How to stop checking stools vigorously? OCD

[Alba95]

I have been having a hard time to stop checking my stools I check them at work, at home and at friends houses. It’s on my mind 24/7 then my mind focuses on me having melanoma on my foot. It’s a vicious cycle that I am in and I’ve just been getting so tired of it. How do I stop checking and live my life and be happy. I’m 22 people my age are out living their lives while I stay home and obesess over my body and stools. Can anyone give me tips on how to stop checking ?

[Fishmanpa]

I have been having a hard time to stop checking my stools I check them at work, at home and at friends houses. It’s on my mind 24/7 then my mind focuses on me having melanoma on my foot. It’s a vicious cycle that I am in and I’ve just been getting so tired of it. How do I stop checking and live my life and be happy. I’m 22 people my age are out living their lives while I stay home and obesess over my body and stools. Can anyone give me tips on how to stop checking ?

Reach around and flush before you get up

Positive thoughts

[Phuzella]

Exactly what Fishmanpa said. You just have to stop, it's up to you

[rainbow]

Exactly what Fishmanpa said. You just have to stop, it's up to you

Unfortunately it's not that easy! My therapist doesn't recommend just stopping completely but trying to cut down gradually.

[ankietyjoe]

Unfortunately it's not that easy! My therapist doesn't recommend just stopping completely but trying to cut down gradually.

I think your therapist is wrong.

Flush, walk away.

You're not coming off heroin.

[pulisa]

I think your therapist is wrong.

Flush, walk away.

You're not coming off heroin.

Yes I agree. How do you do this gradually anyway?

[rainbow]

Yes I agree. How do you do this gradually anyway?

Cut down, maybe check every second day and gradually decrease the amount of times you check. I was told that stopping completely can cause increased anxiety. It's an ocd behaviour which is closely linked to health anxiety.

[pulisa]

Cut down, maybe check every second day and gradually decrease the amount of times you check. I was told that stopping completely can cause increased anxiety. It's an ocd behaviour which is closely linked to health anxiety.

Yes it will increase anxiety but it's far harder to cut down and give yourself options to check. Have you managed to do this, Rainbow?

[bertsquall]

Cut down, maybe check every second day and gradually decrease the amount of times you check. I was told that stopping completely can cause increased anxiety. It's an ocd behaviour which is closely linked to health anxiety.

For me its the what If's that are hard to combat. I did cut looking overall but the hardest part of this for me is keeping the what if there is something i missed, what if it was pencil thin, what if there was a tarry like movement etc

I stopped looking at the stool movements and it has helped greatly so far. If i was to put it into percentages it was like 60-70% analyzing and worrying when i was looking all the time compared to now which is like 90% happy free thoughts and 10% i call the what if thoughts.

It really is an odd behavior that has caused a lot of distress even though the logical thing is there is nothing wrong!

[rainbow]

I'm definitely not as bad as I was but unfortunately i'm still struggling with the anxiety. My daughter has severe ocd and my therapist told me that you wouldn't ask anyone with ocd to suddenly stop checking windows, washing hands etc but would ask them to cut back on the amount of times. This is just the same.

When I posted on here last year about stopping checking I was advised by a number of people to lessen the amount of times I checked.