As we're on the subject of thoughts ..

[Meg]

I'm just writing my chapter dealing with obsessive thinking and thought you'd like to know the top lot of obsessional thoughts all with loads of people admitting to them

Religious Obsessions"..
Excessive fear,worry,or preoccupation with:
Having blasphemous thoughts or saying bad things
Fear of being punished for blasphemous thoughts
Concern with religious beliefs
Issues of what’s right and wrong,
morality
Dwelling on religious icons, images or thoughts

"Aggressive Obsessions"...
Preoccupation and excessive illogical fear of:
Harming yourself
Harming others
Acting on unwanted impulses--Eg.running someone over, stabbing someone or harming others through your own carelessness
Responsibility for some terrible accident--Eg. causing a car accident, A fire, or allowing burglary
Doing something embarrassing or looking foolish
Violent or horrific images in your mind causing you to think you will do harm to others

"Sexual Obsessions"...
Unwanted, worrisome and intrusive thoughts of:
Sexual thoughts, impulses, or images
Thoughts about molesting your own or other children
Thoughts about being or becoming attracted to the same sex.
Thoughts or images of violent sexual behavior toward others.

"Miscellaneous Obsessions"...
Urge to know or remember certain things
Fear of saying something wrong
Worrying about making mistakes
Fear of using certain colours for superstitious reasons
Excessive superstitious fears with rigid adherence to them
Excessive concern with lucky and unlucky numbers"

Oh –and just because you get obsessive thoughts you do not automatically have Obsessive compulsive disorder either. So don’t let that get to you

Anyone relate to these ?




Meg

'There can only be true courage when first there is genuine fear'

Dr.David Livingstone

[stimpy]

Oh yes, Meg

I am definatly Miscellaneous Obsessions.

Fear of saying something wrong
Worrying about making mistakes
Fear of using certain colours for superstitious reasons
Doing something embarrassing or looking foolish - Embarrassing and Foolish are my middle names.

Green - Someone once told me green was an unlucky colour, and I thought that explains everything!
I wonder if I should change my surname?





Love, light and Best wishes
Liz xxx
With hard work and determination and all the things you know.
The world is there for you to take. There's nowhere you can't go.


[]Scatty Eccentric & 'Poet Laureate to panic and anxiety'

[Laurie28]

Fraid so meg!!!

When i 'peaked' the thoughts were v. hard to deal with. Thankfully I no longer dwell on them (although they must still come but I try and 'dismiss' them as 'normal'people do!!)

Agree with you about the OCD thing as well. I was just dwelling too much on them therefore they got more frequent and I would get more upset - vicious circle! - Just the anxiety I suppose

Thanks Meg
Lucky

[april tones]

thats a good piece, i have thoughts which are 'saying bad things in head'. What does that come under? i too thought it was ocd untill i come on here. Does any one else have same thoughts as me? I also do things as i think if i dont, something bad might happen, like check sons window is locked several times. If i dont check again i worry it will be unlocked and someone break in. That might be normal so to speak, i dont know. Love april x

apriltones

[Meg]

Its normal when we're anxious to check up on ourselves more than usual, but if you start having to do it a certain amount of times or really out of perpective ritual then thats when to speak to someone about .
it.




Meg

'There can only be true courage when first there is genuine fear'

Dr.David Livingstone

[sweetwater]

Hi Meg and everyone,
The topic of obsessiveness interests me, as I've definitely got that in me...I've always had an addictive personality and abused vices (alcohol, drugs)...and you talk about religious, sexual, ritualistic obsessions (ie. compulsively washing your hands is a well known one)...but Meg I wonder what it means when it crosses over to a person? It is very hard I imagine to differetiate b/w love and being addicted/obsessed with someone, and people generally think it is the same thing...is it "healthy" to absolutely live and breathe and wait forever for someone? it's like your whole identity is entwined with theirs...and if the other person feels the same way - where do you go from there? do you both drown each other? do you both find heaven together? I know I'm asking some pretty specific q.s that Meg you probably won't be able to help me with, but I was just wondering whether you think these kind of addicitive relationships are healthy...hope you are all well. thanks. xx.

[Meg]

Dear Swee****er ,

My initial response would be that it is healthiest if we strive to be safe, happy and contented as an individual first and then add in any links with others as in our world anyday something could happen between the two of you and you part, or a tragic accident may occur.

If your life is dependant on someone else you will find it so much more difficult to cope and move forward.

This is why there are lots of recommendations for everyone to have individual hobbies and friends as well as being a great mother and wife and worker etc. There are papers that report those who do have many facets to their lives do beter in face of adversity than those who have dedicated their lives to being Mum or wife or workaholic.

Strong relationships where you grow together are what we would all hope for too.




Meg

'There can only be true courage when first there is genuine fear'

Dr.David Livingstone

[sweetwater]

Thanks Meg. Sending good wishes to all.

[Meg]

Thought I'd revive this thread as we've several new people recently and see if anyone has anything to add.

Whilst some of us get obsessive thoughts about situations and tangible things like knives, others may get obsessive thoughts about people as swee****er mentioned above and its is equally difficult to rid yourself of them.
It can take many months to take what might seem to people without that particular thougt or fear a very simple step forwards .

This is true both of thoughts and of behaviour patterns but there is no excuse for not documenting and contracting with yourself what steps you can and will take to address your own personal issues.


These thoughts and associated behaviour patterns can be applied to most phobic groups , the OCD group, the social phobic group , the driving fearing group, the vomit fearing group etc



Meg

It is impossible to get out of a problem by using the same kind of thinking that it took to get into it.
- Albert Einstein.

[Lottie32]

FOOD - When I was bad, my IBS was bad. I could only eat chicken, fish, potatoes, brocolli, carrots and peas.

No spices, herbs, fried food, onions, garlic, curry, italian, mexican, baked beans, eggs etc. etc. If I had to eat any "bad" things, I became convinced I was about to become instantly "ill".

Now I'm "better", I eat what I fancy, when I like, and actually feel much better for it!!! At the time though, this seemed so logical and vital to my well being!

Charlie

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger.