Below is a link to my published articles on the Counselling Directory website. Please cut and paste the link below to access a variety of OCD related articles.
https://secure.counselling-directory.org.uk/members/myarticles.php
Bodily Feelings and OCD.
Sometimes OCD doesn't take the form of intrusive thoughts or images in our minds, but of feelings, sensations or urges instead. Many people feel really concerned when they experience unwanted bodily feelings, since they usually connect with something we would rather they didn't. For example, we may experience a feeling of arousal around a sibling or a parent, a best friend or whenever we see a child. In these situations our OCD often tells us 'see, it's true, you've now had a feeling which confirms you are sexually attracted to your mum', for example. This can feel devastating to hear, since we have no wish whatsoever to feel sexually attracted to our mum, but our bodily sensations seem to confirm that we are. In a similar way, this 'confirmation' can apply to anybody else in our life who we desperately don't want to feel sexually aroused by.
Another situation like this might be when we feel an overwhelming urge to plunge a knife into a defenseless animal. Perhaps we are using a large knife for chopping vegetables and suddenly feel as though we are about to stab our beloved dog who happens to walk by. The thought of this is absolutely horrifying to us and yet it can feel oddly compelling at the same time.
Other urges might be to take off all our clothes in a public place, to shout out something wildly inappropriate during a meeting or to push a supermarket trolley into an elderly and frail person. Our internal OCD bully knows that this is possible for us to do and that if we did, it would have serious consequences. Our bully is on a constant mission to present us with scary scenarios, so it makes total sense for it to go there.
Sometimes it feels as though we actually enjoy having these feelings, sensations or urges, and this can add another level of fear to our situation.
It's important to know that when we feel highly anxious and intensely focused on a particular area of life, we are able to create our own bodily feelings as a result of this. And yes, we may well enjoy a feeling of arousal, for example. This feeling is naturally enjoyable in itself. However, OCD can then start making connections between this feeling and the people, animals or anything else in our lives which mean a lot to us. This does not mean we are attracted to them, but that OCD would like us to believe that we are.
The way to work with these bodily feelings, as with other forms of OCD, is with the help of Exposure and Response Prevention.
Sometimes OCD doesn't take the form of intrusive thoughts or images in our minds, but of feelings, sensations or urges instead. Many people feel really concerned when they experience unwanted bodily feelings, since they usually connect with something we would rather they didn't. For example, we may experience a feeling of arousal around a sibling or a parent, a best friend or whenever we see a child. In these situations our OCD often tells us 'see, it's true, you've now had a feeling which confirms you are sexually attracted to your mum', for example. This can feel devastating to hear, since we have no wish whatsoever to feel sexually attracted to our mum, but our bodily sensations seem to confirm that we are. In a similar way, this 'confirmation' can apply to anybody else in our life who we desperately don't want to feel sexually aroused by.
Another situation like this might be when we feel an overwhelming urge to plunge a knife into a defenseless animal. Perhaps we are using a large knife for chopping vegetables and suddenly feel as though we are about to stab our beloved dog who happens to walk by. The thought of this is absolutely horrifying to us and yet it can feel oddly compelling at the same time.
Other urges might be to take off all our clothes in a public place, to shout out something wildly inappropriate during a meeting or to push a supermarket trolley into an elderly and frail person. Our internal OCD bully knows that this is possible for us to do and that if we did, it would have serious consequences. Our bully is on a constant mission to present us with scary scenarios, so it makes total sense for it to go there.
Sometimes it feels as though we actually enjoy having these feelings, sensations or urges, and this can add another level of fear to our situation.
It's important to know that when we feel highly anxious and intensely focused on a particular area of life, we are able to create our own bodily feelings as a result of this. And yes, we may well enjoy a feeling of arousal, for example. This feeling is naturally enjoyable in itself. However, OCD can then start making connections between this feeling and the people, animals or anything else in our lives which mean a lot to us. This does not mean we are attracted to them, but that OCD would like us to believe that we are.
The way to work with these bodily feelings, as with other forms of OCD, is with the help of Exposure and Response Prevention.
OCD and Sexual Orientation Related Obsessions
Sexual orientation related obsessions can sometimes attack our sense of identity. Although we may have had a very strong sense of who we are and who we feel attracted to all of our life, it can feel as though we are suddenly beginning to question whether our feelings are true. This can happen regardless of who we are from the beginning.
OCD may compel us to wonder whether we actually feel attracted to our partner (as also happens with ROCD). Sometimes we begin to monitor our feelings around our partner and to question if we are more attracted to people of the same sex as ourselves, or of the opposite sex if we are gay. Once we start thinking in this way, our mind is ready to scan any thoughts, images, feelings or sensations we experience when we are around our partner or people of the other sex. Suddenly we find ourselves questioning so many aspects of this area of life which we have previously felt completely unconcerned with.
Anything and everything can become triggering in relation to this topic, since our OCD brain is all too willing to attach meaning to situations/people/objects etc and to cast doubt around these. For example, we may want to avoid watching TV shows, news items or read social media posts relating to gay or bisexual topics. Similarly, we sometimes withdraw from reading articles of this nature. Perhaps we begin ruminating when people around us discuss issues of sexuality, which takes us away from being in the moment with them.
It's important to understand that there is a difference between having a general issue with people of another sexual orientation to your own and having OCD around this topic. OCD sufferers' only concern is with suddenly not trusting their own feelings around who they are.
The difficulty with this particular form of OCD can be that we hear a lot from people who genuinely are questioning their sexuality. So how do we know if we fall into this category of people or not?
The answer to this question is the same as with other forms of OCD. If we experience recurring themes which raise our anxiety/discomfort and we then feel compelled to search for the 'right' answers or to avoid specific situations, this belongs to OCD. And as with other OCD manifestations, the way to manage this one is with the help of Exposure and Response Prevention.
Sexual orientation related obsessions can sometimes attack our sense of identity. Although we may have had a very strong sense of who we are and who we feel attracted to all of our life, it can feel as though we are suddenly beginning to question whether our feelings are true. This can happen regardless of who we are from the beginning.
OCD may compel us to wonder whether we actually feel attracted to our partner (as also happens with ROCD). Sometimes we begin to monitor our feelings around our partner and to question if we are more attracted to people of the same sex as ourselves, or of the opposite sex if we are gay. Once we start thinking in this way, our mind is ready to scan any thoughts, images, feelings or sensations we experience when we are around our partner or people of the other sex. Suddenly we find ourselves questioning so many aspects of this area of life which we have previously felt completely unconcerned with.
Anything and everything can become triggering in relation to this topic, since our OCD brain is all too willing to attach meaning to situations/people/objects etc and to cast doubt around these. For example, we may want to avoid watching TV shows, news items or read social media posts relating to gay or bisexual topics. Similarly, we sometimes withdraw from reading articles of this nature. Perhaps we begin ruminating when people around us discuss issues of sexuality, which takes us away from being in the moment with them.
It's important to understand that there is a difference between having a general issue with people of another sexual orientation to your own and having OCD around this topic. OCD sufferers' only concern is with suddenly not trusting their own feelings around who they are.
The difficulty with this particular form of OCD can be that we hear a lot from people who genuinely are questioning their sexuality. So how do we know if we fall into this category of people or not?
The answer to this question is the same as with other forms of OCD. If we experience recurring themes which raise our anxiety/discomfort and we then feel compelled to search for the 'right' answers or to avoid specific situations, this belongs to OCD. And as with other OCD manifestations, the way to manage this one is with the help of Exposure and Response Prevention.
Commonly Asked Questions in OCD Therapy.
Q. How do I know if it's OCD as opposed to me that my thoughts are coming from? What if they are real?
A. Any recurring thoughts/images/feelings/sensations you experience which create high anxiety or discomfort, where you feel a need to engage with a repetitive ritual (in your head or physically) belong to OCD. It really doesn't matter what shape these take.
Q. What if my thoughts are related to a real life event and therefore not imaginary?
A. OCD can attach itself to absolutely anything and sometimes this will be a real life event. Although the event itself is real, if OCD is involved there will be an irrational element to your thinking around this. This is the part which we can work with to manage.
Q. I have started doing my ERPs (Exposure and Response Prevention) and now I feel more anxious. Is this normal?
A. Yes it is. When you first begin working with ERP tasks you are starting to change a long-standing pattern of behaviour. Your brain understands this as you being less safe than you were before, so it will turn up the alarm bells to prompt you to protect yourself more. This is why you feel more anxious. However, the reality is that you are perfectly safe to engage with these tasks.
Q. I'm suddenly finding that I don't feel the same level of anxiety or none at all in certain situations. Does this mean I'm now agreeing with my thoughts?
A. The brain sometimes switches off from overthinking when this becomes overwhelming. Another important thing to consider is that when you are doing ERP work, a reduction in anxiety is what you are actually aiming for. This shows that your work is beginning to pay off. A lessened anxiety does not mean that your personality has changed and you have become a bad person.
Q. I was doing really well and starting to feel my anxiety come down a bit and then suddenly a new thought appeared in my mind. Now I can't stop worrying about this one.
A. When your OCD notices that you are beginning to take charge and are no longer paying so much attention to its demands, it's not happy. It wants complete control over your life and when you start to take some of that control back from it, it has to create new ways to get back in. A good way to do this is to bring in a brand new thought (although an old one you haven't obsessed over for a while is also an option).
Q. I worry that despite my very strong feelings against it, I might one day lose control and do something inappropriate/horrific.
A. I have yet to meet a client who has lost control in this way. People with OCD are extremely harm averse and are therefore some of the least likely people on this planet to do harm. We are unfortunately also some of the most likely to worry about doing harm.
Q. How long does it take to be able to manage OCD?
A. This varies depending on how you are affected by it and also on how much you put into your ERP work. The more committed you are to your tasks, the faster you will begin to see results. Most commonly I see my clients for between 20 and 30 sessions.
Q. How do I know if it's OCD as opposed to me that my thoughts are coming from? What if they are real?
A. Any recurring thoughts/images/feelings/sensations you experience which create high anxiety or discomfort, where you feel a need to engage with a repetitive ritual (in your head or physically) belong to OCD. It really doesn't matter what shape these take.
Q. What if my thoughts are related to a real life event and therefore not imaginary?
A. OCD can attach itself to absolutely anything and sometimes this will be a real life event. Although the event itself is real, if OCD is involved there will be an irrational element to your thinking around this. This is the part which we can work with to manage.
Q. I have started doing my ERPs (Exposure and Response Prevention) and now I feel more anxious. Is this normal?
A. Yes it is. When you first begin working with ERP tasks you are starting to change a long-standing pattern of behaviour. Your brain understands this as you being less safe than you were before, so it will turn up the alarm bells to prompt you to protect yourself more. This is why you feel more anxious. However, the reality is that you are perfectly safe to engage with these tasks.
Q. I'm suddenly finding that I don't feel the same level of anxiety or none at all in certain situations. Does this mean I'm now agreeing with my thoughts?
A. The brain sometimes switches off from overthinking when this becomes overwhelming. Another important thing to consider is that when you are doing ERP work, a reduction in anxiety is what you are actually aiming for. This shows that your work is beginning to pay off. A lessened anxiety does not mean that your personality has changed and you have become a bad person.
Q. I was doing really well and starting to feel my anxiety come down a bit and then suddenly a new thought appeared in my mind. Now I can't stop worrying about this one.
A. When your OCD notices that you are beginning to take charge and are no longer paying so much attention to its demands, it's not happy. It wants complete control over your life and when you start to take some of that control back from it, it has to create new ways to get back in. A good way to do this is to bring in a brand new thought (although an old one you haven't obsessed over for a while is also an option).
Q. I worry that despite my very strong feelings against it, I might one day lose control and do something inappropriate/horrific.
A. I have yet to meet a client who has lost control in this way. People with OCD are extremely harm averse and are therefore some of the least likely people on this planet to do harm. We are unfortunately also some of the most likely to worry about doing harm.
Q. How long does it take to be able to manage OCD?
A. This varies depending on how you are affected by it and also on how much you put into your ERP work. The more committed you are to your tasks, the faster you will begin to see results. Most commonly I see my clients for between 20 and 30 sessions.