Do you ever let yourself have your intrusive thoughts in order to test yourself?

[Grimes1904]

Hi! Me asking about intrusive thoughts once again... I wanted to ask if you let yourself have those thoughts in order to check something. It's like using your thoughs as a compulsion? To check what you feel, if you like them, if they disgust you, if they're truly disturbing and hence intrusive, if you have them outside of certain situations. Does this happen to you?

[MothFir]

If you suffer from intrusive thoughts and ruminating, you should read some of the articles here:

drmichaeljgreenberg.com/

That therapist explains rumination and ways to handle it better than anyone I have encountered. This particular article would be a good place to start:

drmichaeljgreenberg.com/und...

[Eli_E]

Hi! Yes, I have done this and it super annoying because my ocd likes to further mess with me by blurring the line between what is an exposure and what is a compulsion. Sometimes my ocd convinces me that I have to think more about the thoughts because doing so is an exposure, other times it does want me to check my reaction (which sounds like what you are experiencing). Its definitely exhausting keeping track of all these subtler compulsions, and I'm really fortunate to have a therapist who can help me parse through it all when I just get utterly confused. So I just wanted to say you are not alone, I have those compulsions to and wishing you the best as you try to navigate these

[lerasofia]

All the time! It usually ends up in me ruminating for 2+ hours on the subject. Any tips are welcome!

[black_yellow_cat]

yup! I believe I've heard someone call it "checking". I experience this all the time too. Sending you good energy