mindfulness and OCD

[Shwink]

hello fabulous OCD community!

I am newly ADHD and OCD diagnosed and currently searching for an ERP therapist. In the meantime, I am reading literature about what I should be doing with my OCD thoughts.

I am reading that you should not get reinsurance from yourself or others in regards to OCD thoughts. How does this work with mindfulness?

I started doing mindfulness about a year ago and I find it very helpful to fall asleep… having OCD really can be conflicting with mindfulness practices. In mindfulness you are supposed to allow thoughts and let them flow… when I’m having OCD thoughts while doing mindfulness, am I supposed to lean into these thoughts? Confused!!

Can someone explain this to me?

Does anyone have any suggestions for mindfulness practices? (especially ones used to fall asleep.)

thank you for any help and support you can give!!

[Spud-u-Like1982]

Hi, What's an ERP Therapist?

I keep on being recommended to try mindfulness techniques, which I've not previously tried. Like yourself I have the dynamic duo of ADHD and OCD, with the former only being diagnosed just the other month, but it explains so many things I've struggled with during my years at school, higher education and my working life.

[Shwink in reply to Spud-u-Like1982]

Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) ERP therapy is a behavioral therapy that gradually exposes people to situations designed to provoke a person's obsessions in a safe environment. A therapist can get trained in this type of therapy and it can be helpful for treating OCD.

Yes! Struggle and inconsistency aught to be my two middle names! I so much understand how difficult school and life has been for you! It’s hard to even explain it to people! I try so hard and fail and flop on my face.., and the trying cut into self-care and it’s just a bad cycle.

I highly recommend mindfulness! It’s really helped me with so much! Like, you really gotta give it a try…. like I mean every day for three months kind of give it a try! I know, not easy!

I took this free class with a friend and it’s what got me really to full on submerge. 8 weeks!! It has videos that explain why mindfulness is so helpful and how it changes your brain. Then, you do one mindfulness practice every day. I think you’re allowed one day off.

palousemindfulness.com/

[Lauragbr]

when you’re doing mindfulness, the idea is to notice the thoughts, but don’t give them attention. In other words, you are aware they are there but not giving them attention, focusing on your breath. I hope this help.

[Shwink in reply to Lauragbr]

Thank you, when I read about ERP therapy it is recommended that you DO respond to the OCD thoughts. This seems contradictory to mindfulness practice.

I’m just wondering how to respond to OCD thoughts when they pop up in mindfulness practice. I suppose, noticing a thought and ignoring a thought or two separate things.

[Mcfly64]

With erp the more and more you expose yourself to them the less meaning the thoughts will have to the point of them being boring and meaningless.