I've had this problem for at least a year(Even though I've been obsessively compulsive for the longest time) where a thought becomes "stamped" on a subject of interest, like going somewhere, eating something, listening to/watching something, etc. to the point where I can't enjoy or sometimes comprehend it the way I want to.
For example, one time I was visiting someone with family and I had my headphones on and when I was listening to a particular song an uncontrollable "What if..." feeling came over me asking "What if everytime you hear this part of the song you think of that person?" and they were 'stuck' to it! Everytime I would listen to it I would be reminded of them and it would impair my ability to comprehend and enjoy and for like a month I was disabled because that "What if..." way of thinking was on my mind about that person ALL THE TIME!
It's been happening ever since and one thing I noticed is that it has to do with PEOPLE who I usually don't care about or like and it causes me to be very idle until this obsession wears off and sometimes all I could do all day is sit around in front of the computer. I'm a guitarist and I live for guitar but sometimes the obsessions are so bad I don't even want to touch it for a week because I'm impaired with a way of thinking that isn't mine.
It also could come from people's comments as well. Like for example, I've liked this movie and when I heard that it was someone else's favorite I thought of their comment the WHOLE WAY THROUGH! It was as if they were literally standing in front of me or something. I still can't watch the movie because I think of their comment as it being "their" movie and not something special to me. I can't comprehend or enjoy it either and I'm scared I'll never be able to feel the same way I did about it before.
This happens to anything I could enjoy and almost all day every day is a "What if..." for certain situations in the fear that irrelevant thoughts or thoughts that I wouldn't find pleasant being stuck to something I enjoy.
hummmm, i was wondering if you could guide yourself to another less obtrussive obsession. Sometimes i can do that sort of. Like i would attach something someone sais about say a movie, and i would attach it to something like just a particular portion of the movie?? It's the most horrable feeling when they "disable" us from doing what we know we want to do Sorry, not much help here, but hopen someone else will be able to give ya more.
hello, do you engage in compulsive exercises to lower the anxiety levels. Or is your OCD just the obsessional kind with no compulsions???
Anticipate the thoughts and be ready and learn to just accept them. Dont try to fight them off because you wont win. Learn to be ready and just accept them. When the thoughts come up immediately tell yourself hey this is " just my stupid and dumb OCD acting up again and these messenges are false". Then immediatly engage in some kind of pleasant and constructive activity for as long as you can until the thoughts go away. Be active like read a book or talk on the phone or anything. The key is to substiute one positive acitivty for a negative one. You must stay busy and put your mind on something else more pleasant. Dont stay passive OR OCD will win. Try to delay the thoughts for as long as possible from a few minuties and gradually longer and longer until they go away.
This is just one behavoral technique that helps for OCD. There is other solutions but first I would start here. P.S. I am not a doctor!!!!!!!
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