[Lik3]

I have OCD. How do I deal with avoidance? I am afraid still of watching certain tv shows, reading books, or watching films that would upset me. I feel that it is a part of the OCD and in order to overcome the OCD, I have to deal with the avoidance. I have few thoughts if none nowadays. I was wondering this as I have thoughts of extreme infidelity and some of these thoughts are violent

[Aunt Donna]

I wish I could tell you what to do about avoidence. I avoid things that trigger my OCD as much as possible, because if I come in contact with them, off I go. Just letting you know, you aren't alone.

Hi there! You are most certainly right about avoidance...let me try to give you an example...

I was once afraid that I was going to kill a certain person, let's call him Jim. :P So I ended up avoiding Jim all the time, and by doing so...I made myself believe that the only reason I wasn't killing him was because I was avoiding him.

But my therapist decided to do ERP (exposure response prevention). Basically, he made me go TOWARDS the fear, instead of avoiding it. We ended up inviting Jim to sit in on a couple of sessions...let me tell you, it was scary! But you know what I found out after being exposed to Jim again, and again, and again? That my thoughts of harming him were just thoughts...I wasn't going to kill him, and I never would have in the first place.

After being exposed to your fears a lot, the anxiety dwindles and you eventually realize that you were afraid for nothing.

However, you said you avoided certain tv shows, books, and films. Since those aren't directly related to your obsession, you probably don't have to sit down and force yourself to watch/read them. :P

Personally, I also found meditation helpful. I called it "exposure meditation". For as long as I could handle, I'd focus JUST on my obsessions...I'd allow myself to have whatever homicidal, suicidal, sexual obsessive thoughts came to mind, and after having them for about 20-ish minutes...they got boring! They were no longer scary, but just plain thoughts that meant nothing to me.

If you are seeing a therapist, you might want to mention ERP. If you ever want to chat, feel free to send me a message. Best of luck to you!

[Junerain]

OCD is pretty hard to 'overcome'....

Do you really HAVE to deal with the avoidance?

Perhaps you will always have to avoid certain things, as per your OCD? It is an illness like any other physical illness- good luck to you

[coko27]

Originally Posted by Lik3

I have OCD. How do I deal with avoidance? I am afraid still of watching certain tv shows, reading books, or watching films that would upset me. I feel that it is a part of the OCD and in order to overcome the OCD, I have to deal with the avoidance. I have few thoughts if none nowadays. I was wondering this as I have thoughts of extreme infidelity and some of these thoughts are violent

I do the avoidance to by not going to some stores and being around the people who I have bad thoughts about In my mind.Ocd Is very bad to live with

[ECHOES]

What are your fears about having these thoughts?
It is fear that drives OCD, and the magical thinking like ohseedee described.. that what we fear will happen doesn't because of the avoidance.
You could watch a triggering tv show and, when triggered, notice that and remind yourself that it is just a thought, nothing else. Let it come...and let it go.

[isabella1993]

I avoid knell everything because of germs i have not been to school in 3 years but of my ocd i fear i will get Gastroenteritis again so i fear everything