What to Do When Your Mind is so Occupied by a Specific Phobia?

[mvillarreal]

Hi, everyone. Yesterday, I found I had a really hard time focusing on the work I had to do because I was obsessively thinking about what I would do if my specific phobia came true and even mentally rehearsing how I would handle the situation. My fear is beginning to take over parts of my life, and I want to find a way to be able to get it off my mind so I can focus on what needs to get done. How do I let it go?

[Depresseddoglover]

have you tried the ocd support group on this forum? it is full of helpful advice. practicing mindfulness is a start - it involves being aware of the moment without judgment and not following a thought. it can help to focus in physical sensations like your breath entering and exiting your nostrils, your chest rising and falling, or to listen to sounds all around you.

[quitter333]

would be easier if you told us what you fear.

If it is something real, I'd suggest to confront it. Things are always much lesser than we believe they are.

If you feel it is something like repetitive thoughts as suggested (ocd?), there are good therapy exercises for that. E.g. one of the judges (the bald one) on Got talent has major germ phobia, and he said he was constantly thinking about it, but he actually got over most of it.

Still - if it is something like animals, insects, social interaction, I'd say it is liberating to just do it.

[mvillarreal in reply to quitter333]

Yeah. I have a phobia of hurting someone so bad, they won't ever forgive me. Some people say, "If someone can't forgive me, I just have to accept that, learn from my mistakes and move on." To me, however, the scenario seems worse than death to me!

[quitter333 in reply to mvillarreal]

Like kife-y stab-y hurting?