Four Ways to Prevent Intrusive Thoughts Associated with OCD

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, or OCD, is characterized by the intrusive thoughts that lead to irrational or compulsive behaviors.  These thoughts and behaviors may happen at any time, which can make it difficult for these individuals to focus without distraction or interruptions.  At our counseling in Orlando, we can work with you so that you can learn how to cope and manage these intrusive thoughts.  These are some of the most common ways that you can prevent intrusive thoughts associated with OCD.

Practice Cognitive Shifting

Intrusive thoughts may enter your mind at any moment, no matter how inconvenient the time may be.  You can be in the middle of a work meeting or having a first date.  It does not matter to your OCD.  In fact, intrusive thoughts often happen at some of the worst possible times, which can cause you to freeze or become immediately distracted.  To prevent these thoughts from taking over, stop and refocus your mind.  Practice breaking the cycle and returning to what you were thinking about before.  This will take time and patience, but you can keep practicing cognitive shifting, so it eventually becomes second-nature.

Go to Counseling in Orlando

Working with a counselor can provide you with the strategies and management tactics to tackle your intrusive thoughts.  Everyone’s OCD is different, and you will want to work individually with a counselor to tackle your specific concerns and symptoms.  As you work with them, they will give you a safe space to practice your coping strategies before you implement them in real time situations.  This allows you to gain comfort and work through your insecurities before the real thing.

Learn Your Triggers

Take your time to become familiar with your triggers.  Many people that suffer from OCD encounter triggers that cause them to have intrusive thoughts and compulsive behaviors.  By understanding what causes these events to happen, you can then avoid them as best as possible.  When you know your triggers, you can also prepare yourself to combat them in advance, which can allow your lifestyle to have many less interruptions.

Practice Coping Strategies

Before you implement coping strategies in real time, you should work in private or with a trusted friend or family member to practice coping strategies.  This way, you can work out the difficulties and ensure that they work for you.  If you need to tailor your reactions or your mental shifts, you can do so while in the company of a reliable individual.

These are a few ways that you can work to prevent intrusive thoughts that can occur when you have OCD.  These irrational and intrusive thought patterns can make it difficult to perform everyday functions without distraction or interruption.  Contact us to hear about our counseling in Orlando to learn ways to manage your OCD today.