This is something I’ve been playing with this week and I’ve found it really helpful so I thought I’d share. 

Putting together a couple of ideas from previous posts:

1. When we have OCD the amygdala – whose primary function is to process emotions, especially fear and anxiety – is sending us a faulty signal that there is something which needs our attention right away and cannot wait.
and
2. OCD is ego-dystonic, meaning: against the self or being inconsistent with one’s true beliefs, values and personality.

It follows then that if we are getting pretty constant ‘faulty’ alerts from our amygdala’s that there is DANGER and we know that these alerts are against our values, beliefs and personality, that we shouldn’t take much notice of them?

We need to see these alerts as a warning system – which is what it is and not a wanting system, which it couldn’t be further from being.

Our brain is basically saying; ‘careful you wouldn’t want that to happen!’ or ‘If that happened wouldn’t it be awful?’ and all we have to do is say, ‘Thank you brain, yes! That would be awful, thanks for looking out for me.’

By acknowledging the thought and thanking the brain we are also helping defuse ourselves from it (an idea used in ACT therapy) and keeping our thinking brain switched on. 

As soon as we give the thoughts (obsessions) anytime, we switch on our sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight), where our thinking brain starts to switch off and then there’s no logic or reason available to us.

In Summary
Know you are getting the thoughts as the brain is WARNING you of wrongly perceived danger and not because you are wanting or inviting the thoughts. 

Hope it helps,
As always, Stay Strong xxx