Taboo Tuesday 3-28-23

[Anxiouslybalanced]

Its time for Taboo Tuesday! I am Krista Reed OCD specialist in Wichita, KS and IOCDF advocate here to give you taboo only topics!

Lets continue with this months theme: This month is “Harmful Identities.” 

Last week I discussed in vivo exposures, so check out last weeks post to learn more. 

Let’s chat about imaginal exposures  that individuals may practice while in treatment. Imaginals are detailed stories told or written when someone cannot safely, legally, or practically do something in real life.  

Imaginals discuss the bad thing actually happening because you did not do the compulsion.  So if you compulsively check to make sure you have not done anything harmful, violent, or even sexual, talk about the bad thing happening simply because you did not check.  Compulsively avoid situations or topics that OCD is telling you is “bad”; write a story that because you did not avoid, you became a serial killer, a rapist, a child molester, or whatever your OCD is telling you. THIS IS NOT INCEPTION.  You are not putting thoughts into your head that OCD is not already doing- you are standing up to OCD with the words and telling OCD that you are not afraid of these words anymore.

 Check out next week’s taboo Tuesday we I discuss a new theme: intrusive attractions.

Remember - Stigma and shame die where communication and validation live ❤️