Sunday, November 30, 2008

Question below!

Q.) How do i make the thoughts stop? The intrusive, obsessive, anxiety causing scary thoughts hoe do i make them stop

A.) You don't try. The harder you try to push a thought out of your head, the stronger it will be there. Your brain works on habits. You have a habit of thinking this way and it's easier for the brain to take this pathway because it is the one that is chosen all the time. Just like a path through the woods, if you don't travel down it for a while, it gets all weeded up and harder to go down. Well the same thing with OCD thoughts. This path is wide and open because it is travelled a lot. Choose the road less travelled. The road that is the non-OCD choice. Sure it will be harder at first, but eventually the OCD path will be filled with roots and thickets and harder to travel down and the non-OCD path will be nice and wide and easy to travel down.

Get rid of your OCD now!<------------

Q.) I just wanna know if it will ever go away??

A.) It will if you believe it will. You must be patient and have the courage to do the legwork that is required. Now I'm not going to lie to you and say it's easy, but I'd be lying if I said that it was too hard either. It's not as bad as you think. Yes, it will go away, and with the skills you can learn in these posts for free, it is virtually impossible to have OCD.

Get rid of your OCD now!<------------

Q.) how to overcome ocd

A.) Realize that it's possible to get rid of it in the first place. A lot of people still think it's only something that you can cope with. I went to the bookstore today and the guy said that they only had books on how to deal with it because it's impossible to cure it. I had to set him straight and let him know the real deal, that I had it and now it is gone! One of the major things you can do right now it to put a smile on your face and say to yourself, " I am finally going to beat this thing!"

Get rid of your OCD now!<------------

Saturday, November 29, 2008

Question below!

Q.) I have continuous thoughts of the what if\\\'s, such as what if this happens are what if I do something bizzare. i know all these thoughts are just to scare myself but i have been dealing with this for 12, years how do I solve this problem?

A.) Oh, this is an easy one and very fun too! Next time you get the "what if's" simply switch em a bit, such as, "what if I die?" instead say, "What if I don't die?"

What if she rejects me? instead, "what if she doesn't reject me?"

What if I contaminate her? "What if I don't contaminate her?"

Try it, it flips your mind and it's fun.

Yours for mental freedom,

Derek

Get rid of your OCD now!<------------

Questin below!

Q.) what diet I can have to eliminate symptoms?

A.) Organic, period.

Get rid of your OCD now!<------------

Q.) Will I ever really be free of it?

A.) If you believe you can be and you learn the things that you need in order to achieve your goal, then it's impossible for you not to become OCD free.

Get rid of your OCD now!<------------

Question below!

Q.) What is the easiest way to rid yourself of the doubt that\\\'s caused by ocd?

A.) Tell it to shut up and to get out of your office! Or be like Donald trump and say, "You're fired!" I am so not even kidding either, you gotta take charge. You are not the victim of here of anything accept yourself. Stop beating yourself up and take charge and say, I will decide what I think about, I will not let my thoughts dictate a thought pattern, I will instead, choose the thought pattern that will make me feel more happy and fullfilled in life, period!

Question below!

Q.) I have taken zoloft for 6 months and was doing really well the last three. I have been drinking a little more alcohol in the last week and have noticed my symptoms return. Will it take a while before the meds start working agai. I have also joined a gym program two days ago

A.) yes, alchohol is a no no when trying to become OCD free. So ix nay on the alcohol ay. ok? I know from experience, that's not a train you wanna ride, trust me, it does not end well! Yes, stay on your prescribed meds and don't get off them until doc says it's ok. It's great you are working out, work out whenever you feel like drinking, even if the gym is closed, go running. Get a buddy to go with you if you want even thought this is not necessary. If you feel like you are going to be to weak and you will give into drinking, have someone to call who will talk you out of it, seriously, You gotta take control and you can do it if you follow this carefully. In life we only get so many chances, this may be your last one man, so don't blow it! I got your back, and you can e-mail me anytime 24/7!

Question below!

Q.) My OCD issue is with non stop thoughts. How do get rid of them?

A.) Let them happen, you won't be able to ignore them, just like you won't be able to ignore an elephant in the room, but you can still do other things knowing that the elephant is still there. Ok, enough stories, Don't fight the thoughts, if you resist, they persist. Instead, say, fine, but, I'm going to also think about, whatever it is you want to think about. Think about this, what is it that you would rather think about. Then next time you have these thoughts, think about the thing that you have prepared to think about.

Question below!

Q.) What makes it so impossible to ever feel peace again on something once ocd has targeted that thing. ie: I used to have a very strong faith but after many intrusive upsetting thoughts I feel like I can\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'t escape their shadow and constantly feel like something is wrong. Will I ever feel peace again?

A.) When Jesus was fasting for forty days and nights, the devil went up to Him and tempted Him time and time again. Jesus stood his ground until the devil went away. You must do the same thing. Jesus has shown us that it can be done, not by telling us, but also by doing it Himself. I am not Jesus, but I have been in your position and have withstood the thoughts by letting them exist but focusing on that which I love and since it's my mind, I felt like I should be able to think about that which I want to think about, don't you agree? If you do, be firm with yourself and decide to think about what you want to think about. Be the leader of your thoughts, not the follower. No one is going to come along and annoint you the leader of your thoughts, you just have to take that position and it's just as easy as deciding that that is what you are going to do!

Question below!

Q.) hey derek, it\\\'s moy , ammmmmmm i feeling kinda shameful to share this part but today i was trying to dust off dusts or whatever dirty thing i saw as if it creeping in a little button on the couch, i kept on pushing my little fingers in the button trying to remove whatever went in and everytime i do it i kept on thinking it\\\'s still there because i feel something grainy or hard in it, so i kept on doing that not knowing my skin was rubbing against the couch and i started to bleed. even though i felt it was hurt i still wanted to do it again because all i want is it to be clean, derek, i hurt my hands and i sad about it.....i feel like i abuse muh self..... the way i think. i couldn\\\'t touch muh hands too much under water because of my skin peeled and burst and blood bled.....in my fingers........ 3 of my fingers...... that happened to me one time before i met u online when i was trying to dig up something that was sticking on the door of my bedroom........i end up rubbing the palm of my hands against the wooden door and even though it hurts i still continue ignoring the pain because i was trying to get rid of whatever it was sticking at the the door,,,,,,,anyway, i too shame to say this but ah saying it anyhow because i need your help, and i have been improving with the glasses u told me about, it was hard in the beginning with all the anxiety that i felt like drinking lots of water and eat just to get rid of the negative thoughts then again i conscious of my weight i then exercise sigh!!!!!!!! and the washing of my hands i improved on that a lot thank u so much derek........i just ever wonder derek. is GOD angry with in what i going through or is HE ignoring me..because i go through this ocd crap i hate ocd ,, i wish i never went throught this.....i wish it wasn\\\'t me because all my friends in church not going through this..... i can still go out and still have fun but objects does bother me geeeeeeeeeeeeeeese .... u know derek, i know my calling in life was to be a worship leader,,,,,,,,,i love to worship and dance but this thing i\\\'m going through i don\\\'t knnow how i\\\'m going to reaaach where GOD wants me to be.. and to do..........it\\\'s so much i going through.........i knoow GOD WORKING OUT THINGS IN MY LIFE BUT THIS OCD THING I FIND GOD NOT TAKING ME ON OR NOT ANSWERING MY PRAYER WELL AH SHOULDN\\\'T ANSWER THAT......... I MEAN I DIDN\\\'T KNOW I COULDA MEET U TO HELP ME.......... FOR SOMEONE LIKE U TO GO THROUGH THIS AND NOW U ARE FREE FROM OCD.......I GLAD U DID...........I HOPE U PRAY I DO TOO AND I HOPE U BELIEVE I CAN,,,,,I CRY A LOT BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH I LOVE WORSHIP AND WANTS TO REAACH TO THAT PLACE WHERE GOD WANTS ME TO BE , I THINK ABOUT THIS OCD THING THAT U KNOW THE ( IF) MONSTER WORD U SAID TO ME BEFORE I SHOULD STOP.......WHAT IF THIS OCD THING ONLY COMES BACK FROM TIME TO TIME........I \\\'M SCARED OF THIS IN MY LIFE.......DO I NEED DRUGS OR MEDICATIONS OR TABLETS.....BECAUSE I DON\\\'T WANT AND REFUSE TO TAKE TABLETS OR ANY KIND OF MEDICATIONS IN MY BODY BECAUSE OF THE CHEMICALS GOING IN MY BLOOD , ANYWAY, ENT I DONT NEED MEDICATIONS OR IS IT JUST I NEED TO RENEW MY THOUGHTS, DEREK. I WASN\\\'T LIKE THIS BEFORE . I NEVER USED TO DO THESE THINGS I WAS THIS CAREFREE PERSON MEANING I DIDN\\\'T CARE ANYTHING IN THIS WORLD I WAS LIKE THAT BEFORE I GAVE MY LIFE TO CHRIST BUT NOW WHENI I GAVE MY LIFE TO CHRIST I STARTED TO FEEL THERE IS HOPE THAT THERE IS A GOD AND HIS NAME IS JESUS ,SON OF THE LIVING GOD, BUT THEN I WENT THROUGH SOMETHING THAT WAS SPRITUAL AND I GOT DEPRESSED AND I FELT THERE \\\'S NO HOPE AND I FELT LIKE GOD NOT TAKING ME ON AND GOD DON\\\'T CARE ABOUT ME ANYMORE AND THENI STARTED BLAMING OBJECTS AROUND ME........IT\\\'S NOT LIKE I HAVE PEOPLE TO BLAME BUT I STARTED TO MAKE A BIG DEAL ABOOOOUT EVERYTHING,, I STARTED TO BRUSH MUH TEETH LONG AND RINSING MY CUP LOOOOOOOOONG OVER AND OVER AND TELLING MYSELF THE CUP NOT CLEAN .AH SEEING ALL KIND OF THINGS ..........AND THEN IT GOES ON LIKE THAT ON WITH OTHER AREAS OF MY LIFE........... NOT REALISING I OPENED MY HEART TO PETTY UNNECESSARY THINGS AROUND ME, BUILDING MY OWN STRONGHOLDS AND ONE DAY I FOUND THAT IT WAS SO HARD TO COME OOUT............THEN I NEVER GIVE UP I DIDN\\\'T KNOW I CAN LOOK UP ON THE INTERNET FOR HELP.....I TRIED IT ONE DAY AND I JUST TYPE OUT HOW TO OVERCOME CLEANING OBSESSIONS. AND THEN U CAME UP............ I TYPE OUT SOMETHING BEFORE BUT ALL KIND OF CRAZY THINGS POP AND THAT WASNN\\\'T WAT I WAS SEEKING FOR AND THEN U CAME UP AND I TRIED U AND YES U ARE HELPING ME.....I TRYING MY BEST TO APPLY WHAT U TELLING ME AND ALL I WANT TO DO IS COME OUT OF THIS PIT I\\\'M IN.......... SOMETHING I DID FOR MYSELF.......YES DEREK...I REALISE I CREATE THIS STRONGHOLD I FELT I REGRET I DID BUT NOW.........TIME FOR ME TO COME OUT... PLEASE ANSWEER MOY. BYE DEREK......U HAVE A GREAT DAY........ I DID N\\\'T KNOW U\\\'RE A CHRISTIAN.......I MEAN U BELIEVE I N GOD TOO THAT\\\'S GREAT.........I GLAD U DID!!!!!!!!! LOVE U ALWAYS........FROM MOY WITH CHRIST\\\'S LOVE

A.) God loves you Moy, I would really consider seeing your doctor and asking them if Citalopram is right for you. This medication is for cases that are a little bit tougher to crack, and I think this in conjunction with my program would be a more well rounded approach in your particular case. Go see your doctor this week and see what he feels about Citalopram.

Question below!

Q.) how can i stop doing things as a result of feeling guilty and instead think about what is best for myself

A.) Make sure to put a smile on your face first, then it will be easier to to put a smile on other's faces. It's contageous. If you see someone without a smile, give them one of yours. When you smile it releases chemicals that will make you feel the way that you want to feel. The smile comes before the happiness!

Question below!

Q.) how can i stop dling things because i feel guilty if i dont, whether please the other side or please whoever is receiving and instead look for my best?

A.) Sometime it's best to care but don't care too much. You seem like a very nice person who has a big heart, however, this heart is betraying you and causing you pain. What you need to do is just tone down how much you care just a few notches so that your love for what is good and right doesn't interfere with your happiness. You have heard of the comedian who is so worried about putting a smile on everyone elses face that he forgets to put a smile on his own face. Don't be that comedian.

Question below!

Q.) whenever i see or listen something bad or horrible .......my mind start using those events/words/things to make abusing statements for me/my dear ones. ex: if i see knife it will say \\\"someone will kill u wid knife\\\" if i read just a bit about some dangrous disease it will say \\\"u will have the same\\\" hundreds of this kind of statement i face daily!! wat should i do second thing it made me a rule for me that i have to perform every action seeing something good/pleasent only and at the same it shows me the worst images so that i cant perform any action.......so in order to do that particular action i start thinking of good image then perform that action!!whetether i am going to wash my hand/putting a cup/wearing shirt etc. last time i have written my question in short.......your last reply 2 me gave me some confidence to write more!! thankx so much

A.) This is called the chatter box in your mind. It's the negative chatterbox which is that little voice inside that beats you up. Telling you that you can't do it, that you'll never make it, that you have to do rituals. When you hear this chatterbox, tell it to "shut up!" Be firm with it, DO NOT accept what it says because it's just a big meany! You are the new boss in town and what you want to go will, because it is YOUR mind. I believe in you!

Derek

Thursday, November 27, 2008

Q.) How i do an appropiate exposure?

A.) When you feel the need to do a ritual, just don't do it. Then see how long you can go without performing that ritual. If it gets too umbearable, do the ritual. Then try again and see how far you can set your record. You don't have to do everything cold turkery here. Just push yourself with goals.

Question below!

Q.) What are the steps that I need to follow in order to get rid my OCD regardless of the efforts that I will have to provide?

A.) recognize when a thought is obsessive

isolate that thought

come up with a suitable replacement

when that thought comes up again, do the replacement

when the thought is bothersome, let it linger while doing the replacement

rinse, repeat

Q.) How to Stop obstrusive thoughts?

A.) Don't fight the thoughts. Thoughts that we resist, persist. Instead let those thoughts stay there, just at the same time start to focus on the thoughts that you do want to be having, such as what you are going to make for dinner and or what things that you could be doing for fun and entertainment!

Q.) How can I stop obsessing over an argument and forgive someone.

A.) Go up to that person, and say, I forgive you. It hasn't been easy for me, but if God can forgive me and all my flaws, I can forgive you!

Q.) can OCD be completely cured

A.) Yes it can, although it takes time because there are stages. It may take a few days to get you to stop performing rituals, but it may take several months for you to be able to not have cravings. Just be willing to put the work that is required into it and I promise you, it will all be over before you know it and the happiness that follows is just such a blessing!

Question below!

Q.) every action i do i must think or see good image / people only even every keystroke while typing this question!!!!! coz of this i work so slowly these days that is disgusting please help

A.) Think of each key stroke as one more ounce of medicine healing you from OCD. The faster you type each key, the faster you will get over OCD. Start getting your medicine right away!

Q.) What are medications in OCD..?

A.) Some are Citalopram, Ativan, Xanax, Prozac, Lexapro, Clonazepam, etc. either used for sudden symptoms or long term affect, they are listed in no particular order and you must talk to your doctor to find out what's right for you.

Q.) will ocd guys cannot learn new things

A.) People that have OCD, once they start to get over it, learn very strong techniques that will also help them in all other areas of their lives. So don't go believing that you won't be able to learn anything, learning ability is not in any way shape or form affected by OCD scientifically.

Q.) how can we cure ocd

A.) We can cure it by simply stopping. However getting ourselves to stop is not the easiest thing on the planet! What I would suggest that you do right away is to find a passion, something that really puts you in a good mood when you are doing it and do that more often. Think about how you can make money do this activity and then implement it!

Question below!

Q.) hey derek, it\\\'s moy , i have another one that i didn\\\'t mention before and i thought i can handle that one but it don\\\'t seems that i can. anyway, if u were a female and u have long black hair, and sometimes your hair fall on the bed . well what i trying to say derek is that most of the time i\\\'m consciously disturbed only thinking my hair fell gone inside my pillow case, i\\\'m not scared the hair will harm me but it does bother me having a hair inside the pillow case because i only thinking what if it is there forever and no one knows that it\\\'s there but me. i clean my bedsheets whenever i feel it needed to be washed but what\\\'s bothering me derek is that i want to know if i throw all my pillow cases and blankets and sheets in the washing machine , will the water flow through inside all the pillow cases so that it will drain out all the hair as it flows out. i do not know with 6 pillow cases four long ones and two short ones and a bed sheet and a blanket in the machine piled up together ,i dont know if the water will pass through the all the pillow cases and as it flows out it will carry all the hairs if it does have any , then i\\\'m asking does the water does go through the pillow cases in the washing machine, don\\\'t know if it does.......if it does flow through with 6 pillow cases can the water carry the hairs and all other dirty stuff inside as it flows out ...can it. i want to know the truth. i can\\\'t see i inside the washing machine because of soap, i ignorant about it........i have 6 pillows because i used to be scared before and i used it to surround me around the bed like a shield i used to be scared of demons coming to hold my feet all that but i got over it, i not scared of those coming near me because i have Jesus and his blood and his word , but i so accustomed having the pillows there now to think about removing them and having just two or one....ah wonder..... anyway, please help........the hair thing most disturbing me the most .......ok......bye bye derek from moy moy!!!!!!!!!!u have a great day and GOD BLESS U AND CONTINUE USING U MIGHTILY... LOVE U WITH CHRIST\\\'S LOVE..........BYEE..

A.) You are suffering from the "what if" monster. What if this, what if that and the answer to each what if is always more scary. Whenever you see yourself getting sucked into a what if party, stop it by saying, "what if" it doesn't matter if noone ever sees the hair again, "what if I forget it and don't care about it, "what if I stopped thinking about all this crap and just moved on with my life? What if I I stopped wasting my time with negative thoughts and started thinking about what I love and what I need to be as my responsibilities. You really got to get stern with yourself. You are the master, not OCD. Show it who's boss! I believe in you!

Question below!

Q.) I want to change and do something for myself. I\\\'m always doing something for others but never for myself. My problem is what to do ... I need to find something that I\\\'m passionate about that can motivate me to make a change and take a step forward for me.

A.) For the next week, I want every answer from your mouth to others is a simple, "no." Sorry, I can't, I'm swampped." Something like this will suffice. Say no to every favor, every little thing.

Write a list of the things that make you the happiest. On that list, consider that money doesn't exist, what things would you start doing if all your bills were suddenly being taken care of by the government and you could do whatever you wanted. Whatever you write down, pick the one that you love the most and go to the bookstore and find the book that most excites you about that subject and devour that book. Do what it says and you will start a new, exciting life! Enjoy!

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Question below!

Q.) Basically my mind is stuck, like anyone with OCD. But I\\\'m not worrying about anything that can physically harm me. (germs, stove turned on..etc) I was in this class where we go once a week to an elementary to be a big buddy to some kid. There was no reason to dislike the kid I was a buddy to and I really don\\\'t dislike him. For some reason I just couldn\\\'t continue that class. I don\\\'t know why but it was always on my mind even though nothing happened. So I switched to another class where I would just kinda help with some mentally handicapped students at our high school. It was the only way I could get out of the one class and I was always good with mentally handicapped kids, so I thought I would be fine. (the same way I felt about elementary kids) More or less, the same thing happened. I got out of that class and was fine for about a week. (the same way I felt when switching out of the elementary one) But then I saw a picture of me and the elementary kid that was taken. Right away I had no problem with it, but then I obsessed about it and had to go out of my way to take it down. (someone else had it hanging up) I was fine again. But barely a day later I just kept thinking about the kid and worry that somehow him just knowing me and thinking about me will keep me from enjoying things. No reason at all. I don\\\'t feel guilty at all and I know there is no reason to think that somehow just knowing him will keep me from my normal life that I had. So the main thing I\\\'m worried about is that I\\\'m afraid I\\\'ll keep thinking about him just knowing me. But by worrying about thinking about it I think about it and there\\\'s nothing I can do about like dropping a class. Sometimes I\\\'ll reason to myself why this fear makes no since and I get momentary relief, but then it keeps coming back. Is this OCD even if there is not a ritual besides trying to reason to myself why my thoughts don\\\'t make since?

A.) This is the beginning of OCD, but you don't have to worry because I am going to show you how to break this cycle. The next time you have the thought of that kid or any kid, just pray for him or her/ Lord Jesus, please be with that student and may You bless them! In Your name, Amen! Then focus on what it is that you have to get done or that which you love. Of course the thought of the kid will be there and you have prayed for him/her and I'm telling you that's all you can do and is the best most moral thing that you can do and you've done it, so now it's ok to allow yourself to focus on other things. Now focus on what you love to think about and what you need to get done, whether it's work, school, family, etc. Let the annoying thought linger there and as you focus on the things that you love and or the things you have to do, the lingering thought will go away. If it comes back, and it will, even strongly, just start over, rinse repeat, this is teaching your brain how to break this thinking pattern and is very powerful.

Q.) how become fearless??

A.) You have to be willing to face the consequences of failure. If you can come to grips with those in your head, you can then become fearless!

Question below!

Q.) Hi Derek. I seem to OCD about the thought of \\\'suicide\\\'. It makes it even worse that a cousin of mine committed suicide as well. I currently see a therapist, and I take medication for my thoughts. But, I don\\\'t know anymore. I don\\\'t hate my life, I just get these thoughts. Is there any way I can get rid of them? :(

A.) Yes, first if you ever feel like you are going to hurt yourself or others to call 911 right away. Then, yes these thoughts can go away, first what you want to do is to find a passion. Write down right now the things that you love to do, this that you can do now that don't require you to go buy anything or whatever. Now make a goal to try to get really good at these things. Put together a plan on how you are going to pursue and complete your dream by a certain time and then go after it with all your might! Pray to God and He will help you figure out what your dream is and to get through anxiety and OCD etc. You can do it and I believe in you! Tell me what it is you have chosen and let me know how it's going!

Q.) How do I stop unwanted obsessive thoughts?

A.) Allow the thoughts to remain. The thoughts that we resist, persist. So just focus on what it is that you do want to think about and allow the unwanted thought to continue in the background. You will notice that it is like a little kid screaming for attention but it doesn't deserve any attention because it just want to annoy you and to hurt you. So focus on Phil 4:8.

Question below!

Q.) I have had OCD since I was 11 (I am now 20) and it has taken up nearly every day since then. I have obsessive thoughts more than physical compulsions: things like if I don\\\'t do something a certain way then someone will get hurt etc, which I\\\'m sure a few others will have had. It is always a split-second thought though, which doesn\\\'t give my brain enough time to rationalise it. My head is very full of these thoughts and rituals that go with it. Are there any ways to help alleviate these thoughts, and to effectively calm my mind down?

A.) Find a nice comfortable place and chair where there is peace and quiet. Then close your eyes and picture yourself in the middle of the desert. All the sand around you is your anxiety and OCD. It's the anxiety and your rituals. Now picture a wind come and blow all the sand away so that you are left on a solid wood floor. The anxiety and OCD are still there, but they are there in a way that you can use them for your benefit. They are there in the form of a beautiful hardwood floor! You can now travel more freely, are in more control. You have this control over anxiety and OCD. All you have to do is to picture it to happen in your head, once you can do that, then you can work to make it a reality!

Q.) Why do some people in a family have ocd and the others dont

A.) Everyone's circumstances are different, such as my dad watched my sister, mother, brother and me all get anxiety, but he never did. It's just how we handle situations. A lot of time subconsciously anxiety and OCD can be contagious because we see it and subconsciously process to do the same behavior. Sometimes it can get very complicated, but what I would tell you is that once you get over it, you can help the others in your family that may have it and free your family from such an unneccessarhy struggle!

Q.) What is the reason of having OCD?

A.) The reason that we have developed OCD is because our brains used it like a coping mechanism. It is usually triggered during something that is very stressful or something that reminds you of something very stressful. Even a mild event can be the straw that breaks the camel's back so to speak. We must learn how to replace this OCD habits, with more productive habits that will not only allow us to deal with stress better, but will actually improve the quality of our lives in every way shape and form!

Question below!

A.) I have suffered from trichotillomania for the last 24 years. My son shows strong signs of OCd. His habits are picking speed day by day. He adds on a new compulsion every week. We desperately need to help him without SSRIs. I am researching Inositol and some other herbs. I need answers. Can you help?

Don't take any supplements without first talking to your earbalist and doctor who should work together if you are going the medicine route. The last thing you want to do is to make things worse by trying to self medicate! Once he is on a good medication that helps to calm the severity of the OCD, then he can start to tackle his OCD problem so that later on he can be weaned off the medication and of course never take him off medication unless directed by your physician.

Q.) Why am I so OCD that most people think I\\\'m retarded

A.) They may think you are retarded because your habits are a little different than those who are observing you. Don't worry about what others think. Most people are nice, while some are cruel. Some think they need to find validation at other's expense. You don't worry about those people. See, you are blessed, because having OCD will require and force you to learn a skillset that will give you the tools you need to outsucceed those that ridicule you. You can do it!

Q.) How to stop obsessing about washing and keeping evrything clean?

A.) Once you clean the things that need to be cleaned once, you say to yourself, "I have cleaned this item just like any normal person would and I will not clean it until I use it just like any normal person would. I am normal, therefore, I will choose to do normal behavior.

Question below!

Q.) can i cure myself from ocd? most people say that ocd has no cure, what is your opinion?

A.) That's their reality. In my experience, it can be cured because I used to suffer from major OCD and now I don't. I myself was very skeptical of anything less than treatment because when you are suffering from it, it seems logical that you could never get over it, but now looking at it from the other side, it's actually silly to think you can't get over OCD, it's just a habit!

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Q.) what is the reason people have OCD?

A.) It's a coping mechanism used by the brain to calm yourself, and relieve stress. It's called a faulty association. Just like in a tramatic situation, if you are on an airplane and it was about to crash, you just grab a bad and think its a parachute, but it's just a backpack, you are dealing with the percieved emergency in the wrong way. Just like that a person with OCD doen'st grab the parachute, they grab the backpack and most times, it feels like OCD just creeps up on you because in that moment when you grabbed a bad, you were in the heat of the moment in your emotions and were not thinking clearly.

Q.) How can you cure Pure-O (awful scary thoughs)?

A.) Bring them out of your head, because that is the only place where they are really scary. OCD thoughts take advantage of the fact that our brains don't know the difference between what is real or not in certain aspects, like when we are watching a scary movie, we will actually cry, or jump from being scared or laugh, etc.

Tell yourself outloud what's going on, tell a friend and write it down as well. The more media you can you to get it out of your head, then you will be able to take the piecies of it and apply the methods in these posts into finally getting rid of OCD for good!

Q.) will i ever be able to control my ocd?

A.) As long as you ask yourself that question, the answer is no. What I would say is, I'm glad that I've finally started learning how to control my OCD. I am glad that I am taking all the necessary steps that I can take to get rid of OCD for good so I can move on with my life!

Question below!

Q.) I have had ocd for about 20 years with all theclassic symtoms of checking and handwashing..for about the last year I\\\'ve experienced intrusive thoughts..ostly causing harm to myself or loved ones..we recently moved into a new house with gas fireplaces and stoves..I have continuous intrusive thougts that I will throw a match on the gas intake and blow the house up..it causes me so much anxiety and the horrific images in my head won\\\'t go away..I know I will never do this but the images and the \\\"what IF I did\\\" won\\\'t go away:( what can I do yo lessen the intrusive thought:(

A.) re word the "what if" statement to "what if I don't burn the house down?" What if I actually forget indulging these OCD thoughts.

remember these thoughts carefully!!!!!!!

care, but don't care too much!

always, in anything, look for the good components of the situation, always!

Phil 4:8, (do the work and look it up so you can appreciate it more)

Question below!

Q.) I have ocd and i overanalyze my girlfriends voice. she is an amazing person and so wonderful. how do i deal with that, cause i feel like im drifting away....

A.) Stop overanalyzing her voice. What's the point. Half the time neither girls nor guys know what their saying anyway. Communication is very rough, 90 something percent of all communication is only partially understood. We honestly can't communicate with someone 100 percent. Then you got he voice and not just her words, well that's just another stadium to add to the magnanimous idea that we'll never really be able to know exactly what another person is saying. I do give you cudoes for trying!

Focus on how amazing she is and not on trying to like the cia with her voice, just trust her, just let go and trust her, your anxiety will go down, her's in turn will,

we bring about our fears in real life, therefore get rid of any fears you can think of.

Question below!

Q.) I am a 45 year old mother of 3, happily married and I suffer from both Graves disease and have recently had a complete hysterectomy. I am constantly questioning my sexuality! This is out of the blue. I also dwell on past mistakes from 25-30 years ago. Is it depression of OCD or a combo?

A.) Let go and let past be past. I love that quote from a great movie.

You are fearfully and wonderfully made by God who loves you and it is His will that you have a sane mind. The Bible to tells exactly how to think at Phil 4:8. Take the inititive to look it up and find the answer to all of your troubles. The love of Jesus will set you free from these obsessions. Don't believe it, try me. I ain't playing, period.

Q.) How can be free of the hyper-focus and tunnel vision of ocd?

A.) Stop trying to fight the thoughts of obsessive compulsive disorder, instead, embrace them because your brain want to think about them, but at the same time, focus on what you really would prefer to be thinking about. Of course the OCD thoughts aren't just going to run away like a little school girl, but they will fade out over time.

Q.) why do I feel like this

A.) This is a very common problem that people feel, it's normal. We have that feeling everytime we feel something is out of the everyday norm. Just accept this as an obstacle that you can learn how to turn into a helper. I cover a lot about how to use situations that seem to be bad and actually twist them in your favor. That is part of the skillset that you will learn throughout all of what I teach.

Question below!

Q.) Can an OCD sufferer be cured on his own without the help of medications & or behaviour therapy? How?

A.) yes, that is how I did it. However, this is the one that can be the hardest unless you get your hands on some really good psychological technologies. Otherwise, you could spend years trying to master these ways. The best case scenerio is to find someone who knows how to do what you want to do and to go to them and say, teach me oh wise one...That has worked for me in the sales field, and I became the number one in my company!

Q.) am i gay?

A.) I don't know if that is the lifestyle that you have chosen. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. God loves everyone, no matter what color, race, sex, preference, etc. The only problem is that there are some things that are wrong. If you really think about things in your heart you will start to develop an sense of what is really write and wrong and we have a Bible to guide us either way. What I would say to you is that OCD does not indicate that you are gay. OCD is just like a habit, that being gay is a habit, I remember when I was sooooooo attracted to cigarettes and to alcohol and I thought I was betrying myself by trying and retraining my brain not to like these things. Being gay is the same way, it's just a habit that can be broken. period.

Q.) how can i cure my ocd quickly on my own?

A.) You do the seven day challenge. Part of the seven day challenge will have you pick the toughest ritual that you struggle not doing and challenging yourself to see how long you can go without performing that ritual. Then have a reward ready for yourself if you succeed and try again if you fail. This will help you exponentially!

Q.) How do I treat/ stop my OCD obessions?

A.) This week, I want you to pick the OCD that is the hardest for you to resist and not to try not to do it at all, instead, I want to to try to see how long you can put off doing the ritual. Do that all this week and every time try to beat your last time! Let me know after the week what happened!

Q.) i scar about thouching things

A.) When you feel the fear come over you as you go to touch the things that you know you have to touch, just simply say to yourself, I have to touch these things because that's what people without OCD touch, so that's normal. Since I want to be normal, I am make a conscious decision to touch the things I have to and know that our bodies are well equipped to deal with touching normal every day things. Say your fear out loud, admit it to your friends, make it look dumb to your brain. exaggerate it to the ridiculous.

Question below!

Q.) My wife keep cleaning and mopping the floor until 2-3 o\\\'clock in the morning

A.) Get her to agree to hand you the mop after she has mopped it one time. The hold her and she struggles and cries through the withdrawals of not doing the mopping. Make sure you are loving and protective of here like you never have been before. She does not need a lecture, but words of encouragement. She wants you to tell her that you believe in her.

Q.) can children outgrow ocd

A.) Yes they can, as it's just a habit. Any habit as far as I am concerned can be overcome. Furthurmore, I have truly learned that these skills we are learning by getting rid of our OCD for good can and has imporved my love life, my work life, my school life and my church life! I Praise God for this process and am excited about it, as if you can't tell!

Sunday, November 23, 2008

Q.) what can help me repeating things that are harming me?

A.) Don't repeat things that are harmful to you. The problem that many people with OCD don't realize is that they fill their bodies with harmful chemicals every time they dwell on negative thoughts. Negative thoughts cause negative feelings, positive thoughts cause, you guessed it, positive feelings.

Stop the cycle right in it's tracks when negative thoughts come knocking at the door of your mind. Say "STOP!" then allow the thought to persist, don't fight it, but ALSO as well, focus on what you love thinking about. It could be anything, even mythical creatures like dragons, unicorns and virgins.

Q.) is being indecisive ocd

A.) It can a a sign of OCD or an early warning sign of OCD. If you want to nic that in the butt right now, go to a restaraunt today and order the best thing you can find in five seconds. Don't waver, don't doubt it, stand by your decision.

Go to the mall and if you're a guy, approach a girl and say, Hey, I want your opinion on something, do women prefer someone who is decisive in that they make quick decisions or someone who takes their time with decisions?"

If you are a lady, ask a random man this. If you afraid that he may think you are hitting on him, ask a guy that is working at one of the stores so he can't follow you.

The reason it has to be the opposite sex is because this will help you even further to face indecisiveness.

Saturday, November 22, 2008

Q.) Can I get help outside of a psychologists office that does not cost money?

A.) Of course you can! The internet if chock full of all the information you'll ever need to do almost anything you want. The power at your fingertips is nothing short of astounding. Simply pull up Google and begin with the most obvious keywords you can think of. OCD, Obsessive-compulsive-disorder, obsessive-compulsive behavior, treatment-of-ocd, ocd-meds etc. The dashes mean that google will look at the combination of words as one keyword. If you want to do a phrase match put quotes around the keyword "". If you want to do an exact match, put brackets, []. Let me know if you find anything useful or interesting.

You are welcome to use my free blog with hundreds of OCD questions answered, as well as the hundreds of articles on OCD and every other free resource on the site!

Yours for mental freedom,

Derek

Friday, November 21, 2008

Question below!

Q.) I have been diagnosed with OCD but where I am from there is not much help so I live with it. What help is out there? It is ruining my new relationship and I need the negative thought process to stop!!

A.) There is the cure for OCD out there. There are ways to "treat" it out there as well. It all depends on what you believe is possible for you. For myself, at first I thought that I would only be able to "treat" OCD. Yet as I became more knowledgeable in the subject and met and talked to other people, I realized that there was indeed a cure for OCD, in fact, many cures. I have taken the best of what I've learned and included these techniques into my answers here, products, etc.

Q.) How to I reduce the number of intrusive thoughts?

A.) One of the best way to reduce the number of intrusive thoughts is to focus on getting rid of your strongest kind of OCD. Focus on getting rid of the worst OCD that you struggle with and here's why. If you focus on your weakest one first, and tackle them from easiest to hardest, you are fighting an uphill battle. However, if you tackle the hardest one first and get a hold of that one, it's all down hill from there baby. This is by far the best approach. As far as decreasing the number of intrusive thoughts, Focusing on the hardest one will take up most of your mind.

How to get rid of it?

This is the most popular question by far that I get. There are many different ways and techniques that can be used. It really depends on what kind you are talking about that we can really pinpoint the best course of action. However, generally speaking, the best way is to replace the habit of performing any rituals that you are doing with a more productive habit that brings happiness into your life, such as a passion.

Question below!

Q.) looking into people,s eyes and talking .i feel uncomfortable and sometimes also unspekable , giving me a fear that the other person may feel bad.

A.) This is natural. The more that you do it, the more comfortable you will be with it! Have no fear, as most of the time, the other person is wondering what you think of them and trying to seek your approval!

Question below!

Q.) ahhahah thanks for telling me that all our mouths have more germs than in the toilets. wooooow derek......honestly i\\\\\\\'m feeling so relieved about this germ thing and all that time iwas thinking the opposite about germs that it will harm us to death in the long run! anyway. my brother told me that our mouth have more germs than the sink and i didn\\\\\\\'t believe him until u mention it....ehee...... thank u derek.....at least i know i free from this germ thing about washing my hands over and over !! i now can think about what u saying and shorten the time i wash my hands!!! love u always derek....from moy ..that\\\\\\\'s my chinese name.... bye... at least i know i can move on with my life not thinking about this germ thing will kill me ...if i don\\\\\\\'t wash my hands plenty.... ,i hope this goes for my glasses and body.....does it?

A.) Of course it does!

Q.) Can it be cured permanently?

A.) Yes, I am living proof of that. There may be times when you may be tempted to backslide, but as long as you use all the tools that you are learning here, it's virtually impossible for you to become an OCD sufferer again, you just know too much and are too equipped to deal with it. I like to compare it to smoking, I quit smoking, then I was still tempted by it, now I am appalled by it, the same thing with OCD.

Q.) how can you stop the phobias?

A.) Facing them one by one is the best way to stop them. You have to not worry about them as much. Well, how do you do that? Notice the way that you react to them when they come up. When you think of them, what kind of thoughts come to your mind? Are you afraid, are you mad? Think about this and notice this. Then what you can do is to try to act a different way. Say next time you get a phobia thought, you can say, no, instead of being afraid, I am going to be happy because this is a fresh opportunity for me to be able to get over this phobia. Now you have a chance to show yourself what you are made of. Don't worry if the first times you try to face your fears, you get really scared. That is natural. But continue until you succeed and use all the other resources on this site to help you on your journey!

Question below!

Q.) Hi, I am spending so much time trying to help someone with anxiety and ocd, I am so stressed out because the person I am trying to help, has no job, self medicates, and just simply won\\\'t listen to me. He gets so irritated when I try to talk to him, like he doesn\\\'t even care how much I have done for him and how much money he spends and doesn\\\'t even work. I just don\\\'t know what to do anymore, how do I help him or make him get help?

A.) Having been in that same situation I can tell you that you have to understand that he does not look at the world the way you do. You can't hold that against him. The world is a scary place to him and he doesn't even know why. You are blessed in that you don't suffer from irrational fears. That you don't get a shock of anxiety in your stomach for no reason. It's very tough for someone to work when they can't even walk down the street without feeling like they are going to die. The best thing you can do is to stop thinking about how you feel and put yourself in their shoes and try to feel what they feel. Only then will you be able to help them. He won't listen to you because you truly haven't put yourself in his shoes. If you did, you would truly understand how hard it must be for him. Having OCD is like being in a wheelchair in your mind. Until you are able to get a hold of it, it basically renders you useless. A person who has OCD already feels useless, then if they have a significant other who just compounds it, it just makes them want to kill themselves.

You need to have patience. If you want to really change others, you gotta change yourself. Stop looking at him as someone you have to change, but look at yourself and figure out how you can change. People respond in kind. If you act frustrated toward him, he will close off and do the same. If you have a shockingly good attitude when he least expects it, he will also act in kind and respond with a shockingly good attitude after a while.

Talk to him and find out if he wants to get better, if he wants to work. If he says he does, do what you can to help him. He will get better much faster if you think about how he feels and he knows that there is at least one person that believes in him.

At the same time, you need to tell him what you are and are not willing to do. Don't help him perform rituals, don't let him talk you into performing any type of ritual. Be there for him, but don't enable him. If he doesn't make any money, don't just keep giving him money. You don't have to let him drain your account. Instead, just be there for him emotionally and tell him that you love him if this is your significant other. That way he knows you are there for him, but that you won't take his crap either!

Question below!

Q.) How to realise that you are not going to do something wrong? Why question yourself when you know you will not?

A.) In the Bible Paul talks about doing that which he does not want to do. This is out of old habits that have already been established. Everyone knows it's not the easiest thing to break habits. You may have developed a habit of questioning yourself. You simply need to break the cycle. The next time you go to question yourself, say "NO!" "I don't care!" This honestly, is a really powerful phrase, "I don't care what happens!" Try it, it's liberating!

Question below!

Q.) hi derek it\\\'s moy moy, thanks for a little boof on the the part in writing so long and repeatedly, let me try to not repeat myself since u believe i can do then moy can do it! ok well, i have this fear of my small sized mp3player and its headset with it will not work again if i switch on the mp3 player while the volume was already to the full maximun. i meant leaving the volume to the highest and then switching it off and when i ready to use it i put it on and obviously the volume will be high already, i am afraid that it will destroy the speakers in the headset and mp3player itself will be destroyed too.. and that means i have to buy another expensive one. cost plenty money that\\\'s why. i fear this and i kept on switching it on and taking it off over and over and over and that is frustrating me.. stress i should call it.... what to do derek.... love u always ....from moy moy theresa....bye bye

A.) In this case, you just gotta trust that the manufacturer of the mp3 player knew what they were doing and that unless it says otherwise in the instructions, that it's ok to leave the volume wherever it is at. Next time you go to change the volume repeatedly, just say "STOP!" Put the player down and walk away. Tell yourself that you have already changed it and that you refuse to do it again. You have to take control and responsibility of your actions. You are not a slave to your OCD unless you want to be. Sometimes we've gotta be firm with ourselves.

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Question below!

Q.) hi derek, it\\\'s me again , i want to know if this is ocd and if this is ocd, tell me what to do....well, i was trying to dust off hair on my couch on one the sides where u placed your hands to rest on.. in my bedroom... i cover a blanket over my couch, i lift part of the blanket where i want to dust off the hair and then after a placed the blanket over the side of the couch to put it back how it was ,,, i felt as if something was tickling me by my hands making me think piece of my long black hair could have rolled on along my hands and fell back on that same spot where i was trying to dust off... i did this over and over and then i finally tell my self spite ocd no matter what i felt. i immediately told myself moy just spite the ocd now ...and immediately i dropped the blanket and cover it how it was before and walked away from the couch but remember derek i had my eyes closed while i was dusting off..... and i can\\\'t remember if i glance at the side of the couch where i was dusting with my hands or i open for a 1 or 2 or 3 or4 or 5 secs and i so happened to see a white spot or it could be a white thing there.... but what i trying to say derek is that when i walked away from the couch with my eyes closed i open my door to go outside and i kept on saying spite the ocd ... then i remembered i opened my eyes and looked down on the ground to put on my brown slippers but at the same time i saw a white spots on the ground.... and then for a few seconds i was thinking and imagining i seeing a small white stuff shape like a circle was on the side of the couch where i was dusting.....at the same time i do not know if i really imagining or thinking ..or it could really be there and i could have seen the a white thing when i could have possible open my eyes while iwas back in my room dusting on the side of the couch... the point what i trying to find out derek is that is this an ocd.. and if it is please tell me how to think and what to think and what to do with these thoughts...... sometimes i clean a certain thing trying to dust off whatever i\\\'m trying to get rid of and then when i move from that area and started to walk with my eyes close so i trying not to see anything and when i open my eyes at the same time i was still holding on that strong negative feeling just after dusting whatever object it was i was doing and when i open my eyes and whatever i placed my eyes on i take those thoughts and imagine those thoughts were on that thing i was dusting off a while ago and theni end up thinking and believing it\\\'s in the object that iwas dusting off and then i end up giving in and went back dusting off over and over andd over.... .for example... the one i told u just after dusting the side of the couch trying to get rid of a hair...well i don\\\'t know if the hair their....but istill feeling it was there.. and then when i left the couch and walked straight to the door with my eyes closed and i opened it to see i put on my slippers and my eyes went straight to the ground but on the ground the truth is that the ground is painted with all kind of black and white spots and all kinds of colours..and it so happened my eyes lay upon one of the white spots and then i started to think and imagine it was on the couch.....now i don\\\'t know if i did see a white thing.. on the side of the couch while i was dusting off..i could have open my eyes for a few seconds with out i knowing....or a glance.....i can\\\'t remember ... derek sometimes it\\\'s so hard to let go...........of those thoughts... i just wondering if i holding on to those thoughts in my heart and while trying to let go it was too late because i saw things and i took those thoughts and imagine it as if it was there.......what to do derek......i think repeat myself while i\\\'m writing..i\\\'m trying to explain....sigh........just help derek. from moy........ and then i went downstairs.....while i thinking whether the white stuff there on the couch i started to think and imagine a piece of black haIR next to the white stuff........then i ask myself how can it haVE 2 WHITE STUFF...ONE ON THE GROUND AND THEN ONE ON THE SIDE OF THE COUCH.........AND I KNEW THAT THIS HAIR ALWAYS STICKING IN MY MIND.........DON\\\'T KNOW IF TI\\\'S THE CAUSE OF IT.....HELP AND ANSWER PLEASE DEREK.....LOVE U ALWAYS ...FROM MOY

A.) What you should do immediately is try to limit your paragraphs to a few sentences as you are right in saying that you repeat things and this will waste your precious time. You are doing a great job in stopping your rituals dead in their tracks. I really feel that you can do it Moy! Continue to do what you're doing, but make sure when you write to try to limit it simply because this is a point of obsession for you and you won't get better till you limit what you say. This will make you think about what you are writing and make you more efficient. I believe in you and you can do it!

Q.) Is OCD a biological problem as well as a psychological one?

Technically speaking, yes, our psychological state depends on the connections, chemicals and electrical firings in our brain. However, there is no conclusive evidence to indicate that there is any difference in the brain of someone with OCD and someone without. However it has been shown that people with OCD use different parts of their brain more frequently. These are worry, fear, etc.

You can become completely OCD free by simply changing the way you think.

Q.) how it started after a surgery.

A.) OCD is used by the brain sometimes as a coping mechanism. Coping mechanisms are needed by the brain to deal with stressful situations. That is why sometimes the body goes into shock. It's just your brain's way of dealing with a highly stressful situation. The best thing that you can do to help yourself with OCD is to reduce the stress that is in your life so that you are more able to deal with facing OCD and changing it. There are many different kinds of coping mechanisms. Some people smoke when they are stressed, some drink. I did both! A coping mechanism is something your brain does that it believes calms you and that it believes will reduce stress. That is why so many people think that cigarettes calm them when it's really a stimulant. Why do so many smokers need to take a lot of cigarette breaks, because their body relies on this to calm itself down instead of more healthy, less expensive habits. So...

Our coping mechanisms become habits. We can choose what habits we develop and which ones we starve.

Q.) how do you stop relapse

A.) The same way you stopped OCD in the first place. Relapse usually tries to happen when the person is going through an event or a "percieved" event of significant important to the person.

This is the time when you need to focus on what you did in the first place and continue using those techniques.

As an ex-smoker, I used to crave cigarettes and I even relapsed a couple times. Every time I did what I did the first time to quit and never gave up. Now it makes me sick to even think about smoking and I'm not kidding. It really makes me sick.

One way to help is to go to youtube and watch videos of people with OCD. You will see these people and feel sorry for them, then you will think, "Am I like that?" "I don't want to be like that!" This will help deter your brain from using OCD as a coping mechanism.

Question below!

Q.) My friend says he is fighting same-sex attraction thoughts. He belives homosexuality is sinful, and is fighting these thoughts. His behavior is becoming very bizzarre, to the pioint of not being able to use is hands or even walk properly. His father wants him put in a facility for 24 hour watching, but his therapist says that will increase his stress and make him worse. Is he better off at home if his family tries to reduce his stress instead of trying to make him \\\"act normal\\\"

A.) Nothing should be forced. Our brains are wired to operate on "free will." A classic example is pastor's sons and daughters are notorious for being some of the most troublesome kids, the reason is because the brain wants what is deprived of it. The only way for your son to know for sure himself if he is gay or not is to allow the thoughts to come into his mind. As long as he fights these thoughts, they will get worse and will haunt him. He needs to get rid of friction by allowing himself to have these thoughts without dwelling on them.

I firmly believe that people should only be facilities if there is no one to take care of them, or they are a danger to themselves or to others.

Question below!

Q.) i do not know the technique to make my question feel u most genuine so leave it.

A.) You don't need any specific technique as you do confidence and belief in whatever technique you are using. The "technique" could be spinning on your head break dancing or simply playing chess, if you believe it is working, it will because OCD is a mind condition. (It's made up)

Q.) HOW TO STOP THOUGHTS

A.) You don't try. The harder you try to block out a thought, the more it will persist. Instead, you focus on something else and get immersed in it and the bothersome thought will fade away on it's own.

Here's an example: You are trying not to think about avoiding cracks in the road when you walk. You start to think about what you have to do today and then you start to think about your job and then about school and then that project that's due, then you start to think about how it's going to get done and when it should be done and somewhere along the line you forgot about the cracks in the road and then you realize that you forgot about the cracks in the road so you get a shot of anxiety again and start to avoid the cracks in the road again.

This week keep practicing changing your thought patterns like I just outlined. It's good mental practice and is very powerful with some practice.

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Question below!

Q.) Can OCD be cured by a behavior therapy program alone or is it bio chemical in nature too because I know that the major symtom I have now started with a thought that threw my whole world out of wake it came at a time when I was in a nervious breakdown and my mind and body were screwed up. And I notice it gets worst during times of stress and one time when i was taking a homopathic supplement the symtoms went bullestic chemically all on their own I wan\\\'t thinking or doing nothing to bring that kind of response on. So if it\\\'s also bio-chemical can it only be cured by supplements or some how healing the brain?

A.) Your physiology changes with new behaviors alone. Your brain actually rewires itself when you change your habits. Read the exercises from my previous answers for today and I think that's the best course of action for your case. Let me know how it turned out this week on this blog as a reply. Don't forget to do that.

Question below!

Q.) My partner suffers from a form of OCD (BDD) and is very angry and frustrated. this manifests itself in different ways. He breaks things in the house and is verbally agressive towards me. This behaviour was infrequent at first but has now become part of his routine and happens instantaneously. what can we or should we do. He is seeing a cognitive therapist and taking medication.

A.) If he is abusing you, you need to get out of the house or he needs to go somewhere else until you and your counselor agree that you are safe. Noone should have to be abused because of OCD. He needs to continue his medication and if it's not working, I would consider asking your therapist for an increse in the dose. Make sure that the medication is not making him worse.

Q.) How do I become free from OCD?

A.) You become free from OCD the minute that you stop performing rituals. You will have cravings but as long as you are not performing rituals, you are free from it and the cravings will die out. The same with quitting smoking, they are both just habits. Do the exercises that you see outlined in my previous answers as they are powerful and free to you!

Question below!

Q.) My particular OCD deals with rituals that I have to do, and I feel that I have to do these rituals or people I love will die. What happens then? How can/do I get rid of OCD if I can\\\'t stop feeling so strongly that if I stop doing the rituals, people I love will die?

A.) Today, don't do one of those rituals and see if the person dies. Seriously. They won't. This will start to show the the fast way that your belief is faulty. Then replace this belief with the belief that if you don't perform the ritual, That you won't die living with OCD.

Q.) obsessive concern about damage to paintwork and body of my car

A.) Don't worry about your paintwork. Just know that these things, we can't take with us when we die. You painted a vehicle which can get into an accident and is exposed to the elements outside. What I would do ask the company who painted it the best way to take care of it, and follow their instructions to the letter, do NOTHING MORE or nothing less.

Q.) how to stop assumptions of contamination

A.) If you assume something is contaminated, you're right. Germs are everywhere, they are on our hands and in our mouths. In fact, there are more germs in our mouths than there are on our toilets. I am not trying to gross you out but to reveal to you that germs are not as bad as you think they are. We actually have live microscopic bugs in our intestines that help us digest food. They are necessary, They are not really bugs, but bacteria. Acidophilus for one. You can even by it as a supplement. Yougurt also has active cultures. We cannot worry about stuff we can't control. However, without germs, we would die. They need us and we need them. It's a good thing because our bodies defenses against any bad kinds are way more powerful than you could ever imagine.

Q.) How do I help someone to get help for ocd?

A.) All you need is exactly how you found me. What I would do is not spend so much time looking for help, but actually more time facing the fears that are driving their rituals head on. Help them pick their toughest ritual and this week see how long they can go without performing the ritual before they give in. Help them set a record and coach them. This will start to show them that it's possible to decide not to do the ritual for a while and it will start to show them that they do indeed have control over it. These baby steps work better.

Q.) What is the anxiety that has caused this?

A.) Depends on what's going on. Anxiety is caused by fear. Ask yourself what fear is driving you to do rituals. Then this week I want you to plan one day with a friend where you will go and face your fear head on. Let me know what happened. I think you will be pleasantly surprised.

Q.) How can I control my anger

A.) Ask yourself if you should be angry about what you are angry about. Most of the time we should not react with such anger. Tell yourself something funny at your most angry point, such as, "Thank God my feet don't stink today!" Say this outloud and see what happens to your anger...

Question below!

Q.) very severe ocd n my whole day is spent doing compulsions,dont know wat am i doing,i am very nsucessfull,bored,i am complete waste....

A.) You are not a complete waste, you are suffering from obsessive thoughts. You may not know how they happened but they did and now you've got to deal with them and ultimately get rid of them. You are doing right by looking for help. The Bible says that if you seek, you will find! Good for you, you are half way there, because you have admitted that there is a problem and have sought help. Now what will help you? Tons of things. I remember when I had to quit my job because I would not work but just perform rituals! That is horrible! I pushed everyone away and lost everyone! Because I chose the OCD over them. I chose to be ruled by my fear.

I want you to know that knowing and having been where you are there is hope. You just have to start choosing your friends and happiness and not your fear. This week, I want you to see how long you can go without performing your toughest ritual. Make a record for yourself and let me know how far you made it!

Question below!

Q.) How can I get away from the need to horde everything. If I could do that, learn to release the things, then I could clean up and get on with life.

A.) Get a friend to come over THIS WEEK and help you get rid of some of the things that you have hoarded. You don't have to get rid of everything at once, but get rid of some of the things THIS WEEK. Have your friend or family member there for moral support. I want you to let me know how it turned out! I believe you will get a little victory out of this and take a step in the right direction!

Question below!

Q.) Why do I get bad thoughts? Things that I would never do or others would never do...it creates negativity in my life.

A.) Everyone gets bad thoughts so you are not weird or anything. The only difference is that people with OCD tend to dwell on these thoughts while others would simply dismiss them. What you need to do is ask yourself what someone without OCD would do. How would they handle this thought, would they just dwell on it or let it go?

Ask this to yourself, "As if I did'nt have OCD, how would I handle this thought?"

Then handle it accordingly.

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Q.) Does EFT help diminish OCD symptoms?

A.) Yes emotional freedom techniques can help. You'd be surprised at how many techniques actually work. Here's the kicker...The technique usually only will work if you BELIEVE that it will! Jesus said, "By your faith you are healed!" This is a universal principle even if you are not a Christian. It still works!

By the way, even a technique that usually does not work can still work if you believe it will! (the placebo effect)

Q.) How can OCD be so tricky?

A.) The reason that OCD can be so tricky is that our beliefs are being shaped all the time every second. Our OCD is based on our beliefs, that is why our OCD's change overtime or "morph."

The answer to stopping the cycle dead in it's tracks is to not let OCD thoughts replace themselves with new thoughts, but instead, to choose what thoughts your replace the OCD with.

OCD is based in fear. If you replace the OCD action with something that is helpful to you and that makes you feel good inside, then you have a victory before you guaranteed!

Read the post under this one to see why!!!

Question below!

Q.) I have OCD for past 7-8 years. I am afraid of getting communicable disease. Please help

A.) The good news is that you have isolated the fear that drives your rituals. You are afraid of getting a communicable disease.

Now we both know that that is a faulty belief. Now you must challenge that belief to undermine it.

Ask yourself questions like a child such as...

Why am I afraid of getting a communicable disease?
What are the actual odds of getting a communicable disease?
Do I want to spend the rest of my life worrying about this?
Do the majority of the population worry about this?

If most people can choose not to worry about this, maybe it's ok for me to not worry about it too!

The odds are pretty low, and I would rather spend my mental energy on other thoughts.

Don't worry about how long you have had OCD, it's not proportionate to how long it takes to get rid of it!

So you've isolated the fear, you've challenged your belief, now you must replace your belief.

Our brain does behavior for a reason, so you should not just stop OCD without replacing it with something, your brain will need to fill that need the OCD took care of. You don't want it to fill it with another form of OCD. So instead, choose what you will replace your OCD with.

Whenever you feel like doing your ritual, decide to thank God for blessings in your life instead.

Seriously do this this week and let me know how it worked!

Derek

Monday, November 17, 2008

Question below

Q.) How do i help a loved one overcome their OCD without going to a stupid therapist?

A.) Well, if they do go to a therapist, make sure they have had results with helping people with OCD less than a few months. However, if you want to opt out of using a therapist, you can help them identify the fears that are driving their obsessions. Then tackle them one by one. One of my favorite things to do is to just challenge someone to see how long they can avoid doing the ritual! Try to set a record for yourself and then have a determined reward if you complete your goal and have an even higher reward if you exceed your goal! Try this and let me know how it worked for you!

Question below!

Q.) I have had ocd as far back I can remember around 7 (Then I feared death, so I was a frequent hand washer, etc). Due to movies and scary books I liked to read I then moved on to fear of mental illness. I became a Christian when I was 11 (I think) which eliminated the fear of death, because then when it was my time to go if I was faithful I would go to Heaven. Alot of my own \\\"cures\\\" for my ocd are Bible based. For example in high school I was afraid to have a class on any floor higher than the 3rd floor (I was afraid \\\"what if I freak out and run out the window, of course I didn\\\'t want to, but thought that if I was afraid of it enough and that was all I thought about that it would happen). At about 14 I developed \\\"God promised because of prayer\\\" solution that kept me sane. If you are religious this was based on \\\"Ask and it shall be given\\\" Matt. 7:7, Phil. 4:8, James 1:5. The longest obsessive fear episode I had was 1 week at that time, I feared that (don\\\'t know where this came from a movie?) I would be walking or just sitting, etc. and my mind would seperate from my body and be underneath wherever I was at the time. Of course I thought I was going crazy to have such a fear like that. By the way depression and ocd do run in my family, on both sides (yeah me!) Anyway, as a Christian I had been taught and believed that for all of lifes problems (exept physical) and struggles could be answered in the Bible. I was so terrified by that fear and sure that if I didn\\\'t find an answer I could go crazy and then that scared me more. I searched the scriptures and prayed alot of course and consulted with my mother, is this true? If we ask something of God that we need that we will have it? She said yes, if it is for the best. Well in my mind of course it was for the best that I didn\\\'t go crazy. So I prayed fully believing and would use the \\\"God promised because of prayer\\\" and it would calm me and I would just know that God wouldn\\\'t let me keep thinking that way. At that time we didn\\\'t know about panic attacks, etc. I am 40 now. Anyway that solution worked until I was 23 and I had just started dating my husband (we have been together for 17yrs) my parents didn\\\'t like him and I started taking the birth control pill. Needless to say I wasn\\\'t living a perfect Christian life (hadn\\\'t been bothered by any weird thouhts for several years). I don\\\'t know if it was because I knew I wasn\\\'t being a faithful Christian, or the fact that my parents didn\\\'t like him, chemical reaction from the pill, but anyway I just started to feel very nervous, like I would jump out of my skin and I just had to keep moving and I thought I was going crazy. That word would run through my mind 24/7, and it bothered me alot. I missed work, spent hours drinking and driving trying to \\\"get my head straight\\\". This lasted for about 5 months and we were young (I didn\\\'t go to any counselor or take any medication), so my husband was in a band so we were very busy all the time and I just started getting into the moment and the fear left me. Later when I thought about it I thought it was just a chemical reaction to the birth control pills. Know I know it was panic and anxiety. Life went on great for me, when I am \\\"normal\\\" there is nothing I can\\\'t do, I have a great sense of humor, fun to be with, I lost 50 pounds (using my ocd for good! I didn\\\'t know I had ocd at the time). Was always very self disciplined and liked schedules and routines made me very comfortable. Drastic changes always made me nervous. Anyway life was going great until I was 28. I had left a job I liked (because there were no health benefits) and went to what some people considered a great job. Anyway, when I left there I had 10 pages front and back of job duties (they had to get 2 people to do my job). I thought I liked the job, and I had a week off at Christmas, I cleaned my room (still lived at home) and moved my bed back to the place it was when I had the \\\"bad time\\\" at 23. The memories of that time and how I felt kept creeping back in, then I just knew I was crazy. I had my Dad take me to the hospital. They gave me xanax and sent me home (I thought they were going to commit me). This episode caused alot of missed work until I finally quit because I had to \\\"get my head straight\\\", so I drank alot again, and mixed with the drugs, it is a miracle I survived. The word crazy (or imagining myself \\\"commited\\\") would be with me 24/7. Thought seriously about suicide, being a Christian didn\\\'t go through with it. I had even left everyone letters and I burned them. I knew there had to be an answer just like the one that saved me in my teens. I just had to find it. This time I did seek couseling and was put on prozac and other meds. Still drinking with them. I couldn\\\'t sleep well so that was a main reason for the drinking. Had tried sleeping pills but they didn\\\'t work. I was terrified. I told my husband to just shoot me, take me to the hospital, etc. I was so obsessed with the scary thought it consumed me. I didn\\\'t want to do anything, causing depression of course. This episode lasted about 8 months and miracle of miracles I just started getting into the moment (my husband & I kept pretty busy he was still in a band) and had 12 years of normal living. I still would have some panic if someone wanted me to sit up front at church (that always caused me panic), and I had developed a bridge anxiety (I didn\\\'t drive across bridges unless someone was with me, afraid I might pass out and drive off bridge due to a time I was stuck in traffic on a bridge and had sinus infection and felt like I was going to pass out). Other than that I had \\\"me\\\" back, I was just so thankful and happy. One psychiatrist I had seen had asked me about things I liked, I like tv and movies, exercise, etc. and just suggested that I really focus on those things. I was waiting for a miracle but I got one, I was able to get into the moment and then it all went away. I had beleived that if I would think about going crazy that it could scare me enough to drive myself crazy. I survived, I was overjoyed. In the 12 yrs of peace of mind. I had been a heavy smoker and was down to 2 cig. a day. There were alot of stressful times in those 12 yrs. but I stayed strong and never smoked more than 2 cig a day. The reason I stayed at 2 is well the marriage isn\\\'t exactly what I thought it would be, I love him, he is good to me, there are some issues though due to his health problems that tempted me to have an affair, I knew I could never live with myself (being a \\\"thinker\\\" I tried to think of any way possible I could do that and not feel guilty). I never did have an affair, I just couldn\\\'t. Anyway in the 12 yrs. I was in sales, kept physically fit (obsessively of course!), had nice comforting routines, etc. In my mind I used my ocd for good, but I would get upset or irritated if plans got changed, someone stopped by unexpectadly and stayed for hours. Because I had these schedules I liked to keep. My motto was the more I do today the less I have to do tomorrow. Anyway in the 12 yrs. I finished my AA degree. The last class was algebra. Being OCD I had to have an A. In the 12 yrs. I allowed myself one of my days off as a \\\"lazy\\\" day. I believed from the incident at 28 that I was allergic to stress, so I felt that day kept me grounded and stress free (unless someone unexpectably stopped by for hours). Anyway I was still \\\"normal\\\" and from time to time something would remind me of that time but I just knew since I had always prayed after recovery that I would never be in that situation again, so I never gave it any thought. March of 2008, I hit the bottom, it started on a Wed. (not sleeping well, I could tell me mind was wondering and not fully in the moment) and by Sun. afternoon I started smoking more ( I broke my 2 cig a day limit I was so proud of), to sleep that night (I hadn\\\'t drank in years mainly because of the smoking, it is hard to drink beer and not want a cig. and for religious reasons also) my husband had some whiskey in the house ( I was drinking and \\\"thinking\\\" about how I didn\\\'t like the way I had been thinking since Wed. What am I going to do about it? Oh no, it\\\'s happening again. In the midst of my hysteria, panic, worry, (I had no medication at that time) I became convinced (I started worrying about the \\\"crazy\\\" thing again slightly on Fri.) Anyway, drinking whiskey and smoking I became convinced that I had \\\"crossed\\\" that line from sane to insane ( I shook all over, I had never felt that nervous and terrified in my life.) My husband was in bed that Sun. I told him I thought I was starting to have a \\\"bad time\\\" again. Anyway, it is now Nov. I am taking prozac again and more xanax than my dr. wants me to and am depressed and very scared. It\\\'s like being in a panic attack since the 2nd week of March. I have tried EFT, am enrolled in a program right now that I thought would help, am halfway through and lets just say I feel very desperate. I came the closest to committing suicide in April, I thought, this thought is never going to leave me alone, I took a bunch of sleeping pills (at the time I was taking a medication that did make me more hysterical and I am off that) I don\\\'t even remember how many I was so zoned out, then I got scared about dying ( I made myself bring the pills back up) and then I became even more nervous than before because I thought what if there is still enough in me to kill me? I wanted my husband to take me to the hospital to get my stomach pumped but he said they would keep me in the mental ward for attempted suicide (that being my worst fear, I always thought if I was hospitalized that I would never recover since that was my worst fear) so I prayed and prayed and prayed and prayed. Anyway needless to say I have been mentally tortuing myself since then. I can\\\'t seem to get the good thoughts to \\\"stick\\\". At times when I feel normal it doesn\\\'t feel normal and I don\\\'t like that. I feel there are 2 parts of me, one its the possitive thinker, there is nothing I can\\\'t do, never give up, the glass is half full, etc. very vibrant, normal, but there is this other side of me that is negative, scary thinking and I don\\\'t like that. There has to be an answer out there, my husband says you\\\'re fine just forget about it. This has really traumatized me this time. For one, I really believed in the prayer I said every night for strong spiritual, mental and physical health. And, how do I know this isn\\\'t just going to keep happening every 12 yrs. or so. I wish I hadn\\\'t taken that class last fall or been so obsessed with having an A. I took away my \\\"lazy\\\" day. I just can\\\'t seem to let myself be at peace with this. I want to. Thats all I want. I am very depressed and just don\\\'t know what to do. I have all this motivation (the good side of me, there has to be a way, of course I will be fine) but the bad side is so much stronger this time and I hate this so much. I am very determined to find an answer for me. If you have some advice that would be great. Nothing seems to work. The more I try to focus on \\\"the moment\\\" the more annoyed I get at myself when it doesn\\\'t \\\"stick\\\". I keep having flashbacks to that night when I thought Oh, this is how it feels to be crazy. I may not be crazy but I am very nervous and I don\\\'t like that I want ME back. What do I do? I have already spent alot of money on things that didn\\\'t work, I\\\'ve tried hypnosis (actually interestingly enough that was the suicide attempt weekendz), I thought that was my only hope. I really do believe in God and I don\\\'t understand why he is letting me torture myself this way. I know this is not the right way for a Christian to feel and think, but I feel \\\"helpless\\\" against the thought, all I want to do is sleep. But I just can\\\'t give up, but my mind is getting sooooo tired. How can I trust that this wont keep happening? I believed for 12 yrs. it would never happen again. I think I am still in shock, I feel like I\\\'m in some kind of alternate reality. Please help, I do notice that the more relaxed I am (which hasn\\\'t been lasting period of time since March, but sometimes are better) the clearer I can think. But I am still just blown away that I let myself get so stressed and in a bad thinking cycle again. No I do not drink anymore, it is just presc. drugs. I feel upset, dissapointed with myself. How can I start using my ocd for good and get over this and find my peace of mind again? Please, I feel the longer I go feeling like this the harder it is going to be to \\\"fix\\\" it. Bet this one is a challenge for you! I was so proud of myself in those 12 yrs. for using my ocd to keep my smoking at 2 a day, keep myself in shape, etc. There has to be an answer, please help. I am working again, I lost my job in June, and it actually makes me more nervous, the job is chaotic and I made a bad choice there. What is your advise and if you tell me to stop thinking about it I will scream. I am really afraid that I may have gone too far this time. (that is the negative side). The possitive side says, there has to be a way. Please help!!! PLEASE

A.) Wow! I can relate with you on a lot of levels! I used to also have trouble sleeping and I was an alcoholic for almost a year straight. I was drunk most of the time, sometimes twice a day! I was destroying myself with sleeping pills. I've been on ativan and xanax and clonazepam. I've tried other things too. I found that these things actually make anxiety worse and harder to deal with. At the same time, they are good to get rid of the "crazy" that you may feel. Once you get yourself to a point that you can think without actually thinking you're going crazy, in your moment of clarity make a conscious decision and resolution that you are not going to suffer from OCD anymore. Realize that you are causing your OCD, no outside source, therefore it is in your control to make a decision to not suffer from it. Now right when you make this decision, your OCD isn't going to magically dissappear, however, you are telling your subconscious mind, commanding it, to look for answers to your OCD, ask your subconscious mind this question before you go to bed, "Subconscious mind, how do I get rid of my OCD?" "I know it's possible and I will not take any excuses, just answers!" Then focus on something else or go to sleep and let your subconscious mind get to work, as it never sleeps! It will work on the answer for you while you are doing other things!

Try this for one week and let me know what changes have taken place in your life!

Q.) Can u cure just pure o with no compulsions

A.) Yes you can. I used to say "hate bad, love God." to myself as a ritual. This was really annoying. Even though the statement is true, I knew it was OCD and that it was pure O. I had several kinds of OCD and it was really bad! What I did personally was whenever I would go to say that ritual, I would say, "STOP!" or "NO!" I refuse to say that. I found out that after refusing to do it a few times, my brain learned that not saying it didn't cause any harm and so after a few times, it was easier. Now I don't say that anymore and I'm much much happier!

=>No more unwanted voices in my head!

Question below!

Q.) How can I help someone with an OCD Collecting disorder when I am suffering from a mild disorder myself, and am concerned that in an oil scarce future collecting things may be good idea?

A.) In fact, helping others with their disorder can actual help you more with yours. The reason is because when you give others advice, you will think to yourself, you know, I should really follow my own advice! Then you are more likely too!

Second, you don't have to worry about collecting things, because if the earth ever runs out of resources, it will be way way way after we are long gone! There are companies printing, that's right, printing solar panels. This paper is capable of turning the suns rays into energy and it's extremely cheap, plus all the focus on green fuels, you have nothing to worry about.

=> Get rid of your OCD today!

Monday, November 3, 2008

Q.) Can you really cure ocd in 7 days?

A.) What I am referring to with OCD-gone-in-seven-days is the fact that you can use my program to stop performing rituals within seven days. OCD is a habit almost like smoking. Once you stop smoking cigarettes, you are not a smoker, but you will have cravings. Same goes for OCD. You will have cravings to perform rituals, but with my program you will have all the tools you need to curb these cravings and sooner than you think, the cravings will become less and less, which varies from person to person. I've seen really great successes in a month or two. If you are tired of OCD, why not do something about it today?

(Questions are briefly answered here in this blog. I am currently creating a product that will answer these questions in great detail with "how to" step-by-step instructions and audio, so check for this in up coming e-mails!)


===>I want to start to become OCD free today!

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