Intrusive Thoughts

Hi just wanted to know from those that have OCD and intrusive thoughts on how they deal with them and containing them.Ive only starting going back to my fortnightly support group after a long absensce and unfortunately on that particular nite there was nobody with that particular sympton.My intrusive thoughts vary from mild to great intensity and especially when im driving during the day. I somtimes feel like runnin' a red light when in pole position or crossing into the on coming traffic. Although with great distressing discipline I manage to abstain myself from doing this and touch wood never have,it deters me from driving during the day and keeping appointments as I also have a phobia with public transport and crowds.Thanking you for your feedback.

I don't deal very well. But when I am able to deal better than usual, I look at my mind like a separate thing, like my mind is just this machine that is my tool and it's always working and thinking and throwing things out there. Some of the thoughts it gives me are useful, some are very strange -- it's not me thinking the thoughts, it's just my mind doing its thing. Oh well, this is what I have to work with. Trying not to get enmeshed in the thoughts. Trying to be OK with them as they happen. Well.. it's not easy.

I have a very hard time controling my ocd as well, but when I am doing okay....(and this may sound totally weird and maybe only works for me) but I try and picture the world as if this cannot be all there is...like I think of this world, and my life, and what a tiny part of it all I really am....and think to myself...there has to be something much bigger and better out there (not talking spiritually although that sometimes helps others too)......I think you could say I sort of detach from myself? And think in a positive manner that...this life....is so small in comparison to whats out there...and then I basically just trip on that. Reading this back to myself, it sounds really ridiculous! lol I can't really put what kind of mind set I go into, to words. Anyhow, I think there's hope for all of us, even if we don't see it. (I sure as heck don't feel it right now) But I think there is....

I have intrusive thoughts that at times scare me. For instance when we went on a cruise ship with an outside balcony stateroom I got the intrusive thought to jump. I have had the thought of seeing how fast I can drive on the freeway before crashing. I try to keep these thoughts to myself and when I tell p-doc about them it turns into a big deal and he wants to call my wife. I wish I had a good solution for you. When I was in the hospital a while back for 2 months my primary diagnosis was bi=polar with OCD. This meant the I got to go to another unit everyday for non=bipolar treatment which made me feel pretty outcast. They pushed 'exposure therapy' which really boiled down the idea that I must have a consequence somewhere in my psyche that will occur if I do not perform the compulsion. Pretty hard to do.