rocd.co.uk

Well, I'm not religious but I do remember the saying 'your body is a temple' as I was growing up and I do think it is apt. The body of scientific evidence has building steadily now for the past few decades and there is no doubt; what goes into into your body and mind either by consumption or through your senses or behaviours make a big difference to how healthy and happy you are. (There is still some debate to the effects of diet with the working of the brain due to the blood/brain barrier but there is clearly some correlation either through the effects of addiction or on the side effects of poor nutrition. We definitely know the effects of addiction on the brain, brain fog, poor concentration, poor sleep and so on. With the increasing use of MRI scanners, we can study the effects in real time and we can say with a lot of conviction that addiction, through over production of dopamine, its effects and its supporting structures (delta fosb) that your brain structures get phys...

Easier said than done I know. The biggest moments of clarity that I suffer from ROCD have come in my life when I’ve decided to test the theory that my mind is feeding me false thoughts is by doing the exact opposite of what it telling me.   And I can tell you, if you can do the opposite of your OCD thoughts then you have my absolute respect because it will feel like you are walking directly into the fire. It is the behaviour of a mad person because the OCD thoughts are so strong.   So, out of desperation I have done this a few times in my life when I’ve kind of felt like I’ve got nothing left to lose.   And the results have always been the same. Oh my god, it’s true the ROCD thoughts are not real and are feeding me the exact opposite of the reality. What a crazy condition that is! The last time I did it was when it came to that moment that often happens in a relationship when you are considering whether to move in with your boyfriend /girlfriend. Having tested the theory ...

I thought a follow up on this question would be really useful as I was talking to someone, I know recently who struggles with the same intrusive thoughts over and over but has immense trouble in being able to acknowledge that they have OCD. 'What if I am just appropriating what you have', 'what if it's just because I read about it and now I have taken it on?'  The doubt is one of the most defining features of any type of OCD. It took me many years to understand it and accept it and I read widely and was even diagnosed with it but yet I still couldn’t accept it. It is probably because of its very nature, the ‘doubting’ element to it that is in some way to blame.    So anyway, I thought a checklist of questions might be quite helpful in helping you come to understanding that first and so important step.   1.       Are you reading this? If you are reading this there is a very high indication you have OCD – why else would you be re...

There is a great book by Steve Peters called 'The Chimp Paradox'. I would definitely recommend it, it’s a brilliant interpretation of how the mind works in terms of the difference elements. You have the chimp, who as you would expect is easy to anger, easy to upset, entitled and could be said to be analogous to the Freudian 'ego'. You have the rational bit, the logical bit, and the is 'you' the human.  Photo by  Francesco Ungaro  on  Unsplash A lot of problems in life are caused when you allow your inner chimp to run riot as it is an emotionally destructive powerhouse. You really don't want to do that if you want to live life happily, peacefully and hopefully amongst friends. Luckily you can reign it in with your human logical side. This is the bit that I believe is evolving in humans. The ability to empathise, to see reason, to understand that we are all interconnected and that we need each other if we are going to survive and prosper. And so, to my main po...