If there is any guidance, advice or top tips anyone can provide to deal with OCD it would be much appreciated.
I am struggling with Harm OCD, specifically targeting my driving. Every Bump on the road, crossing I pass, or if I felt I haven't concentrated enough while driving has me questioning what if I unintentionally hit someone.
This thought scares me soo much and creates soo much anxiety that I sometimes cave into my compulsions and rituals to check and thus re-fuel my OCD.
Recently this OCD has started also attacking in a different manner, but similar theme. When ever I am out walking I am constantly looking back over my shoulder to make sure that I did not accidentally bump into someone and cause them any harm.
Thanks in advacne.
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The biggest advice about OCD driving (which I also experienced) is to not give up. Keep driving, even in discomfort. Despite what the thoughts say, OCD doesn’t affect your ability or judgment capacity. Keep trying to maintain your routine.
Normally, in order to believe that you hit a pedestrian, you need evidence that you hit one: you see and hear a collision, someone is hurt, your car is damaged, etc. It's obvious.
If you have hit-and-run OCD, you believe you may have hit a pedestrian, even if there is no reasonable evidence to back it up. That uncertainty is unbearable, and you go to extremes to get rid of it, like retracing your route multiple times.
Disregarding evidence is a common OCD trait. Some people perform rituals with the belief it may save a loved one's life, when there is no tangible proof that rituals have an impact on reality. So, why do they do it? In my opinion, they do it because the possibility to lose a loved one is unbearable due to high anxiety. Then they have the thought that performing a ritual will save the person in question, without critically examining that thought. They perform the ritual that lowers their anxiety for a while, and fall into the OCD trap.
How to recover from OCD? The first step is to recognize that everything is possible, but some things are more probable than others. We can try to live the best life possible, but there is no absolute guarantees that no harm will ever happen to us and our loved ones. It's not always easy, but we need to get used to a certain degree of uncertainty.
The next step, instead of trying to be more certain you didn't hit anybody, is to try to be less certain that the current methods you're using to appease your mind are helpful. If you question the validity of excessive checking in order to reach some type of conclusion that will free your mind from endless wavering (did I hit someone or not?), you'll be less prone to engage in it, and therefore more willing and able to examine facts objectively.
Results aren't instantaneous, they require some efforts, but those two steps help me manage my own checking and existential OCD.
Thank you deValentin for taking the time to right so much. Your first paragraph resonated strongly especially when you said its obvious. It gave me courage yesterday when I needed it to drive.
You're welcome, but expect OCD to be persistent and tricky. Next time, it may tell you, "What if your senses are deceiving you"? In that case, don't argue with it. Say, "Yes , it's possible, but I have no reasons to believe my senses are unreliable", and go on about your daily business. The discomfort will slowly subside on its own.
It's like somebody telling you, "Aren't you afraid a meteorite will fall through your roof and kill you?". The best response is, "Yes, it's possible but the probability is so small that it's negligeable", and go on with your life as usual. As time passes, you realize you can live a normal life without the thought occupying your mind.
As Lauragbr says, Shannon Shy has good suggestions about how to deal with OCD on YouTube.
Look up Shannon Shy , he is on Facebook and You Tube. He has also written some great books. He is a retired marine who had OCD badly and found ways to recover. Some of his worst themes are the ones you are describing.
I’m sorry to hear you are having a rough patch with your OCD. I know exactly how you’re feeling because this was the exact OCD I recognized when I first started my OCD treatment. I would first recommend a therapist that specializes in OCD, specifically someone with ERP training. This is the biggest thing that has gotten me past though difficult and loud times with my ocd.
The concept is to not fight the ocd and try to know the absolute truth, because OCD will never be satisfied. Instead learning to live in the uncertainty and not letting it effect you moving forward with your day. It sounds da counter intuitive, but accepting what ocd is yelling and to just let it be there in the background. I externalize it and think of it as a big glob like the one from the mucinex commercials. Being able to talk back to it and externalize it has really helped.
FirstResponder23 thank you for your message. Its encouraging to hear someone who has dealt with a similar theme and been able to get past the hard times. I like this idea of externalising and being able to talk back at the OCD, make it clear its not me. I just hope I have the strength to accept uncertainty.
It is very hard at first, but accepting uncertainty as much as possible and being consistent will eventually make it easier. Also being consistent with exposure therapy is huge.
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