CrippleAndStarfish Posted March 22, 2011 Report Share Posted March 22, 2011 I struggle a lot with intrusive thoughts surrounding behaviour that would be damaging to either myself or others. I thought it was to do with OCD, but have been told that it's also a common feature of depression, and BPD. I'm struggling a fair bit with it today, and I'm not all too sure why Most of the time, I'm able to distract myself from them by racing round like a bit of a loon and doing all sorts of things that don't really need doing.... But sometimes - especially when I'm feeling pretty low - I don't manage so well. I'm wondering how anyone else who has intrusive thoughts manages them? Some of the things that work for me are - - Getting down on my hands and knees and scrubbing the floor, really paying attention so as to get every tiny speck of dirt up.(...OCD, moi? Noooo! ) - Blasting some music and singing along - maybe having a bit of a boogie too if no one is watching - Picking up a book/magazine and flicking through counting how many times a certain word appears.... It's been suggested to me that I try writing them out in a diary or something, but I'm a little about that as I'd be scared that someone else might read it and...well, it wouldn't make very nice reading, to be honest. I think it would probably scare them. Any other ideas that people might want to add for stopping them/managing them better?... Or even ways to not get quite so distressed over them would be great too... Crip xXx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Villan Posted March 22, 2011 Report Share Posted March 22, 2011 interesting you say "really paying attention" kinda like doing it mindfully another good one is washing up mindfully like notice the feel of the water - temperature wise notice how the bubbles feel on your skin see how the plates shine after cleaning and all that jazz... or mindfully walking upstairs - another good one or mindful driving - if you do i guess is part of re-focussing your brain away from all teh noise and back into the now - really concentrating on even the most mundane automatic task like you have never done it before... well... that's what helps me... :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lauraw2693 Posted March 22, 2011 Report Share Posted March 22, 2011 Hey Crip, I agree with Chitma mindfulness can work well with these kind of thoughts.. As for what you said about writing them down what I tend to do is actually type them into Word just to get them out of my head then press the delete button after and no one has to read my crazy Other than that I think just talking them through with someone who understands those kinda thoughts helps me too.. If you need someone I can volunteer I sorry I have no better suggestions, I have a very fluffy head today sending you hugs though xxxx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toocrazy Posted March 22, 2011 Report Share Posted March 22, 2011 I think I have constant intrusive thoughts but they aren't always upsetting. When they are disturbing I can't wait until they are replaced with a new one that isn't as . Distracting works, especially cleaning, but writing it down or telling someone helps too. I have a couple of friends and we text our insane-inappropriate thoughts (mostly me) of the day. Sometimes secret in my head turn funny when I tell someone. I have a blog on the web I set to private and ticked out of search engines. In my mind it is like off loading the thoughts to the air and somehow it feels like I've told someone. The collective unconscious of the world is hearing me, maybe. :ashamed0005: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrippleAndStarfish Posted March 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 22, 2011 Oooh, thankyou everyone. Ran out of rep points, crap sorry guys, will come back to it. Yeah, mindfullness is a biggie that I'm really trying with, and i think i manage okay, but I've got some sort of mental block going on soon as I attach that label to it. Weirddd, but am trying. Hadn't thought of applying it to other stuff though, so thankyou for opening me peepers to that one ....You trying to tell me I need to wash the pots, Chit?! Jeeeez, I get enough of that from Bimo... nah, i've got 2 roasting trays to wash today, which i'm not looking forward to...and certainly not wanting to do that mindfully lol - they're yucky! Shadow, I like your idea of typey-typey-typey-deleeeeeete. I may just pinch that one too Toocrazy - I really like the thought of blogging it privately. I guess that would serve the purpose of having it there, somewhere safe, and so you could look back over it too, kind of monitor it aswell? I like the sound of that. So many good ideas, thank you my lovelies. xxxxxxx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hannah-Sharpe Posted March 22, 2011 Report Share Posted March 22, 2011 Crip, I get this all the time too I had a particularly bad episode of it over the weekend where It got so bad that i couldn't even think straight and my head got so confused and my mind started racing. I tried deep breathing which I found helped me. I try to clear my mind as best i can and breathe in through my nose for three and out of my mouth for three, whilst doing this I say my keyword 'calm' in my head over and over again so that i train my body to relax to this word. I then visualize my 'safe place' mine is a tree in a meadow with a warm breeze gently blowing and birds singing and flying over head and the sun beaming down, try to focus totally on your image and think about what you can see, smell, feel, hear and taste. open all your senses and really focus on this. then focus on your outward breathing again and when your ready bring yourself back again. I find after this i quite often feel like I've just had a diazepam its an amazing feeling. The only problem I have sometimes with this is i get so agitated that i just don't have the patience to do it so in this case i find talking it out with someone helps and trying to make sense of it, or just listening to some music to take your mind off it, just anything to distract you really. Hope this helps (((Crip))) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrippleAndStarfish Posted March 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 22, 2011 Hannah, that's a truly gorgeous reply, and it makes perfect sense. Thankyou so much for sharing that with me - your idea sounds really good. Will certainly give it a go. hugs xx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lauraw2693 Posted March 22, 2011 Report Share Posted March 22, 2011 You have the same mindfulness block as me! ^_^ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrippleAndStarfish Posted March 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 22, 2011 Lol shadow hunni - it's a nightmare!! I can do it, so long as I don't let myself catch on that i'm doing it! We're loons xxx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hannah-Sharpe Posted March 22, 2011 Report Share Posted March 22, 2011 You're always welcome Crip :-) always here xxxx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lauraw2693 Posted March 22, 2011 Report Share Posted March 22, 2011 Oh well as long as I have company I don't mind being a loon xxx ...and cookie and milkshake :P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unlucky Posted March 22, 2011 Report Share Posted March 22, 2011 Ooh, I don't like the thought of writing them down! What about reading a book, or playing a video game or doing something that requires concentration? I usually just get so worked up trying to stop them, which isn't very helpful. I think I read somewhere about whatever thought comes into your head that you don't want, you have to iagine yourself doing the opposite. Haven't tried that, but it sounds like a good one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrippleAndStarfish Posted March 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 22, 2011 ....what's the opposite of bashing someone over the head with a bottle of milkshake? .....Or the opposite of bouncing bonbons off peoples heads? Do you mean like... to use my example of the bonbon thing... if i'm getting images or thoughts of chucking them at someone sat next to me... to offer them a bonbon instead? that kind of thing? So you turn the negative intrusiveness into a postive action? xxx Shadow - cookies and milkshake make everything okay, always. That's just life. xxx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lauraw2693 Posted March 22, 2011 Report Share Posted March 22, 2011 :huh: Now I'm craving cookies.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrippleAndStarfish Posted March 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 22, 2011 :lol: xxx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dibley Posted March 22, 2011 Report Share Posted March 22, 2011 As the queen of intrusive thoughts, there isn't much positive I can do, especially when it gets too bad. When it gets beyond a point or my head is way to fucked up, there is only one thing and one thing only I can do. But, if it doesn't get too bad, like today, I clean, and play music, loudly, and sing even louder. I've got 2 loads of washing cleaned and ironed, cleaned kitchen, hoovered whole house and been into town. I hope it doesn't get too bad for you. x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrippleAndStarfish Posted March 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 22, 2011 (((HH))) thankyou for replying hun. It sucks doesn't it?! I struggle when it gets really bad too...tend to react in a rather destructive way... I'm glad it's not too bad for you today hun. xxx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dibley Posted March 22, 2011 Report Share Posted March 22, 2011 It sure does. I hate it. I guess you can't do anymore than taking each day as it comes. xx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roo28 Posted March 22, 2011 Report Share Posted March 22, 2011 interesting, i never really realised until reading this that i get these thoughts, a LOT lately and very disturbing ones too, perhaps I should be more aware of when these thoughts appear and methods to distract myself from them :( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrippleAndStarfish Posted March 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 22, 2011 Roo - they can be an absolute nightmare. I have them pretty much every day, just sometimes they're much more frequent, and a lot more disturbing. On my better days I get thoughts about my appearance - my size and shape and stuff, the odd one like "What the hell does [boyf] see in you?! you're f*cking disgusting." Or I get angry with random people in supermarkets or on the street and picture myself beating the crap out of them for something of little importance - eg, they stopped abruptly in front of me and i nearly tripped over.... On my worse days I can wander over past the window and am bombarded with thoughts and images of me flinging the window open and throwing myself out (I'm on the second floor), constant thoughts that my boyf is gunna leave me...well, kick me out... because basically I'm ugly, useless, fat, pathetic, just a sponge and no goddamn good for anything other than a quick shag.... thoughts about SH & sui, about how it would be better for everyone I know if I just ceased to exist.... not pleasant at all. But yes, today is a bordering-on-bad day, but nothing I can't handle, thankfully. sorry you get this too. Seems a lot of people do. xxxxx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dibley Posted March 22, 2011 Report Share Posted March 22, 2011 Your bad days sound identical to mine. :ashamed0005: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrippleAndStarfish Posted March 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 22, 2011 :bigarmhug[1]: sorry hunni Don't need an embarrassed face though, sweets. xx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dibley Posted March 22, 2011 Report Share Posted March 22, 2011 Without sounding mean though, it's nice (if that's the right word) to know I'm not the only with the crazy thoughts. xxxxx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrippleAndStarfish Posted March 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 22, 2011 Doesn't sound mean at all hun. It is good to know that we're not alone with stuff like this, as I think that feeling of being isolated and the fear of being the only person in the world to struggle with this stuff only adds to how much we're struggling in the first place. hugs xxxxxx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dibley Posted March 22, 2011 Report Share Posted March 22, 2011 I don't know about you, but the sun being out makes me worse, especially when I'm on my own? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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