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Cognitive Therapy. Understanding how a thought turns into ocd. After one is wiling to accept the fact that his life has become unmanageable due to his ocd,. And he has decided to do what it takes to get better But finds the exposure process to be too difficult to accept and implement
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Cognitive Therapy Understanding how a thought turns into ocd
After one is wiling to accept the fact that his life has become unmanageable due to his ocd, • And he has decided to do what it takes to get better • But finds the exposure process to be too difficult to accept and implement • Or for mental obsessions that do not have clear compulsions attached to them
Use cognitive therapy to preface the exposure and to gain the ability to see through the fog of the obsessive thinking pattern
Beware, when dealing with obsessive thoughts, answering them cognitively can be a compulsion of its own
I like to preface with a general explanation of how we can see that this is OCD and not just simply "being good”. • Why his current method of dealing with the thoughts cannot be right • After that, we will go through the specific distorted thinking patterns.
If he continues with his current way of thinking he will destroy his life. • OCD usually becomes more intense and spreads to more areas when it is not dealt with. • The amount of emotional energy that it drains is a high price to pay. • You should notice that after all the effort you have put in to accomplish what the OCD is demanding, you have been unable to quell the anxiety.
Goal: Getting the person to realize clearly that: • The way his mind perceives the world is wrong and irrational. • What is the proper way to correct this.
The way his mind perceives the world is wrong and irrational. Remember: not every reason will apply to every case. 1) Why do you see things differently than others? 2) Do you wish that your children be as careful as you? 3) Why is it that there are only certain things that trigger me, and for everything else I can let it slide? 4) I notice that there are times when it is better and times that it is worse, if it were real why would it fluctuate? 5) Very often we see that it jumps from one thing to another, what happened to my old way of thinking? 6) The same person is usually able to see other people with OCD symptoms and a laugh. 7) You have come to me for help, you know deep down that this is wrong. 8) Why is it, that when I ask you specific questions, you smile and smirk with embarrassment of your own assessment?
What is the proper way to correct this. • Understand: How the OCD brain that’s hiding within you works. • Recognize: Notice how it attacks you personally. • Defy: Learn how to use the same techniques against it.
OCD is not logical Logic wont work to undo it. In order to prove something we must agree to certain premises, if we don’t agree to work with the same fundamental principles – then the argument will never end no matter how right we are.
And even something as simple as stealing what belongs to somebody else, can not be proven unless we agree to certain logical principles of what is right and wrong.
משל מעמלק חיל אחז יושבי פלשתויבא עמלק להלחם בישראלכח הליצנות היפך השכל
ליצנות אחת דוחה מאה תוכחותWhy aren’t the מאה תוכחות stronger after all they are 100% true and correct????Answer: Since it defies the basic principles of logic, you cannot prove it!
OCD defies the basic accepted principles of logic Logictells me that if I said a word in שמע, It is correct and there is no need or reason to repeat it. OCDtells me, but maybe you did not get it right, you must repeat it otherwise…
OCDtells me, but if I do it one more time I will be satisfied that it was done properly. Logictells me that if five repetitions are not enough to get it right, why should the 10 be enough, so you have to stop somewhere, it simply does not make sense to continue.
Show the person how he himself agrees to these same principles and lives by them in regard to all other areas of his life!
How do we speak and deal with someone who is not logical and will not agree to my set of basic principles. • How do you respond to the drunken can collector, rummaging through the garbage to find a five cent can, he turns to you and calls you an idiot? • Do you begin explaining to him that you have some great accomplishments in life, and why you feel that his assessment was incorrect?! • Why not????
The OCD within you is like that drunkard • Do not answer him • Do not prove him wrong • Do not try to understand him • Do not fight with him • Do not analyze him • Do not be afraid or intimidated by him • Do not avoid him Treat him like what his true value is: a worthless drunkard, not worthy of the slightest bit of attention
However, it is worth investing A one-time investment to analyze this style of thinking, and the corruption within it. Then learn the pattern that he uses and defy it. 1) Preferably do it together with someone else who understands anxiety. 2) Plan a time to do it, only analyze the anxious or ocd thoughts when you set the time to do it, not when it comes on its own
Irrational beliefs • Overimportance of thought • Control of thoughts • Overestimation of danger • Desire for certainty • Responsibility • Perfectionism • Consequences of anxiety • Fear of positive experiences
Over importance of thought • An irrational belief that just having a thought means that the thought is important and requires special attention. • If I feel that I did not do it right it must be wrong. • Thinking about doing something bad makes me more likely to do it. • It reveals my bad or dangerous nature. • If I were a good person these thoughts would never come to me.
Control of thoughts • Thinking about thinking. • I am able and responsible to control my thoughts. • If I suppress or block my thoughts I will be able to control them from coming back. • If I cannot control them, I am mentally disturbed, therefore, I am finished and doomed for life, I will surely go crazy.
Desire for certainty • the inability to cope with ambiguity, newness, and unpredictable change. • If I am not absolutely sure of something, I am bound to make a mistake. • If I cannot be certain that there will not be a negative outcome, then most likely the worst outcome will become reality. • A strong need to clarify any doubt, even if the end result will be extremely painful, but at least it will be clear.( sabotage is an option)
inflated responsibility • They consider themselves responsible for preventing danger. It’s something had the ability to cause danger, and they know about it, it is their responsibility to make sure it does not cause harm. • They believe that they possess the power to prevent unwanted outcomes. • Very often they view the responsibility as theirs rather than being shared with others • This also produces guilt about their negligence causing severe damage, and compulsions to relieve it
Perfectionism • It is possible and desirable to find an exact solution to every problem. • Making a mistake is as bad as failing in the worst possible way • If I do not do it perfectly people won’t respect me. ( I will not respect myself)
consequences of anxiety • Irrational beliefs about being unable to tolerate anxiety or emotional discomfort • If I get anxious I may lose control go crazy or become a mentally ill • If I get anxious I will not be able to function and will lead to unusual embarrassment.
Fear of positive experiences • They do not deserve positive experiences • They will not be able to sustain the positive experiences they have briefly experienced • (sometimes this is merely superstitious) • Positive experiences trigger anxiety and guilt provoking beliefs
Which beliefs fuel my OCD? • Take inventory of the uncomfortable thoughts that plague you and see which of these beliefs are the pattern of your thought process. • Notice how the way these beliefs play a role in building your anxiety. • Understand that the drunkard thinks with this irrational set of beliefs and how you should be responding to him.
Follow the pattern that is a result of these irrational beliefs. • Ocd is a voice within you but its not you • Ocd is not rational – it works with a different set of rules. • Take inventory of your personal ocd • Search which irrational beliefs apply to you • Match it to the ocd being fueled with those false beliefs • Now that you see that its wrong and has no logic don’t be afraid to defy it. • Since it doesn’t agree with basic logic, you can’t use logic against it – so treat like an illogical drunk
