Pure O OCD and struggling from unwanted, intrusive thoughts is exhausting. Why you have these thoughts is a combination of your biology and how you respond to your thoughts.
First, DO YOU NEED HELP for Pure O and OCD?
If you are exhausted and frustrated with OCD, I can help you.
Find out more about my course called, FREE from Pure O & OCD:
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If you are wondering if you have OCD,
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The Top 10 Things to Know to Practice ERP for OCD, Phobias & Anxiety: www.paigepradko.com/erp
In video I describe unwanted, intrusive thoughts, Pure O OCD and why you have intrusive thoughts. Suffering from unwanted, intrusive thoughts is a disorder of over control not under control. Under control disorders are known as impulsivity disorders. Disorders of over control like OCD include doubt and uncertainty.
If you try to control your thoughts, which none of us can do, and you want 100% certainty and absolutely no doubt, you then have the perfect formula for developing intrusive thoughts.
Impulses and intrusive thoughts are complete opposites. People with impulses act first and think later. People with intrusive thoughts have control over their behaviors and are over thinkers. People with OCD and Pure O are not impulsive people.
First, just to clarify, Pure O is a coined term and not a diagnosis used to describe people that have OCD with obsessions only. But, as you may know, there are compulsions that reinforce the OCD cycle. The compulsions are mainly mental compulsions that are more difficult to notice and include mental activities like ruminating, analyzing, trying to neutralize negative thoughts with positive thoughts, praying, counting, wishing the thoughts away, etc.
So how does an unwanted, intrusive thought become pure O or an obsessive thought? And if everyone has intrusive thoughts, why doesn’t everyone have pure O OCD?
Some people are also more genetically susceptible to developing Pure O or OCD than others. But the answer lies in how you respond to your thoughts.
If you have OCD, you are more likely to experience what we call sticky thoughts. The first time you have an unwanted thought, you may get a whoosh of adrenaline because it activates your fight-or-flight response.
Instead, intrusive thoughts are about things that you don’t want to have thoughts about. For example, people that struggle with violent or harm thoughts are generally people who really value gentleness and kindness and nonviolence.
The content of your unwanted thoughts is often the opposite of what you want to think about. It’s the opposite of your values and what you care about. This is called ego dystonic. It is the opposite of your character.
That’s why the thoughts bother you so much.
That is why they activate your fear center, and the neuropathways of those thoughts get associated with your anxiety or fight-or-flight response, because they are the opposite of what you want to think about yourself.
Next, after having the thought, you begin to react to the thought.
It is this anxious reaction combined with the mental compulsions, possible reassurance seeking and avoidances that make the unwanted thoughts become obsessive and recurring.
DO YOU NEED HELP WITH OCD?
If you are tired of your OCD and want to feel better, I would love to work with you in my online course and private support groups here: www.paigepradko.com/courses
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I will see you there.
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Paige
Music Epidemicsound.com
Intro: An Ocean Full of Characters by Trevor Kowalski
Video Editor lenicaglez@gmail.com
(Although Paige Pradko is a licensed psychotherapist, the views expressed on this video and this KZfaq channel including comments or any related content should not be taken for medical, psychological, or psychiatric advice. Always contact your physician and mental health provider before making any decisions related to your physical or mental health.)
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