https://www.ocdacademy.com/p/get-your-free-resources-1

In this video, I talk about a question I hear all the time - how do I stop unwanted and intrusive thoughts? In this training I explain why trying to stop your thoughts actually will make them appear on a higher frequency. I also talk about different techniques you should consider if you are struggling with unwanted or intrusive thoughts.

Video Transcript

00:00 All right, hello and welcome to part three of this free training where I'm, I'm gonna just talk about ocd, OCD treatment, ocd recovery, and uh, I'm really trying to answer some of the main questions that I get from clients on a day to day basis. And so in this particular training, I'm going to talk about this idea of how do I stop bad thoughts, right? This is a question that I get nearly everyday and um, it's, it's a question that is, is really important because when you're first starting out in recovery that that seems to be everyone's main goal. Like how do I stop the...

Pure OCD Treatment - Mental Compulsions

https://www.ocdacademy.com/p/free-compulsion-inventory

In this video, I talk about the treatment process for Pure O OCD. This is the second of three videos and in this video, I provide a general explanation of mental compulsions as they relate to Pure OCD treatment.

Transcript

00:00 All right. Hello and welcome to part two. Again, my name's Matt. I'm a licensed clinical social work and I'm the founder of the OCD Academy. And in this video we're going to talk about, um, mental compulsion is when it comes to pure ocd. And so, like I said in part one, if you haven't seen part one, be sure to check that out before this video because there's a three-part series, but in part one I talked about this idea of ocd and how, you know, the four parts of, of the OCD cycle with the obsession, the compulsion, and um, I'm sorry, the obsession, the uncertainty, the doubt, and then the compulsion and then the relief. And in, in a typical ocd, um, experience,...

This is the third and final video in this intrusive thoughts series. 

In this video I discuss two simple strategies you can use to help reduce the frequency and intensity of intrusive thoughts. 

Strategy 1 - Journaling 

Journaling is very helpful to get the stuff in your head out on paper. Journal can help with creating some space between you and your thoughts (a process called cognitive defusion). I highly suggest a simple journaling practice if you are struggling with intrusive thoughts. 

Strategy 2 - Meditation 

Meditation is very simple practice that will help enhance your moment by moment awareness. I suggest Meditation to almost all my clients -especially those who struggle with intrusive thoughts. 

In this video I discuss why suppressing thoughts doesn't work. I explain how a series of studies on "White Bears" conducted my Daniel Wegner in the late 80's and 90's actually show how thought suppression actually increases the frequency and intensity of thoughts.

In this video I will discuss Intrusive thoughts and unwanted thoughts. Intrusive thoughts are basically thoughts that invade one's mind again and again. In this video I am going to explain why having intrusive thoughts isn't actually the problem - reacting to them is.

I explain how the battle of intrusive thoughts is actually right after you experience the thought. You can either react to the thought by trying to argue with it, suppress it, avoid it - Or you can simply experience it and move on with your day. Understanding this simple choice is crucial to overcoming Intrusive Thoughts.

This is video 1 in a 3-part series. 

In video 2 - I will explain how suppressing thoughts actually makes them worse.

And in video 3 - I will introduce some simple techniques you can do that will help quiet down your mind. 

Intrusive Thoughts

Intrusive Thoughts (Part 1)

Intrusive thoughts are thoughts that are unwanted that seem to invade a person’s mind. Intrusive thoughts can take on a variety of forms but generally fall into 1 of 3 categories

1. Unwanted Violent Thoughts

2. Unwanted Sexual Thoughts

3. Unwanted Religious Thoughts

One key point to remember is that Intrusive thoughts are usually Ego-dystonic which means they do not reflect your true character, wants, or desires.

Another key point to remember is that when dealing with Intrusive Thoughts you are generally dealing with an anxiety issue versus an impulse control issue