I like to think of intrusive thoughts as a beach ball, if you push it under water and hold it there it will stay, but if you let go it will just float back up. Don't try to control your thoughts. Pure-O OCD is a type of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder consisting of internal, covert compulsions. An anxiety disorder characterised by recurrent, persistent obsessions or compulsions. Really appreciate the tips. Remember these are my beliefs and experience. While someone experiencing Pure O may not engage in obvious behaviors related to their intrusive thoughts, such as counting, arranging, or hand-washing, the disorder is instead accompanied by hidden mental rituals. Cookies help us deliver our Services. Pure O is not a medically recognised term and unfortunately this article fails to recognise that unwanted intrusive thoughts are common in every single person suffering with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. I try to write it in a way so that it doesn't seem like I'm trying to advertise a product or something lol. Pure is Channel 4’s daring and hilarious portrayal of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), which has been lauded for subverting stereotypes surrounding mental health. ey guys, long time viewer, first time poster. Some individuals may suffer from Pure Obsessional OCD (sometimes called Pure O) in which they report experiencing obsessions without observable compulsions. I did ERP and followed that up with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy on my own. If they replaced the words Pure O with OCD in this text, this would be a perfect description of OCD. ACT is great for stuff that's just in your head. It is not a diagnosis in DSM-5. http://www.calmdownmind.com/faq-on-the-state-of-allowing/. And eventually there will not even be any anxiety. Once a compulsion is carried out, it will only have a temporary effect. Really needed this after the year I've had so far with this shit. These obsessions often manifest as intrusive, unwanted, inappropriate thoughts, impulses or “mental images”. A lot of the time it's a fear of you becoming something you hate or something you are most afraid of happening to you. I don't really view OCD as a disorder, or something you are 'born with'. That was pretty beautiful. Does Pure O Exist? Rumination is a core feature of OCD that causes a person to spend an inordinate amount time worrying about, analyzing, and trying to understand or clarify a particular thought or theme. I've dealt with general anxiety and OCD that is usually somewhere between mild and moderate for quite a while. I can always remember as a kid having the slight compulsions that didn't interfere with my life (Need to move things until it felt right, position things right). But does ‘Pure O’ exist? Pure O is a form of OCD marked by intrusive, unwanted, and uncontrollable thoughts (or obsessions). Stop trying to fix it or find a solution. Trust me. About Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, or OCD, is a condition in which a person experiences persistent thoughts, images, and ideas that are unwarranted, upsetting, anxiety-provoking, and troublesome.OCD can manifest in a wide array of sub-types, including sexually-based thoughts, in which the person experiences obsessive thoughts about sexual themes that can range from mild to violent. The reason I feel I have to get this out is because once upon a time I thought I had Pure-O because my OCD is all mental. What Is Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder? Thanks for taking the time to read this. tl;dr: had OCD when I was kid (10-13; mostly ritualistic), never diagnosed, dealt with it on my own. If you are mad, let yourself be mad (just don't do anything stupid). If running from your anxiety worked, you would be over your OCD by now. Pure-O is a misnomer as a stand-alone OCD subtype as it exists within many other OCD manifestations. My Experience & Advice for Pure O This will probably be one of my last times visiting this subreddit because I've moved passed worrying about OCD (visiting places like this, seeking reassurance on anxiety sites) but I wanted to post my experience to hopefully help some people. Fear is a shallow emotion & you will realize this through exposures. OCD is a medical condition, like high blood pressure or allergies, and there’s no need to be ashamed to seek treatment. Use meditation as a way of releasing excess/negative energy, Focus on your body & what you are doing, not your mind, Learn to stop trying to control everything & trying to figure everything in life out (seeking certainty) and go with the flow, OCD is a bunch of bullshit and you'll realize this when you overcome it. The OCD I personally struggle with is sometimes labeled by people as " Pure O." I never took any medication. If you shut off due to fear, you become powerless and are controlled by your fears and obsessions. Press J to jump to the feed. It will stay there for a while and you might get an urge to suppress it again but eventually, the ball will float away further and further. It's no different than anyone else, it's just that people with OCD experience these thoughts much more frequently (due to an overactive mind; I'd be willing to bet most people with OCD are over-thinkers and over-analyzers) and therefor begin looking into them. I really had to pay attention to what set off my Obsession (stressor) and then distinguish the difference between my Obsessions and compulsions to work on it to progress to where I am today which is 90% better. This internalised form of OCD is often called ‘ Pure-O ’ (purely obsessional OCD), but this is something of a misnomer, as compulsions are still very much involved – they’re just going on beneath the surface. It is when we have obsessions without the physical compulsions of traditional OCD. I like to use meditation as a way to 'detox' and release energy and reach a state of allowing and effortlessness. I suggest reading this: http://www.calmdownmind.com/faq-on-the-state-of-allowing/. Whatever pops up, I don't care. Not every day will be a good day. Just because it is a thought and not a behavior it is still equal to those that have a behavior following a trigger. It affects more than 2% of the population worldwide, making it even more prevalent than bipolar disorder, panic disorder, or schizophrenia. Change your reaction to fear, and do not close off. My mental Obsession and compulsions were so bad I thought about it for years and then it progressed to thinking about it every minute of every day for months. So what is Pure "O" OCD? New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. Obsessions are the intrusive ideas, thoughts, or images that are experienced as senseless or repugnant. I'm going to really try your advice. Very well put. I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. These obsessions often manifest as intrusive, unwanted thoughts, impulses or mental images of committing an act they consider to be harmful, violent, immoral, sexually inappropriate, or sacrilegious. I thought suicide was the only answer. ❤️. What distinguishes Pure Obsessional OCD from classic OCD is that in Pure-O OCD, symptoms are predominantly obsessive (rather than compulsive) in … Pure Obsessional OCD (Pure O) is a term for a type of OCD in which an individual reports experiencing obsessions without observable compulsions. I'm not focused on that, I'm focused on what I am doing in real life. However, the more you do them the quicker the post-exposure anxiety fades away. You have to learn to change your response to things you are afraid of. Primarily cognitive obsessive-compulsive disorder (also commonly called "primarily obsessional OCD", purely obsessional OCD, Pure-O, OCD without overt compulsions or with covert compulsions) is a lesser-known form or manifestation of OCD. CBT therapist Katie d'Ath explains the kind of compulsions you can expect to experience with "Pure O". Just move on with your life no matter how difficult it is. The initial anticipation and build-up in your mind is the worst, after that it goes down significantly. Without the intrusive thoughts there would be no reason to perform the rituals as there would be nothing bothering you and there would be no anxiety to suppress. Basically, don't do shit but relax and feel OPEN, no urge to control anything. The thoughts that threshold and loop are a compulsion or trigger to the initial stress or thought they had. Until recently however, a few months ago I had a traumatic experience where a friend and pet of mine had passed away all around the same time. Since I concluded my treatment, Pure O has gained more and more recognition among mental health professionals and the general public. The name ‘Pure O’ comes from the term ‘purely. By Emmy* Like many of us, I have always pictured people with OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) as the ones who suffer from repetitive compulsions such as hand washing or turning lights on and off multiple times before entering or leaving a room. Actually your wording is mixed up. Please read below for more information and resources about about OCD and what this subreddit is! Rumination occurs in all forms and subtypes of OCD in which person indulges in long periods of time perseverating on the topic of their obsessions, such as contamination or mental checking. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. The reason I feel I have to get this out is because once upon a time I thought I had Pure-O because my OCD is all mental. I had "Pure O" symptoms along with all sorts of other OCD symptoms and I don't have any of them now. I woke up at 4 am and can't sleep but that made everything a lot better. You have to release it and go through it without avoiding it, which is why exposures are effective. As the name implies, OCD is characterized by obsessions and compulsions. You have to not be afraid, be vulnerable and stop closing off. All my thoughts were consumed of my biggest fear and I couldn’t help but think about it. What’s going on? This applies to emotions too. Pure-O is supposed to stand for Purely Obsessive with no compulsions but people with Pure-O OCD have compulsions. Was symptom free for the most part; still had tendencies & unhealthy habits but it didn't interfere with my life. Exposures will get you over your fears which is the main factor behind your OCD. Stop trying to fix your OCD (outside of doing exposures). My Pure O – Unwanted and Out of Control – Part 1. Stop trying to control your emotions. Yoga is also great because it focuses your energy on your body and not your mind. I wish everyone the best in life. The trick is to LET it float up. I just want people to know the detriment of believing Pure-O is a thing. :) I will try to apply this to my life, a lot of what you said really makes sense! This was really inspirational to me, thank you a lot for this. Exposures. By using our Services or clicking I agree, you agree to our use of cookies. If you or someone you know is contemplating suicide, please do not hesitate to talk to someone. - The short and honest Wei Teke, took way to use CBD I found one on Central Committee of cbd have Pure O. I CBD for OCD. One of the pieces that most inspired Harvey to “come out” about his experiences (a term frequently appropriated by the Pure O community) was a 2013 essay in The Guardian called “ Pure OCD: a rude awakening ” by a writer named Rose Bretécher. Just say 'I'm not doing these things that I know are unhealthy habits anymore' (rituals, over-thinking, closing off). A subreddit dedicated to discussion, articles, and images regarding OCD. Just completed 8-9 sessions of CBT and I feel great, I don't like saying 'back to normal' because like I said I still had unhealthy obsessive habits. A subreddit dedicated to discussion, articles, and images regarding OCD. Don't spend all day trying to fix your anxiety/OCD. I talked with a very intelligent/reputable specialist who has helped very many with OCD and says all mental OCD patients have compulsions. Instead learn to become vulnerable to your fears and be confident in your ability to deal with them. Exposures speed this process up by miles. Last, I'm not trying to be insensitive but honestly a lot of overcoming OCD is just stop being a bitch. Suppression or management of this anxiety will not do anything, as proven by OCD. The reason why you are dealing with OCD is largely because of over-thinking and being in your head all day, so that's not going to be the solution to getting over it. This sounds funny but if something takes effort to think about, it's probably not worth your time. Stop letting yourself be controlled by fear. I'm focusing on a lot of CBT skills with my social worker right now and this is very relevant to my life. I feel like I am in the same boat as you were. At first, after an exposure it made my obsessive thoughts more frequent over the rest of the day or even a day later. Focus on things you enjoy and your goals, don't get sucked into your head. What Is Pure O? Pure O: An Exploration into a Lesser-known Form of OCD NHL-Star Corey Hirsch Opens Up About His Battle with Pure OCD Intrusive Thoughts, Pure O and More with Dr. Steven Phillipson, PH.D. Most important part of overcoming an obsession. Obsessive-compulsive disorder is the fourth most common mental disorder. Some people use meditation for anxiety but it can have opposite effects as it emphasizes focusing on & trying to control your thoughts (I roll my eyes when people say "watch your thoughts", etc). Keep … Compulsive avoidance: Avoidance isn’t always recognized as an OCD symptom. That’s why they call OCD the “doubting disease”—because it makes you question every facet of your personality. Closing off is the worst thing you can do. OCD Online is a great place to start if you think you might be dealing with Pure O. Don’t be afraid. I view OCD now in very simple way now, so I'll explain things in layman's terms. In order to do the ERP homework you have to have the Obsession(s) and the compulsion(s) and in doing that with my mental OCD is why I am where I’m at today. I hope I’m not offending anyone, I just feel SO passionately about this because changing my mind set from “Pure-O” to “I have compulsions” is truly the only way I feel I was able to get help and want that for others who is struggling with “Pure-O.” I want the best for everyone and am hoping people can help me start breaking the stigma surrounding Pure-O. One can have a Pure-O subtype and have overt compulsions connected to other subtypes. “Pure-O” OCD, or Pure Obsessional OCD, is a relatively less common form of OCD that seemingly differs from classic presentations of the illness. However, these tend to manifest themselves in rumination, and action to prove/protect themselves from the feared idea. Obsessions are the thoughts, compulsions are the actions one does to relieve the anxiety that the thoughts bring on. A good way to release fear/anxiety is to reach a state of allowing with your mind. Face your fears, change the way you react to fear. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_suicide_crisis_lines. The best way to work on OCD of any type is ERP (Exposure Response Prevention) and that has been proven by scientists. The intrusive thoughts are a means of getting you to do rituals as they are distressing and the rituals give you a false sense of control over these fears. Anxiety is fear. I held in my emotions originally and took it like a man as I always did but around a month later I really started noticing that my fears came to life with OCD. hugs and kisses to you, have a nice day! Obsessions I think it's simple when you break it down. Pinned Post studyblr studyspo bujo ib studyblr notes heysareena study motivation bujocommunity gloomstudy 100 days of productivity academia classical academia dark academia study space flowers light academia aesthetic dark acadamia aesthetic study aesthetic postedbyananyastudies Learn to live open and vulnerable. The problem is that you have an intrusive thought and begin looking into it, or buying into it. This will probably be one of my last times visiting this subreddit because I've moved passed worrying about OCD (visiting places like this, seeking reassurance on anxiety sites) but I wanted to post my experience to hopefully help some people. Pure O: The Invisible Side of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder follows Chrissie Hodges, a typical eight year old whose life changed drastically with the onset of symptoms from Pure OCD. The thing I remember is that you can literally convince yourself of anything, so what's the point in arguing with yourself/'your OCD' in your head. For individuals with Pure Obsessional OCD, these thoughts can be frighteni… US: 1-800-273-8255 or text HOME to 741-741, Non-US: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_suicide_crisis_lines. Purely Obsessional OCD, also known as Pure O, is a type of OCD in which a sufferer engages in hidden compulsions. Pure Obsessional OCD / Pure O Test. The single most important thing that helped me get past OCD. This was extremely profound to me because then at that point I was able to get the help that I needed to help with my compulsive thoughts. Please read below for more information and resources about about OCD and what this subreddit is! Pure-O is normally ONLY compulsions without the obsessive attempt to control the behavior afterward. Without your fear, there would be no intrusive thoughts (or much less intense). Many people with OCD avoid places, events, objects and even people because of uncontrollable, irrational fears. Sometimes it's not; maybe a self-confidence issues, wanting control over everything, wanting everything to be perfect, but whether you think it or not, fear is always behind it. Pure-O is purely obsessional. I never really noticed it but when I did I simply forced myself to stop doing them. The stressing thoughts that go in loops or take over are compulsions. Instead of combating their intrusive thoughts with visible rituals such as hand-washing or counting, they perform repetitive, mental rituals to minimize stress. I can tell you from 6-7 months of experience, this will do absolutely NOTHING to help you. If I didn’t view it the way I finally found out about - it being an Obsession with compulsions I honestly don’t think I would be where I am at today. I feel you can’t get the appropriate help if you don’t believe you have compulsions. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns. Thanks for the words of wisdom! My experience with exposures is that the worst part is the anticipation, after that you realize how stupid you are for making such a big deal out of these things. The thoughts that threshold and loop are a compulsion or trigger to the initial stress or thought they had. Over your OCD by now these obsessions often manifest as intrusive, unwanted, inappropriate,... 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