CBT update

[phil06]

Why aren't YOU tainted, Phil?

I have not thought about that but my garden is tainted as the wheelie bin was in my front garden. You may remember I bought 4/5 irons and iron boards and returned them all due to my ocd. I am still using the original one that caused me stress. So what I can say is I can get over some of it but often another issue pops up. The issue with stuff being tainted as I often don’t forget it but being honest I never thought about my partner being tainted until recently. I know I have a problem with the tainted feeling my therapist was unable to root out why I have these feelings. I am trying to find an understanding of my problem. Over on ocd sites they don’t believe it matters the reasons why I have the ocd..

[phil06]

You could try talking to your family in real life not on social media and nothing we say on here ever helps so why not take some time out and do some self help courses

Often it does help. I would like to credit Terry for helping along the years as I can definitely say the advice given has improved my thinking on my condition. There has been others who have offered good support too.

[Fishmanpa]

Why aren't YOU tainted, Phil?

After the recent posts, I've been thinking the same thing. "Taint" has to have a source. I have a feeling I know what it is.

Positive thoughts

[phil06]

After the recent posts, I've been thinking the same thing. "Taint" has to have a source. I have a feeling I know what it is.

Positive thoughts

Yes but I don’t seem to know the source and it’s me who thinks something is tainted

[KK77]

After the recent posts, I've been thinking the same thing. "Taint" has to have a source. I have a feeling I know what it is.

Positive thoughts

Think I know too but it wouldn't help to name it...

[phil06]

I fear I will never beat the fear my garden is tainted or dirty or the Facebook issue. I may forever have to worry about who I add or let the ocd win and not add them atall. If I add them I would suffer awful anxiety so it may not be worth it?

[Scass]

Phil you do know that these are all negative thoughts don’t you? That they aren’t real? That you have to fight back at them?

Really you just have to decide whether it’s worth letting your thoughts win or not.

[phil06]

Phil you do know that these are all negative thoughts don’t you? That they aren’t real? That you have to fight back at them?

Really you just have to decide whether it’s worth letting your thoughts win or not.

Yes I get that.

But nobody has really told me what to do with this issue some suggested come off Facebook but I have a few options

1. Come off social media (Could do but would restrict my contact as I use messenger and not SMS.)
2. Add the person but deal with the anxiety I suffer (This avoidance is how I get by at present..managing it so to speak)
3. Don’t add them as it will cause anxiety (It wouldn’t matter as I have majority of my family and friends on FB)
4. Delay adding them/delay deleting them (Not tried this one yet in fear I will delete, add delete in a loop)

I would be very interested to hear what people think the correct response is. I would also like to use the same approach for other worries like posting photos ect rather than adding friends as my thinking patterns are the same.

[Scass]

No you don’t know it then because your options are basically avoiding your problems.

Yes, option 2: Go ahead and add people. But ignore the negative thoughts and deal with the anxiety by mindfulness and relaxation techniques as well as the free cbt links that have been posted. You aren’t dealing with your anxiety, you are ignoring it and hoping it’ll go away. In the meantime it’s leaking into other areas of your life.

I get it, I do. You’re not alone. But you’re not remotely willing to help yourself.

[phil06]

I have been watching old tv programmes and movies without people social distancing I find them fine to watch but at the back of my mind my head says perhaps I can’t enjoy them as much as we live in different times so perhaps life is in some way tainted now? Perhaps my life will never return to pre corona times?

Or am I over worrying and it will all go back to normal by next year? Or is life temporarily tainted?