Unwanted Thoughts/Images-How to beat it!

ImNotMyIllness

Well-known member
My unwanted thoughts and images started as a teenager in church. Church was a very serious affair in my family and I took it seriously at that age. But, during sermons, I would have really blasphemous thoughts. I remember panicking about it and having to pray profusely. Luckily, as I grew up and less religious these thoughts disappeared.

Unwanted images do occasionally come across my mind. But, they don't linger! Not anymore. Why is that? When you have OCD, unwanted images are very common. They are mostly always something that causes you intense guilt or shame. This can be terrorizing! What's worse, you then can't stop thinking about whatever is causing you grief. Your mind will try to tell you that you like it and that you're a sicko. This of course will bring about even more anxiety. You may even try to objectively think about it to "check yourself". But, that according to your own sickness, verifies that subconsciously you must feel that way. And so it goes on an on an on an on.............You can't get off the ride.

So, how do you stop this vicious cycle of terror? The KEY is NOT TO FEEL GUILTY OR ASHAMED. It has NOTHING to do with you! It's NOT a reflection of Who You Are, or Your Desires. AND, it's NOT some repressed desire hiding in the recesses of your mind. You think about it, because it bothers you!

I view my OCD as a sick "friend" who keeps trying to show me dirty images or whisper sick thoughts. I know the game now! It's not my fault! And, I have turned the tables! Whenever I get a sick thought or image, I don't obsess about it. I'm like, okay. Then my OCD, will try to tell me it's not okay. It will ask me "Why would you think that!". There has to be a reason! Don't lie to yourself"............Do you know what I do? I say: "Whatever! You're stupid anyway" LOL......That's right. I LOL my OCD. I don't even stress out about it. If it wants to waste it's time, go for it-Whatever. Has nothing to do with me. I don't care......And with that mindset the images go away. Sure, when I'm feeling very anxious, I may get a sick image from time to time. But, it doesn't bother me...Why should it. I know it's my OCD trying to f*ck with my head!

That doesn't mean you won't be repulsed or sick by the image. Just assign blame where it belongs-to your OCD and NOT YOU. I'll tell my OCD to piss off! Unwanted thoughts and images almost never happen to me anymore-very rare. And when they do...........Whatever!

So remember where to assign the blame. And next time your OCD comes knocking, tell it LOL. Give it no respect!
 
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jaim38

Well-known member
Thanks for the advice. Everyday, I have unwanted thoughts and images and I feel so guilty and ashamed of myself for having them. I will try out your method and see how that goes.
 

ImNotMyIllness

Well-known member
Thanks for the advice. Everyday, I have unwanted thoughts and images and I feel so guilty and ashamed of myself for having them. I will try out your method and see how that goes.

Give it some time. You're going to have to get bold. Remember, OCD is like a Bully. If it can make you feel guilty or ashamed, it wins. Because once you feel that way, the thoughts and anxiety will continue, which in turn causes more obsessive thoughts. I see it as a mental bug or a neurological blip/hiccup.

Just remember, it's not your fault. You have nothing to be ashamed of. It's not a reflection of you in any way!

:)
 
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ImNotMyIllness

Well-known member
Another topic that I want to touch upon is: "Why do we listen?" I believe the main reason we give so much weight to what our inner OCD voice tells us is that we think it's privy to some insider information. We think, "Well, because this thought or image is in my head, it MUST COME FROM SOMEWHERE!" In freudian jargon, "it's my ID telling me how I really feel, clawing it way up from years of repression!" NO! That's total Bullsh*t! The OCD brain will project thoughts and images that is abhorrent to the suffer. You're not obsessing about rainbows and butterflies.

Realize that a lot of this is Neurological. It doesn't help that sufferers tend to have low self esteem and a weak identity. If you grew up in a very religious background or an environment where you had to be perfect, your OCD will be particularly pernicious.
Just understand and know that it has nothing to do with you. Once you release ownership of these thoughts and images the guilt and shame go away. And, with that, so do the images!
I seriously can't be freak'n bothered by ever stupid thought that goes through my OCD brain AND neither can you. :)
 
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OMG...I can relate to the unwanted thoughts.....and all the things about it. I sometimes get horrible horrible images that I think are sickening and I keep thinking why im thinking that until I get distracted by something else.
But thinking good images is good. Like whatever I got an interest in at the time I'll think of whatever those things are all day every day unless I'm doing something else that I get distracted from my mind. But I try not to think bad things though. The worst of my horrible images was at the beginnings of my OCD when I was very young. I really like little kids, I always have, but when I was maybe like 7 or 8 I would see a little kid that was like 2 and then say in my mind "aww she/hes a cute little baby", but then I dont know what would make me think of then being killed and being murdered by me and I would freak out and wanted to not think of that because I loved little kids and I thought I was a very bad person for thinking that. I havnt thought like that since I was like 9 and now I have no bad thoughts like that and I even joined child development at school and go to the child center to take care of 3-5 year olds at the day care and its all good, and I havnt even remembered I used to have those scary images until I read this post. but sometimes I still think bad images and I feel extreme guilt but not relating to youngsters anymore. I hope I'm not really evil..:(
Thanks for the advice.
 
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aNOTfox

Well-known member
My unwanted thoughts and images started as a teenager in church. Church was a very serious affair in my family and I took it seriously at that age. But, during sermons, I would have really blasphemous thoughts. I remember panicking about it and having to pray profusely. Luckily, as I grew up and less religious these thoughts disappeared.

Unwanted images do occasionally come across my mind. But, they don't linger! Not anymore. Why is that? When you have OCD, unwanted images are very common. They are mostly always something that causes you intense guilt or shame. This can be terrorizing! What's worse, you then can't stop thinking about whatever is causing you grief. Your mind will try to tell you that you like it and that you're a sicko. This of course will bring about even more anxiety. You may even try to objectively think about it to "check yourself". But, that according to your own sickness, verifies that subconsciously you must feel that way. And so it goes on an on an on an on.............You can't get off the ride.

So, how do you stop this vicious cycle of terror? The KEY is NOT TO FEEL GUILTY OR ASHAMED. It has NOTHING to do with you! It's NOT a reflection of Who You Are, or Your Desires. AND, it's NOT some repressed desire hiding in the recesses of your mind. You think about it, because it bothers you!

I view my OCD as a sick "friend" who keeps trying to show me dirty images or whisper sick thoughts. I know the game now! It's not my fault! And, I have turned the tables! Whenever I get a sick thought or image, I don't obsess about it. I'm like, okay. Then my OCD, will try to tell me it's not okay. It will ask me "Why would you think that!". There has to be a reason! Don't lie to yourself"............Do you know what I do? I say: "Whatever! You're stupid anyway" LOL......That's right. I LOL my OCD. I don't even stress out about it. If it wants to waste it's time, go for it-Whatever. Has nothing to do with me. I don't care......And with that mindset the images go away. Sure, when I'm feeling very anxious, I may get a sick image from time to time. But, it doesn't bother me...Why should it. I know it's my OCD trying to f*ck with my head!

That doesn't mean you won't be repulsed or sick by the image. Just assign blame where it belongs-to your OCD and NOT YOU. I'll tell my OCD to piss off! Unwanted thoughts and images almost never happen to me anymore-very rare. And when they do...........Whatever!

So remember where to assign the blame. And next time your OCD comes knocking, tell it LOL. Give it no respect!

This is truly inspiring! I too see OCD as a cruel bully but I'm starting to get the hang of saying "whatever" now. Thank you for this you've got me motivated to tell OCD where to go xD
 

charles66

New member
WOW

This is EXACTLY they way i beated ocd too ! Is it me or EVERYTIME you read someone beated ocd , i mean beated ocd Not got better , its alwayz with this kind of thinking ! I mean people do not understand the power of realising that ITS JUST OCD , I LOL at it me too now. When the old zombie classic ERP therapist tell you not to tell yourself : ITS JUST OCD ITS NOT YOU.......They are WRONGGGGGGGGG .. most of them never had ocd or if so they did not find how tu cure it in 40years! Thats the cold hard truth , they tell you what they learned 200years ago and most of them are depressee person . If you wanna get better YOU CAN expose BUT react in a cognitive way..You do NOT have to believe your obsessions is true to make them go away...You also have to hang out with people who do not have ocd...You haveto stop go on ocd forum every 2 seconds and finally EAT well TRAIN hard it will naturally boost your serotonin..its like being on medication but with no side effect

Thks hope I helped , that post just shocked me how much I used the sames techniques
 

lonelee1

Well-known member
Another topic that I want to touch upon is: "Why do we listen?" I believe the main reason we give so much weight to what our inner OCD voice tells us is that we think it's privy to some insider information. We think, "Well, because this thought or image is in my head, it MUST COME FROM SOMEWHERE!" In freudian jargon, "it's my ID telling me how I really feel, clawing it way up from years of repression!" NO! That's total Bullsh*t! The OCD brain will project thoughts and images that is abhorrent to the suffer. You're not obsessing about rainbows and butterflies.

Realize that a lot of this is Neurological. It doesn't help that sufferers tend to have low self esteem and a weak identity. If you grew up in a very religious background or an environment where you had to be perfect, your OCD will be particularly pernicious.
Just understand and know that it has nothing to do with you. Once you release ownership of these thoughts and images the guilt and shame go away. And, with that, so do the images!
I seriously can't be freak'n bothered by ever stupid thought that goes through my OCD brain AND neither can you. :)

i wish we could click 'like' on things here,
makes sense, i've been trying to do this myself and you have good insight on the problem
:)
 

ImNotMyIllness

Well-known member
WOW

This is EXACTLY they way i beated ocd too ! Is it me or EVERYTIME you read someone beated ocd , i mean beated ocd Not got better , its alwayz with this kind of thinking ! I mean people do not understand the power of realising that ITS JUST OCD , I LOL at it me too now. When the old zombie classic ERP therapist tell you not to tell yourself : ITS JUST OCD ITS NOT YOU.......They are WRONGGGGGGGGG .. most of them never had ocd or if so they did not find how tu cure it in 40years! Thats the cold hard truth , they tell you what they learned 200years ago and most of them are depressee person . If you wanna get better YOU CAN expose BUT react in a cognitive way..You do NOT have to believe your obsessions is true to make them go away...You also have to hang out with people who do not have ocd...You haveto stop go on ocd forum every 2 seconds and finally EAT well TRAIN hard it will naturally boost your serotonin..its like being on medication but with no side effect

Thks hope I helped , that post just shocked me how much I used the sames techniques

Thanks for your feedback. I didn't invent the truth, I just luckily found it. I hope others will use this technique as well and get better.
 

ImNotMyIllness

Well-known member
i wish we could click 'like' on things here,
makes sense, i've been trying to do this myself and you have good insight on the problem
:)

Thank you lonelee. You can do it. Just remember where to assign blame and not obsess about it. Your OCD wants to Blackmail you. In order for it to succeed, you must feel guilty or ashamed. If you don't feel guilty or ashamed, it can't Blackmail you and the game is over.
 
:lol:
Great post! I try to lol my OCD also. I have to learn to tell it to **** off a little better. It has power when it becomes attached to things like guilt and shame. these emotions can be very painful and create the loops in your mind. hardest part is sitting with the images and letting them be. It can be a little disturbing but over time they will lose their power over you. this is from the CBT method.
 
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ImNotMyIllness

Well-known member
:lol:
Great post! I try to lol my OCD also. I have to learn to tell it to **** off a little better. It has power when it becomes attached to things like guilt and shame. these emotions can be very painful and create the loops in your mind. hardest part is sitting with the images and letting them be. I can be a little disturbing but over time they will lose their power over you. this is from the CBT method.

Thanks! Guilt and shame will put your OCD on loop mode. Stay strong, it will definitely lose its power over you!
 

WishingICould

Well-known member
Thanks for this, ImNotMyIllness. Sometimes i wonder if i'm just going crazy and that there is no such thing as OCD. I mean, where does OCD come from? Where do the disturbing thoughts come from? It's like there's another person in your head telling you these horrible things and it scares the hell out of me. I mean, who in their right mind would think "so and so will die if you don't do this or that" etc?

I've tried ignoring it but then the doubt creeps in and i start thinking things like "what if something bad does happen?" then i end up doing my stupid "rituals" just to get rid of the anxiety. Of course, this then makes things worse and i repeat the same behaviour.
 
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springk

Well-known member
Thanks for this, ImNotMyIllness. Sometimes i wonder if i'm just going crazy and that there is no such thing as OCD. I mean, where does OCD come from? Where do the disturbing thoughts come from? It's like there's another person in your head telling you these horrible things and it scares the hell out of me. I mean, who in their right mind would think "so and so will die if you don't do this or that" etc?

I've tried ignoring it but then the doubt creeps in and i start thinking things like "what if something bad does happen?" then i end up doing my stupid "rituals" just to get rid of the anxiety. Of course, this then makes things worse and i repeat the same behaviour.

Arghh "what if"!
doubt is the fuel for this viscious machine
 

ImNotMyIllness

Well-known member
Thanks for this, ImNotMyIllness. Sometimes i wonder if i'm just going crazy and that there is no such thing as OCD. I mean, where does OCD come from? Where do the disturbing thoughts come from? It's like there's another person in your head telling you these horrible things and it scares the hell out of me. I mean, who in their right mind would think "so and so will die if you don't do this or that" etc?

I've tried ignoring it but then the doubt creeps in and i start thinking things like "what if something bad does happen?" then i end up doing my stupid "rituals" just to get rid of the anxiety. Of course, this then makes things worse and i repeat the same behaviour.



OCD doesn't make a lot of sense. You have to realize a) your rituals have no effect on outside events and b) you think it because it brings grief and shame and It's not your fault.

How did the thoughts even originate?.......I don't know. But, I do know how to stop it. And, that's all that matters. I chalk it up to crazy neurotransmitters.
 
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sullyS25

Well-known member
Observing my thoughts, not attaching to them and accepting that they are there certainly helps me. Easier said than done though
 

LoyalXenite

Well-known member
wow, thanks for this. i did not realise it was connected to my OCD... I just thought i was even more screwed up.
 
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