Hit and Run OCD

[responsibility]

Hi,

Does anyone Deal with Hit and Run OCD?

[FirstResponder23]

Hi, this is actually how it all started for me. I had many things over my life that I now realize we’re ocd, but they never really consumed me. When I first got my license I had this ocd thought pop up and it stuck with me and that’s when I finally started seeing someone for ocd and going through therapy. Not to give reassurance, but know that this is an extremely common ocd thought that many deal with.

I will tell you, exposure therapy with a therapists really helps! I used to not be able to drive around my neighborhood in the middle of the afternoon without my anxiety being fully ramped up. Now, driving long distances and in all Linda’s of weather and with all kinds of outside noises like the radio and pot holes doesn’t bother me. There are still times I catch myself thinking the ocd thoughts, but I am in a MUCH better place and can move past it way faster now.

[LuvSun]

I do! Usually it’s about animals/wildlife on the road. I have retraced my route more than once to check if I left any poor animal suffering.

[lilly246]

Hi, yes I have had it pretty bad over the last year. I have been doing EMDR and going to weekly therapy. Though I still have some thoughts, I am a lot better at letting go the thoughts as they come in and not letting them linger for hours. Taking a few deep breaths when getting in the car helps as well as trying to put my focus on my destination.

[responsibility in reply to lilly246]

is EMDR considered a therapy for OCD?

[lilly246 in reply to responsibility]

There are EMDR protocol adaptations for OCD. I have found it really helpful in conjunction with CBT.

[tk84]

I have hit and run Ocd too. Its very hard, but my goal is to drive one day without ocd. Sometimes I need about 2 hours to get a distance of 3 miles in the city. Or another day I need 6 hours for a distance of 50 miles over the highway. Therefore i stopped going to my office by car. Luckily its possible to walk. Its not that far.

Because it is only one part of my OCD and now because of the COVID it is not necessary to drive alot, I´m working on other OCD Issues of my OCD. A view weeks ago I bought a new car because I dont want my OCD to be the king. With the new car I have both fun and ocd fears at the same time

[responsibility in reply to tk84]

so what do you guys do to cope with the OCD?

[tk84]

Reply to responsibility

not much at this time.. because of the lock down.. sometimes we go hiking..and therefore we have to drive 30 miles until we reach the trail. And so I drive the car while my girlfriend ist sitting at the passenger seat. We have the agreement that I'm allowed to turn around one time and the second time I turn around she will continue driving. And so i'm very motivated not to turn around, and there are many situation where I want to turn around but because i dont want to stop driving and loose the competition, i'm resisting the urge. its hard but manageable. I Know my joker is sitting next to me, because if my girlfriend is in the car she is some big! type of reinsurrance..This is not exposure!!! Driving alone ist too hard at this time for me..The strategy would be to drive nearby perhaps a school, Kindergarten or supermarket or an empty parking lot by night if it's cold, or the city center (alone!!! ) not turn around when there are passengers at the sidewalk or crossing the street and turning the radio on, very loudly. And than if the feeling of unsecurity, anyiety and guilt are coming, I do nothing against them, recocnizing they are only thoughts and feeling and wanting them at the present moment to be there..learning to live with the uncertainty.. and want to be uncertain..because it is the only way to get the life back..But... This hard to do.. How do you cope with it (responsibility)?