Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Support Group

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a psychiatric disorder, more specifically, an anxiety disorder. OCD is manifested in a variety of forms, but is most commonly characterized by a subject's obsessive (repetitive, distressing, intrusive) thoughts and related compulsions (tasks or rituals) which attempt to neutralize the obsessions.

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Anxiety Disorders
/ Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Support Group

Disturbing thoughts

Nicollynne
Nicollynne
I understand that my OCD (and my Generalized Anxiety Disorder) is the cause for a lot of my disturbing thoughts, but sometimes these thoughts are so strong that I can't shake them. I stay so scared a lot. I am taking meds and they are helping a lot. But, I still have to take the Ativan for panic attacks when I have them. I thought the Paxil was supposed to keep me from having to take the Ativan? I had a dream that my 2 year old son Connor woke up in the middle of the night, unlocked the dead bolt and fell down the stairs, breaking his neck. Just a little while ago, I got this absolutely dreadful feeling that I needed to check on the kids while they were playing in their room. I was so convinced that I was gonna find them dead. I am afraid to stand on the balcony holding my toddler because I am afraid that I might stumble and drop him over the side. Or I am afraid that while driving over a bridge I will get this overwhelming urge to jerk the wheel and veer over the side. I know I won't...but I fear that one day I might not be able to control this urge. These thoughts are spinning in my head and it is making me crazy. I am on the verge of tears because I am afraid I will wake up one day and both my children will be dead or that my husband will have a fatal car crash on the way to work. I need help to put a stop to these thoughts before I have a mental breakdown!!
deleted_user
deleted_user
I also suffer from disturbing thoughts. First remind yourself it's ocd. You know it's ocd because these thoughts bother you so much. Just thoughts. Hang in there.
deleted_user
deleted_user
I have had times where my thoughts made my life seem unbearable. All I wanted to do was sleep to forget about them, or cry. It is a scary thing, but once you educate yourself on OCD it is much easier to let go of them. There is a lot of great information and support on the internet. It is hard to deal with alone.
deleted_user
deleted_user
A general word of advice: it's very difficult to stop thoughts like these. What you can do is change how you react to them.

First step, realize you have OCD and you aren't going to drive over a bridge. When thoughts like these pop into your head just let them pass through. Debating or checking or doing any compulsion will only strengthen them.

I've had a ton of disturbing thoughts. What I do is just recognize them for the garbage that they are. Sometimes I think, yeah whatever I just treat my OCD like it was an annoying child screaming it's tantrums at me.
deleted_user
deleted_user
In the beginning of my ocd experience I also had those thoughts.I would obsess for a very very long time everyday.I had a plan for how I was going to get the kids out of the car if there was a car accident of any kind,I had a plan that if my car went off a bridge into the water how I would get the kids out of the car.I had a plan thaat if my house caught on fire I would be able to get them out.It got so bad that ever night when they were younger we slept in the living room so they were in arms length of me so I knew they were safe.I had the checking also.I had to check the stove ,door locks,everything in the house before I went to sleep .I had to make sure everything was alright.When my kids were still in their cribs in our bedroom I would sleep with my hand on their chest to make sure they were breathing.When they got older I would have to check them about 5 times before I could fall asleep.I would have to watch there chests to make sure they were breathing before I could go to bed.Sorry so long,but I hope this was helpful...
deleted_user
deleted_user
i am also afraid of my husband or son dying. i am afraid of them or myself getting cancer. my baby is 1 month old and i am afraid of sids. once i get the idea in my head that i need to check on him, i have to do it or i cant go to sleep, even if i just checked on him 1 minute before that. my thoughts like these are not as bad as yours and dont bother me as much, so i really feel for you. try talking to your husband or counselor about these thoughts. it might be easier if you get them all out in the open, like getting it out of your system once you say them. good luck.
deleted_user
deleted_user
Don't feel the need to eliminate the thoughts from coming up in your mind. The fact that they come up in your mind is not actually the problem- the problem is that you buy into them and fear them as being something real when they do come up.

Instead, don't be afraid of them, but recognize them for what they are "It's not me,it's my OCD". THEN after you objectify them and label them as what they are then you dismiss them as faulty thoughts and refocus your mind of somthing else (whatever you were already doing when the distraction came up).

Have any of these worrisome thoughts ever come true?
NO!

Therefore they are powerless and you have nothing to fear from them. The more times you recognize these faulty OCD thoughts for what they are you will start to actually REWIRE your brain chemistry.

People are STUCK in an endless loop of OCD hell BECAUSE they are feearing the thoughts which confirms to their mind that these are actually REAL threats when they are not.

"It's not me it's my OCD"!

I highly recommend "Brain Lock" by Jeffrey M. Schwartz, M.D.!
deleted_user
deleted_user
Hi There. I think every mom has these worries, but it seems that people with OCD tend to worry and stress over these thoughts to an extreme. Just thought it might help you to know that your thoughts are normal. :)
deleted_user
deleted_user
The thoughts wouldn't be so bad if it weren't for the feelings that go with them. It's the chemical surge of those brain hormones that makes you have the dread, the paranoia, etc. The fight or flight chemicals make you have the feelings. The fear, I think follows that. I get a little tense when I think people are saying that folk with OCD are more fearful than other folk. I know no one here is saying that, but it can begin to sound that way. Professionals sometimes think this is true and I always speak up to correct it. "The feelings don't come from wimpy spirits. They come from chemical surges." They usually agree with me and say they didn't mean for it to sound that way. But if you've been told that you just need to be less fearful, that would be a misconception. You need fewer chemical surges. Don't we all. Nevertheless, you have to find a way to handle the surges when they come. Giving into them isn't the answer. Like Wolverine said, it might help to think of those thoughts as naughty children trying to get your goat. Therapy should be aimed at helping you find a way to ignore those voices AND the chemical surge. (The flopping belly, the sinking heart, the panic, etc.) Learning pain tolerance is also a helpful tool.

People with OCD are fierce! If we weren't, we'd never come out from under our beds. Just saying...
deleted_user
deleted_user
hi can an anyone help me i am having very distubing suicide thoughts wich scare me terribly i am scared that i want to act on them but i dont. but i dont understand because i was happy before this happend i am lost and scared i am all day convincing myself i do not want to act on these thoughts but before these thoughts came i had distubing thoughts like killing family members in sleep, or drinking petrol, breaking my dogs leg ect can anyone help.
thanks i am 15
deleted_user
deleted_user
I have these thoughts as well. I also have other more disturbing thoughts that make me doubt my self so much that I tend to cut myself of from everyone I know. That sometimes include my 2 year old. It is horrible!! But I find it really helps to talk about all these thoughts. It gets them out of my head. So if you have someone you can talk to chat away.
Good Luck!!!
deleted_user
deleted_user
Google Stephen Phillipson on the net. He is one of the best out there to help with pure obsessions. Good Luck.... You are in my prayers....
deleted_user
deleted_user
I also have disturbing thoughts. If my fiance is one minute late then surely he's dead in a ditch somewhere. My mind automatically goes to the worse case scenario. That's just part of OCD. Its natural to worry about the people you love, but we take it to the extreme. My therapist always tells me that I don't have to worry about things happening to everyone else because I worry enough about myself. Easier said than done.
deleted_user
deleted_user
I can totally relate to these thoughts but they ar all part of OCD and if you think them through sometimes it helps....keep telling yourself that these things are not going to happen....I have thoughts all the time of dying and what it would be like to vere my car into a divider on the highway...but I keep thinking that I do not want to do that it is just my mind doing it to me.....I also compulse over everything filled with worry all the time that I have panic attacks ...they are no fun...I have begun to talk about these thoughts in therapy and it proves to be very helpful.....I also keep getting my meds adjusted so it helps...please don't do anything dangerous and keep your focus on positive things even though it is very hard.....I am fighting many addictions and disorders and it heklps to get them out vent and release the tension....I am hear to talk if you need to.....GOD Bless and you are in my prayers....
deleted_user
deleted_user
I have those thoughts to. I have a tree year old and get those thoughts all the time. :( I know how you feel
Janvier
Janvier
woverine, great advice for all of us. thanks