought I didn't like).
Thanks.
*****
Hey Mark, I know therapy is the way to go with Harm OCD but what medication would you recommend along with it or in general ?
Awais Khan I've never taken any medication or any supplements for my mental health. So that's not really a question I can help with.
Awais Khan But I can tell you that posting the same question three times is just a regular OCD compulsion, not a Harm OCD compulsion. Believing there are "themes' can just create more challenges for yourself. It helps to tackle the entire OCD monster. So as you're doing therapy, you might find it helpful to look beyond the particular symptoms that are bothering you.
Hi mark I'm 24 and im struggling from harm ocd my, dark thoughts such as stabbing my own mother thats awkward and i hate it when it attacks me but i did some research and how to overcome it so far i could control it but i still need more advice thanks
Can you be more specific about the advice you're looking for? Are you doing therapy right now?
Any way I can get ahold of your email to ask you questions concerning on seeking help?
It you take the most difficult ERP first you win. Its science.
Mark Freeman how come you don't cover Mentally reviewing events to determine if harm was done or if there was an intention to do harm
I think you might be trying to get too specific, which is a common compulsion. So taking a step back and looking at the bigger picture is a great step you can take in tackling this. All of the videos are about reviewing events in your head, just as all of the videos are about every OCD compulsion. What you describe is just another way we try to cope with, check on, or control uncertainty. With OCD, we run into an uncertainty (ex: Did I harm somebody?!) and then we try to do things to cope with, check on, or control that uncertainty. That's the point to the "Themes" video you also commented on--they're all the same and I found it really helpful to tackle them at that fundamental level. The superficial qualities of the compulsion don't matter. You're doing something as a reaction to an uncertainty. Learning to embrace uncertainty and not answer the questions your brain throws at you is going to help you, regardless of the specifics of the compulsion.
How do I tell my parents I need help with this and is the Philadelphia center of anxiety and OCD a good place to go to see a professional?
Jess Smi
Hi I have a question, I don’t think I have OCD but I’ve been having some intrusive thoughts about inappropriate sexual contents and I saw your video about ERP (which is very detailed and educative by the way). But you indicated that you need a professional for this which some other people say you don’t. I just want to know do you really need a professional for the basic exercises especially if the exercise isn’t so severe and I can handle it.
Did you remove your question? I don't see it anymore.
One of the common problems I see is that people just end up practicing compulsions and they make it worse. I encourage people to approach it like physical fitness: it's going to help to ask somebody that's already accomplished the exercises you want to do. Even if somebody is going to do it on their own, they're probably going to follow a workout plan prepared by a trainer until they've developed the skills to be their own coach.
@@bukkyadewole3882 I can't reply to a question that's removed. But what you did there is the perfect example of why it's useful to work with a professional: that's the exact same compulsion that goes into the fears about harming somebody. Fears about harming others are often social anxiety compulsions. We're afraid of what others will think, that they'll judge us, etc. Your earlier questions completely made sense. But then the compulsions start--the judging and the ruminating, adding clarification, and then removing all of the comments to control what others think. Those are the types of compulsions we have to work on cutting out. That's what ERP is about. An example of an ERP exercise would have been to post one comment and leave it. No clarification, no removing, accepting whatever the brain threw up, so you can show the brain you're not going to chase certainty about what others think. It really helps to look past the topic troubling us at the much broader patterns of compulsions in our lives.
@Bukky Adewole There's research showing that people can work on their own. BUT the person does need to know what they're doing. It's just like physical fitness--an individual can get into great shape without a personal trainer, but do they know how to exercise? If they don't know how to exercise well, they will probably struggle on their own.
People can do basic exercises on their own, but what you described in your original comment was not how to do ERP. It's likely that the source you found online is not a good one. Just like with physical fitness, many people share exercises online, but that doesn't mean they're effective.
Has anyone had experience with the onset of OCD in relation to getting married or considering getting married?
Checking for certainty about whether somebody else has had the same thing is what's known as "reassurance-seeking". It's a very common compulsion. Engaging in compulsions to chase certainty like this would also very naturally create challenges around other things that involve lots of uncertainty, like relationships and other commitments! I found it really helpful to recognize that OCD doesn't just appear suddenly. We work our way up to it and often like the compulsions, until those compulsions are no longer effective, particularly in situations where it's not possible to get the certainty we crave, and then the compulsions end up being problematic and we blame that particular situation. But these experiences just help us see that we can change how we interact with uncertainty in our lives so we find more useful ways to take steps ahead on our journeys.
Mark Freeman thank you so much for your reply! Certainty is definitely point on. Also, needing approval of significant people?-I’ve been listening to Bowen Theory (Family Therapy)-I wonder how much OCD even stems from a differentiation of self that is not developed in a person’s life and assertiveness, too. Maybe those are some reasons why certainty and needed approval are so high up in value. Thank you for your thoughtful response and informative vids-well done!
I have these thoughts but I got diagnosed with anxiety
Yeah, the diagnoses are just labels. The important thing is, no matter what label it is, it's possible to make changes and leave it behind
Can you do a video on doing ERP for people like me with OCD of New Phones, electronics, cars and things of that sort ? Thanks
Something to watch out for is a way of thinking I've heard referred to as: "Special Snowflake Thinking". It's common with OCD when we believe that our superficial symptoms make treatment different for us and mean that what works for other symptoms or other people can't possible work for us because of our unique special snowflakeness. But all symptoms follow the same patterns. It's OCD that makes us judge and discriminate and try to fit things into tiny boxes of certainty and reject anything that doesn't conform to those boxes. Try not to get caught up in that. All of the videos can you help you with doing ERP for anything. Check out the series I did on "5 ERP Tips for Anxiety".
Will do. As I am watching your vids I am realizing how much I can relate to other OCD's and their symptoms. I am also reading a book called Overcoming OCD by David Veale. Thanks!!
Harm ocd sufferer here. This video triggered my fears and made me feel 100x more anxious. When you said you shouldn't practice erp on your own without a therapist. You need a 'trainer'
Many people like myself are on a long waiting list for therapy. And try to help ourselves in the mean time. That was my plan anyway but after watching this I felt completely unable to do that and unable to help myself. It made me extremely anxious and ended up isolating myself yet again. I stopped watching this video after that. 😒 I appreciate you trying to help and give information but this could trigger people's anxieties even more! Consider that not everyone is in therapy and I don't know about other countries but in the UK the mental health service is appalling with very long waiting lists!! We are left to try and fend for ourselves. You really should consider what you are saying in videos like this.
Is it OK to do ERP for HOCD on my own, or should that be with a professional?
This is an important tip to keep in mind for almost anything in life: If you have to ask if you can do it on your own or you need to work with a professional, then you probably don't know enough to do it on your own or you would already know the answer to that question. Here are a couple of other things to consider: 1) With ERP, it helps to start with something that doesn't bother you very much. So if HOCD symptoms are bothering you so much that you want to ask about getting rid of them, I wouldn't recommend starting there. 2) I get around one panicked email each month from somebody that claims to be doing ERP for HOCD but is actually just engaging in HOCD compulsions. Please don't become that person. Remember that ERP is about eliminating compulsions you're already engaging that are feeding the obsessions. 3) I have not yet met anybody that only has one "theme". It helps to understand the complete picture of OCD in your life because when you start to cut out compulsions in one area, they tend to grow in another area. If you don't recognize that those other areas are also compulsions, you just end up trying to put out a fire in one area while inadvertently fuelling the fire in multiple other areas.
Thanks for the great response, Mark! I honestly don't know enough about ERP to do it on my own I believe. I know for certain that I have had many, many themes of OCD (such as going to prison, going blind, etc) though HOCD seems to be the primary one at the moment. Unfortunately the therapist I have now is pretty bad and thinks that OCD obsessions are metaphors for underlying feelings. You can imagine why I didn't take that too well. I'm going to make a list of things that frighten or trigger me and decide which one would be easiest to start with.
Anthony Di Francesco That's too bad about the therapist. That's not an evidence-based approach to dealing with OCD. That's like a 1950s-era approach. Can you get a more experienced therapist? Using a workbook by a reputable author could be a helpful approach as well.
Yeah, the therapist makes me feel worse every time. I had a dream and he kept trying to figure out if it was erotic or not. Didn't help me too much. I have "The Mindfulness Workbook for OCD" which is very good. Even so, it's just not the same as getting professional help. It's very difficult to find a better therapist.
i have harm ocd i have violent thoughts of hitting stabbing and hurting other people mainly family members how do i get rid of these thoughts ? it feels like im going to act on the thoughts for real
+dolton kenway Have you talked to a therapist experienced with helping people recover from OCD? That can be a great first step. It's possible to get rid of these thoughts but not by trying to get rid of them directly. With OCD, your brain tries to help you: Whatever it is you're most worried about, it checks to make sure it's not happening. It's possible to get over this but it involves cutting out compulsions. So talking with a therapist to help you understand the compulsions can help. It's likely there are other OCD compulsions you have, but they probably don't bother you as much as this one, but it can help to be open to cutting those out. For me, it was actually cutting out all of the other compulsions I had that I didn't notice that helped me get rid of the harm-related symptoms.
+Mark Freeman ohhh ok thank you!
ive been doing erp most of my obsessive intrusive thoughts are gone!
+dolton kenway how you doing know bro?
+nightowlkid the intrusive thoughts came back im about to get rid of them again though
Harm ocd may occur together with retroactive jealousy?
I don't know what "retroactive jealousy" is but any OCD symptom can happen with anything.
+Mark Freeman It is jealousy to someone's relationship's ou sexual past.