38. OCD Treatment: What are intrusive thoughts? (images, sensations, feelings & urges)

[@charanv3330]

You helped me to recover from ocd❤️ I'll forever be grateful for you

[@23katied]

That is so great to hear! Well done!

[@konjamtrypannuvom5748]

Bro..could you help me overcome ocd

[@nakshatranakshu793]

That’s so calming and hope to hear are you fine now??

[@liamryan6604]

What theme did you recover from and how did she help?

[@n0thing257]

Katie , I started watching you in 2022 and really and truly you have changed my life. I was living a miserable life and I was really depressed and I really did not know what to do. Now, I can handle these thoughts better. Though I still resort to those old habits but I am going to improve it and because of you , my wish to live and enjoy life has increased manifold . Thanks again and keep doing the good work .

[@23katied]

Thanks so much for sharing this. It is always great for me to hear that people have been able to help themselves using the videos and it's also really important that other people who may still be suffering hear that it is possible to improve with the correct therapeutic tools.

[@ryblinkhopkinson874]

Great to see you back again Katie. Thanks for all that you do! ❤

[@23katied]

You're so welcome.

[@tusharpundir8769]

I want to take this moment to thank you so much for making this series. At a time when mental health therapy is not so accessible and expensive for large amount of people, you initiative helps people from all around the world. I have had OCD from 3-4 years now and I almost completely recovered after watching your OCD series. It is back now and i am rewatching all your videos to get myself on track again but I want to tell you how big of a difference you are making in people's lives and the gratitude I have along with other people to make such important information free and accessible. Love from India :)

[@liamryan6604]

What was the biggest thing from her videos that helped you? and what theme were you dealing with

[@lijmoo]

100% agree. A big part of my "learning to live with OCD" was to stop labelling the thoughts as intrusive, and just "I'm having the thought of x, y, z." Helps me accept what's going on much better than an "us Vs them" type thinking. Keep up these great videos!

[@helperboy5020]

yeah, the "us Vs them" tends to create more fear, cos u feel as if split in 2.

[@23katied]

Great job Liam. " I'm having the thought that" or "I'm having a feeling that" is such a good way of reminding yourself these are just 'occurances' in the mind and body rather than things to be dealt with.

[@23katied]

Yes and the more you fight the harder they fight!

[@helperboy5020]

Your "Whatever OCD" was just genius. Its the biggest help i've had in over 2 decades Thank you sooooo much. I have OCD and BDD. i havent used it for my BDD though. I'm happy that your back, and thank you again so much for your time and effort.

[@teee9372]

BDD?

[@helperboy5020]

@@teee9372 Body dysmorphic disorder. Kind of like the OCD version of body image. But the compulsions feel much stronger

[@teee9372]

@@helperboy5020 okay!

[@teee9372]

Could you help me with healing ocd

[@helperboy5020]

@@teee9372 i haven't really overcome OCD. I'm not a therapist either. But we can always learn from each other. What do you want to know?

[@ishraqjubouri5244]

hi kiete i miss you i consulted 14 psychologists and finally i took sessions in compulsive behavior therapy but till now i dont feel good in yesterday i took my day with crying because of sadess i cant resist any more

[@henrymilleruk100]

Welcome back!

[@pcbingemaster]

You’re a reference when dealing with OCD, ty

[@daveinchina]

Looking good Katie. Yes, I had OCD in a really persistent way, I trained my mind to react to these thoughts by thinking, 'I am being bluffed, there is no truth to the thought' and I then released tension with my breath. Over time you see the truth.

[@kokilasharma27]

What a lovely comment...over time you see the truth... very true indeed

[@MarvinGuzman-nd8xj]

Hi, my OCD problem is about thinking. It's a thought where I suddenly react when I'm thinking. For instance, I'm just thinking about something then my mind will raise a question like "What am I doing?" "Why there's a voice inside my head?" "Why I keep talking inside my head" l mean I know what I'm doing but when that intrusive thought hits me, my way of thinking changes. My mind is on guard trying to analyze everything I think. Like it is comparing the current thoughts of me, thinking normal, to the worst case scenario in my head. My mind is always trying to stop them and I couldn't even control it even having an argument inside my head scares me like "Why am I talking to myself" "Who am I talking to" "Why I feel like I'm talking to someone?" "Why I'm answering my thoughts as if I'm talking to someone?" "Am I crazy?" "Am I hallucinating?" and I feel shaky and couldn't do anything. This OCD always makes me dumb like I swear, I have a lot of talents and I'm good at academics but why does this small thing trigger me? Sometimes to calm myself, I think like I'm dying or just klling myself and it gives me relief. It feels so weird, I'm only 19 why am I suffering and the only one who knows this is I am?? I'm sorry I opened up here. I'm just searching for tips on how to control this disturbing, humiliating, or something to be ashamed of intrusive thoughts. I'm in a middle of my compulsion, I react in every situation inside my head. I couldn't even cry, I'm numb. I have depersonalization : (.

[@n0thing257]

Just one thing bro I would like to say from my side. Have hope in your life. I too suffered from OCD and it was literally hell for me everday. My situation was similar to yours... It just feels like God has made you the unluckiest person in the world with all these problems.... But the only way out of this is to keep on trying. Just keep on trying and yes it will take time to manage these thoughts better but keep on it and you will eventually reach there. Always have hope bro that things will turn better and always have that will to see better days and to enjoy your life. Trust me you will get there.

[@dieauferstehung]

thank you for your help , queen the OCD videos helped me a lot to cope

[@23katied]

So happy to hear you have found them useful.

[@patrickwheeler7540]

Ms. d'Ath, I've watched everyone of your very helpful videos, and while I understand that we all have random thoughts and images that we cannot control, we can only control our reactions to them, yet as much as I can see the practical sense in the advice you graciously provide, and at times my "fog" does lift and I can see clearly enough to quell the "intrusive" thoughts as times and have productive bouts of happiness, nevertheless, what remains even though I believe my reason has prevailed, it's the emotional pain that still sits like a massive mill stone in my chest that weighs me down so much I start to sink again. it's the associated emotional pain that seems unrelenting. How do I get relief from that associated pain? anti-depression/anti-anxiety medication as well? If my OCD didn't hurt so emotionally, even my reason at times asks; Why does the OCD mind cause so much emotional pain, thus negatively affecting the health of the host body; that same host body that the mind actually needs to "survive?" if my OCD didn't hurt so much, I could find such a paradox fascinating.

[@karnam7444]

Thank you for all your help!

[@23katied]

You're welcome - glad they help!

[@SandraObrien-g7h]

I highly recommend the book rewire your ocd Brain by Catherine Pittman for anyone suffering with ocd it will really help you understand what it all really means it will be a great help to anyone with ocd

[@23katied]

Thanks for the recommendation.

[@SandraObrien-g7h]

Hi Katie your more than welcome it really does help people understand what’s happening in there Brain when they are suffering with ocd and it’s very clearly explained by the way love your videos there are very helpful keep up the great work @@23katied

[@shivam7043]

I get intrusive thoughts regarding all those aspects which are close and really important to me like Religion,Gods And Family and after that i feel shame and guilt that why that thought came into my mind, after all this I start beleiving that i might not be a good person there were times when i even felt whatever i am reading say newspaper or the books for my course i am not able to grasp it or comprehend it, I also feel doubtful that I might make a mistake while doing some solo or group project.

[@mohdazlaan8918]

Mam you are doing a fabulous job. Thanku for helping us.❤❤

[@23katied]

You are so welcome.

[@sankey220485]

Thank you very much. You just helped me think tackle ocd in my mind.

[@kanikaaneja610]

Thank you, Katie!

[@BrandonBreitner]

That's great and all, but what if the thoughts or images (as in my case) actually are intrusive, repetitive, and overwhelming to the point where they're debilitating and disruptive to everyday interactions and functioning (particularly socially) throughout life?

[@noyou5261]

the point she is making though is not to distinguish them between other normal thoughts that you have. when you classify them as separate and intrusive, you give them the power, letting them stand out and act how they please. i experience repetitive intrusive images but they don't bother me much anymore because i understand that they mean absolutely nothing. that doesn't necessarily mean i don't get them, i still do but i just ignore them/brush them off as if they're just any other thought. i've noticed with my experience with OCD that the second you pay any attention to any part of it, be it the obsessions or compulsions, they try to reel you back in. easier said than done but you really just have to acknowledge that they mean nothing and move on. obviously you seem to be struggling quite a bit with it so you could perhaps consider therapy and/or medication to help you if you think you need it. but there are many techniques, self-therapy i guess that you could try at home to help you first. i truly do think you have more power over yourself than you think so just remember that and i hope you find relief soon :)

[@ishraqjubouri5244]

kiete what happen to me now i feel agitated from any thing then i feel intrusive feeling that might i do aggressive movements hurt my self and become not prefect and fill with guilt this is ocd?

[@yashus1743]

Hi! Is it normal to get triggered by seeing someone or something that triggers your intrusive thoughts? Even when you don’t get an intrusive thought first, but you get triggered by just seeing them because your mind knows that it’s going to trigger a negative thought. Sometimes the intrusive thought come second, but I get triggered first seeing the person or situation. And if this is normal, does this go away too? with exposure therapy when you stop fearing the intrusive thoughts themselves, Does it stop triggering you seeing that person/people or situations that caused the intrusive thoughts in the first place. I’d be REALLY grateful if you could answer this

[@jeremybingus6063]

Yes, my intrusive thoughts also get triggered by certain things

[@shawnleong3605]

I have the same scary debilitating intrusive thought for 13 years… I don’t know how to carry on. The meds made me gain 20kg…

[@ryanpowell8285]

3 Questions, Do other people see both the imagery and the room/place they are in Do other people feel like some images are closer than others? I don’t take any drugs or have a diagnosis of anything other than OCD is anyone else the same

[@23katied]

HI Ryan. I totally understand your desire not to feel alone in what you experience but it sounds like you might be seeking reassurance. If you hear that others experience the same things as you will this change anything for you in the long term? It's worth remembering that reassurance is a way of OCD getting you to engage with it and about trying to alleviate your discomfort in a way that unfortunately won't help you in the long term. Katie

[@atm0t5]

Thank you, your videos helped me a lot

[@23katied]

So pleased they help!

[@Babylovenadine]

Thank you so much! You have gemoed me alot ❤

[@23katied]

That's always great to hear, thanks.

[@jackjohnson7396]

Good info thanks,,,,

[@L1MBO12]

Omg I used to have intrusive thoughts related to my religion and it made my life a living hell

[@shivam7043]

Same Here.

[@texanbogman2]

Thank you so much for these videos, they've been helping me out recently. I do have one question, is it possible to forget 1 "intrusive" thought, it only makes sense for the answer to be yes due to the fact that it's just a thought but I just wanted to make sure.

[@23katied]

This is an interesting question to answer - so yes in theory it is possible to forget any thought but trying to forget it will only make it worse. Instead you need to do the opposite - follow some of the advice on other videos about 'pure o' and do some deliberate exposure to that thought to take the power out of it.

[@hananmisbah2404]

❤

[@inthelightmusic3897]

Why do people in the community harass you for having this condition?

[@DannyBlackburn-v2p]

Katie I have inboxed you many times, please can you get back to me

[@Cornersoftheweb]

Look for an ERP shrink. They can help.

[@ishraqjubouri5244]

kiete what happen to me now i feel agitated from any thing then i feel intrusive feeling that might i do aggressive movements hurt my self and become not prefect and fill with guilt this is ocd?