Hello,

I was diagnosed with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder quite some time ago and I do take Sertraline for depression and obssesive compulsive disorder. I take 200 mg and I am still having difficulties with unwanted thoughts.

I read the book Overcoming Unwanted Intrusive Thoughts by Martin Self and Sally Winston and I have watched YouTube videos related to the matter. The basic idea is simple...to let the thoughts roll off. My concern is...I guess that allowing the thought to completely process through my inner dialogue causes anxiety. I do work continuously to try and suppress the unwanted thoughts which, I believe, are a result from suppressing my "shadow" and I do believe that may have something to do with it. In addition, I am facing a lot of difficulties in my life that I have never faced before.

Besides letting thoughts roll off that I don't want to have in my mind, are there any cognitive tricks that could "program" my mind so that some other thought registers? I have thought of trying to think of a word that associates with disgust to help combat the thoughts and that was an idea that just occurred to me today. I have also thought of directing the thoughts at the people who are to blame for my situation. In addition, I have thought of saying something in my dialogue such as: "These are thoughts that I don't like and that I do not want. I do not have to acknowledge or validate my thoughts."

I do also want to point out that this is a situation that I want to get through but, periodically, the thoughts are troubling. and that the thoughts will not deter me from getting through my problem.

On a separate note, I do have insomnia and I have been like that since I was five years old. I do not believe it is necessarily correlated with my anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorder but at times I can lose sleep because of it. I do take medication for it.

Any help on this matter would be appreciated.

Thanks,.