New OCD Diagnosis. Looking for Helpful Information. I am struggling. My name is GentleDiva.

[GentleDiva]

Looping intrusions: the kind that last all day and maybe longer. How do you deal with them?

I was counseled by a professional to take the tune of allowing them, but using a mindful meditation mindset to see them and then bring your attention back to what you are doing, in mindfulness. Keep doing what you are doing all day long even with the thoughts still there.

I like that. I am not a fan of distraction bc I feel keeping them at bay is a form of resistance that keeps them growing stronger.

How do you tolerate them? Can funny or nice intrusions stick onto scary ones or do certain people tend to have certain kinds?

Thank you!

*************PS: If you catch a break one day and have a clear mind, is there something I can do to prolong that gift? some kind of behavior, some kind of practice?****************

[ChristianWolff]

GentleDiva,Keeping your OCD thought loops at bay is a good start I think because you recognize and acknowledge them. Over the years I have learned to analyze these types of thought loops to determine if they serve me in any way. If not, which is the case with the majority of them I will consciously work to discard them. Being focused and deliberate in everything you do has been the key for me. Persistence in this practice is vital.

The occasional breaks you receive are truly gifts, so take the time to breath them in. Fill your entire being with this feeling of joy. Instead of fretting about the temporary nature of this experience, be grateful for the gift and let it go, but remember the feeling. Keep moving forward and these gifts can become more than occasional and be more a part of your life.

Wishing you the best......................

[aparente001]

Thanks for sharing! One thing that has helped my son is, if we are inside, and he's going around and around, occasionally I invite him to go outside with me, where I suggest we close our eyes and notice the sounds we hear. After whatever amount of time he can tolerate (he has ADHD so it's usually quite short), we compare notes on what we heard.

For my son it has been helpful to involve his medical doctor in his treatment. We check in with her briefly, periodically, and she sometimes suggests tweaking his medications (which we were originally given by an out-of-town specialist). We found that not all primary care doctors are OCD-savvy but when we found one it really helped.

Wishing you all the best.