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watkd2500
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Member Since: Mar 2019
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Confused Aug 24, 2020 at 07:36 PM
  #1
Hello,

I was diagnosed with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder quite some time ago and I do take Sertraline for depression and obssesive compulsive disorder. I take 200 mg and I am still having difficulties with unwanted thoughts.

I read the book Overcoming Unwanted Intrusive Thoughts by Martin Self and Sally Winston and I have watched YouTube videos related to the matter. The basic idea is simple...to let the thoughts roll off. My concern is...I guess that allowing the thought to completely process through my inner dialogue causes anxiety. I do work continuously to try and suppress the unwanted thoughts which, I believe, are a result from suppressing my "shadow" and I do believe that may have something to do with it. In addition, I am facing a lot of difficulties in my life that I have never faced before.

Besides letting thoughts roll off that I don't want to have in my mind, are there any cognitive tricks that could "program" my mind so that some other thought registers? I have thought of trying to think of a word that associates with disgust to help combat the thoughts and that was an idea that just occurred to me today. I have also thought of directing the thoughts at the people who are to blame for my situation. In addition, I have thought of saying something in my dialogue such as: "These are thoughts that I don't like and that I do not want. I do not have to acknowledge or validate my thoughts."

I do also want to point out that this is a situation that I want to get through but, periodically, the thoughts are troubling. and that the thoughts will not deter me from getting through my problem.

On a separate note, I do have insomnia and I have been like that since I was five years old. I do not believe it is necessarily correlated with my anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorder but at times I can lose sleep because of it. I do take medication for it.

Any help on this matter would be appreciated.

Thanks,.

Last edited by watkd2500; Aug 24, 2020 at 07:48 PM..
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pumpernickel1
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Default Aug 25, 2020 at 08:30 PM
  #2
I have the same issue so I would love to hear other posters points of view on this matter as well. But I will sometimes dissociate when I try to fight an intrusive thought too hard. It's hard to describe how it happens/what it's like. I have found that playing relaxing music like nature sounds or soft piano music helps if I'm at home and can do so. I have also found distraction to often help the most. So I'll cuddle with my dog or cat, I'll try reading a book, searching the internet. Often it doesn't help but sometimes it does. I'm sure you've tried things like these. I'm not sure what your compulsions are but sometimes you can try and reprogram the compulsions to be something healthy like stretching, yoga, deep breathing. I know compulsions aren't good and hard to stop no matter what they are but it's something to think about/try.

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