Do you find that you are trying to be happy in the present but you keep being interrupted by negative thoughts. Im also finding that I conclude that bad is happening to me. I want to be free like a hawk.
So far I am telling my mind stop and I deep breathe through it when the worry comes up but it still keeps coming up. How to ease and erase the anxious and/or ocd obsession?
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One of the things about mindfulness is that you need to allow the thoughts in, but not hold onto them. It's a skill I haven't mastered myself! Thoughts do come and go, and the more you push them away the more they come back with force.
So it's about not pushing them away but acknowledging them and then leaving them alone.
I don't know about being free as a hawk. People are not hawks, and we need to learn to be free on our own terms.
Thanks for the tip. It makes sense to acknowledge and leave alone.
About being free, I just want to feel I can handle what comes up and have and maintain have inner peace.
It's difficult to tell a busy mind to stop, isn't it? There are things that encourage you to be meditative though. Some people have found drawing conducive to it, and go to life drawing classes. I've found sewing by hand helpful. I don't know how it works, but there is something about keeping your hands busy and concentrating on a task.
Thanks so much that’s true staying busy with the hands... working on it.
HI Starlight
it s normal for intrusive thoughts to intrude when you are trying to be peaceful and trying not to pay attention to them. The quickest antidote is compulsions, which unfortunately work for a very short period and normally means a proliferation of intrusive thougths.
The best method is a variance on CBT and its called ACT. This is basically Acceptance of the thouths without fighing them. It may be hard at the beginning, but it works - let the thoughts be and concentrate on what you are doing. When the thoughts continue to interfere, just carry on and try to ignore them or accept them for what they are - just thoughts. And they do not originate from you brain on purpose by your will.
Supplementing ACT techniques with medication works - antianxiety medication such as lorazepam etc work (well for me it does) and aids to improve your sleep patterns like quietapine are very useful. Try to be active without being overactive on purpose and ary your objectives or hobbies if you have any. The thoughts will diminish.
Hope this is of use to you, let me know. no rush.
Cheers
Max
Acceptance of the thoughts and keeping on with what I’m doing sounds good. When they are negative I wonder if after acknowledging if I could counteract with positive thoughts. I’ll be trying over here, Max thank you.
Hi
you can try to counteract with positive thoughts. Though I think that the less attention we give the negative thoughts, the better off we are. It may work for you better concentrating on positive thoughts, we are all a bit different. I would rather promote a blank mind and carryying on with whatever we are suppose to be doing in our life.
cheers
be well
Max
I am putting my all into raising my nchildren well but I want to have something I am passionate about and good at for later in life. Working on it...wow a blank mind sounds amazing! Working on it. Thanks, Max
Difficult to get to a blank mind without training, meditation, effort and a lot of luck. What i meant by 'blank' I meant a peaceful, un-anxious existence, a normalization from what the intrusive thoughts bring to us. That s I think is possible without the same meditation efforts etc, but it still requires patience and alot of acceptance particularly in the early days.
cheers
be well
Max
I’d taken mindful meditation classes and it did get easier and I benefited greatly... must have gotten lost... practicing deep breathing now to ease back into it.
All good techniques! I have a had a busy mind and ocd all my life, ruminating was an understatement... I was also debilitated by intrusive thoughts..... I didnt want to get on meds, as I had tried quite a few and withdrew from benzos VERY hard, not fun! I did TMS, practiced meditation, breathing exercises, etc.. Nothing truly worked until I combined saffron oil and cbd oil... For the first time in my life, I am at peace and happy, I can be 100% in the moment, now, and that's when you truly live!
I’ve tried cbd oil but not with saffron. I’m in such a bad place. Nothing seems to help much. I’m glad you have found what works for you.
I may have been in a worse place, i was afraid of the world and not comfortable in my own skin.... I was tormented by intrusive thoughts and negativity and, everyday, I considered stepping off the curb into traffic.... When you are even afraid of gong to family events, the hole is huge! I dug DEEP, and you must as well! I told myself, I dont just want to survive anymore, I want to thrive! You will thrive, too! Don't ever give up! Life will be beautiful 
Adam
Hello adogg383I know this is and old post
How did you take the saffron with tea?
I’m also trying to avoid meds.
When you get the thoughts did you engage in them?
I feel like if I let mine just be and accept them, They tend to stay longer.
I started taking 15 drops twice a day of the saffron oil in water along with 8 drops of cbd oil under my tongue. when i got better, took the saffron oil once a day with the cbd...Yes, just let the thoughts be. Mine were horrific... They are just thoughts, NOT REAL!
I now just tell them to f#$% off, and they do
Adam
Wow I came upon this post from a year ago. I’m in a much better place now in general. How are you doing now Adam?
Hi, it's very encouraging to hear that you're much better. My wife is struggling with the thoughts and letting them pass. She's on sertraline and had some therapy which wasn't much help. What worked for you - did you try the saffron/CBD oil? Many thanks, Mike
I must dig deep... I don’t know what to do, how to do that... I started running in December and it really was a help but now I’ve injured my foot. I’ve been praying sincerely to God. I try to help people but it’s hard because I need so much help myself...I feel like a bad person. I’m so tired. I won’t give up thanks Adam
Try the headspace app it has really helped me .
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Ocd: cant stop thinking a name or phrase
Harm ocd
My OCD is too much to handle right now!
OCD sufferer for many years