How do I prevent intrusive thoughts from happening?

[111cas111]

I get intrusive thoughts regularly, but I only spiraled once where it was really bad, and it ended up almost destroying me and begging for the knives to get locked away e.g. I really do not want it to be triggered in another direction, I think I am good with knives even though I get nervous that our knife block is up again but it would not be good if I had another spiral, I have managed to fend things off for a while by just breathing and reminding myself that a thought cannot harm me or change me to be a bad person all of a sudden but it keeps latching itself into my brain and sticking despite me letting go and not panicking about it, I am finding it exhausting and on my toes advice?

[IStillHaveHope]

Hello - I'm sorry you're having trouble right now. I really am. Intrusive thoughts from harm OCD can be really troubling. However, this is a symptom of the OCD and not a judgement on yourself. OCD is a liar and a bully and tells us the opposite about ourselves. From your post I can gather that you're likely really kind and concerned about the people around you

Have you talked to a doctor and/or therapist about what you're dealing with? The goal with the medicine/therapy isn't to get rid of intrusive thoughts but to be able to tolerate them. Over time the brain gets bored and the thoughts get less intense. ERP is useful in this regard and is the gold standard in OCD treatment. What really helped me with harm OCD was realizing that OCD isn't a "thinking" problem but a "feeling" problem. If we didn't have such an intense reaction to the thoughts they wouldn't bother us! That's the difference between you and someone who would actually act on the thoughts. A person who wanted to hurt people would actually enjoy those thoughts.

It is possible to go weeks (or months) without having any OCD thoughts. I and many other people on this site are proof of that. It does take some work and it isn't easy, but I can say that it is possible.

I hope you find the peace you deserve my friend. May God bless you.

[111cas111 in reply to IStillHaveHope]

Thank you so much!!! I did bring it up with my therapist as it came on suddenly however he wasn't an ocd therapist as I was seeing him because of chronic nausea coneccted with emetophobia- his advice was to meditate and that was literally it so it didn't really help. Your kind words are so cherished, I can tell you are also a really sweet and nice person! It makes me feel better knowing and talking people who suffer the same as me, it helps with the convincing myself it is just a part of my ocd and I am genuinely not a bad person- although I get that now it could be a reassurance part of ocd constantly looking for that, but it makes me feel better so oh well. I didn't think of it as a feeling problem instead of a thinking problem- hopefully that will help change my view of it a bit so moving on it might help me a bit.

I think a thing as well is my main fear with the HOCD is that I DO enjoy and and I AM genuinely someone who wants that, so It generates a second intrusive thought- I think an intrusive urge or smthing? where it makes me question whether I do enjoy it or not- I obviously don't as I have never had the proper desire to do anything like that, but when I am deep into it I felt like I couldn't connect with other people with harm ocd as they all talked about having immediate strong reactions to it whereas I was more passive and what scared me more was the enoying the act instead of the act itself.

Nevertheless thank you so much for your kind words it truly helps me- I feel much calmer now and have a more sense of self knowing that I would never do anything to people like that god bless you I am glad you found your peace and continue to do so

[IStillHaveHope in reply to 111cas111]

I'm glad it helped 🙂

The constant questioning of whether you "enjoy" the thoughts is a classic OCD symptom. Years ago it was called "the doubting disease" for a reason. OCD can make you feel like you're alone or are broken. Know that this is not true and there are literally millions of people who want (and can) help! All you need to do is be brave and reach out 🙂

[111cas111 in reply to IStillHaveHope]

LOL thank you! I've always felt so alone with the doubting of enjoying cause it felt like everyone else that could 'relate' knew they defo didn't enjoy it which made me feel even more like it wasn't ocd. Thank you so much for all of this everything!

[Natureloverpeace]

I think IStillHaveHope summed it up well. The only thing I would add is that the thoughts stick when we attach meaning to them or engage with them. Everyone has intrusive thoughts but it’s our response to them that can give or not give them power.

[111cas111 in reply to Natureloverpeace]

Thank you! I completely agree, thoughts only stick when we give them power- I think from now on since the whole look at the thought and let it leave is not really working for me, I am going to just look at the thought more intensely for a few seconds then just let it linger for however long it wants to- I found that when I did this it went quicker than we I immediately 'let it leave' lol cause I would always be checking to see if it was gone. Much love for your msg!

[Natureloverpeace in reply to 111cas111]

The goal isn’t to get rid of the thought or have it go away. It’s accepting it (acceptance doesn’t equal approval), not attaching meaning to it or engaging with it. The intrusive thought is a neutral thing. It’s just a thought, nothing more. An OCD intrusive thought will try to grab onto you through uncertainty and doubt related to something you value. It may seem urgent. They kind of remind me of spam mail that tries to grab your attention and demands that you urgently need to take action to avoid distress or a potential consequence. Looking at spam intensely gives it power. It gives it a chance to get a foothold.

[111cas111 in reply to Natureloverpeace]

ty!

[Lauragbr in reply to 111cas111]

I agree with everything said. OCD looks for something to “ stick to”. I know that feeling well. Getting treatment with an OCD therapist has helped me quite a bit.

[111cas111 in reply to Lauragbr]

thank you! Sorry for the quick reply lol. I was just checking through all my emails when it popped up

[Lauragbr]

no worries!