ROCD...PLEASE READ...NEED A PEP TALK.

Yes many therapists teach this technique, to label OCD thoughts. It's important for you to realize when you're obsessing, so you can respond correctly and resist compulsions. You are not supposed to seek relief from "It's not me, it's OCD", you are only supposed to tell yourself it's OCD to come into realization that you have to resist compulsions. If you are seeking relief when you tell yourself this, it can develop into a compulsion, and become an obsession itself. Read the many posts on here where people constantly question whether they have OCD or not.

You can't use the subject of your obsessions to make yourself feel better in anyway. Eventually, you should work on being intuitive about detecting OCD behavior, and stop saying it out loud. "labeling" OCD thoughts, if they should be done at all (I don't agree with it), should only be done at the very beginning of treatment, and then you should get rid of it later as you become more intuitive and just automatically apply CBT.

You shouldn’t categorize negative thoughts. I talk about a technique in a thread, Stop Interacting, notice that I specifically mention all negative thoughts, not particular ones. The technique I mentioned is a way to help you realize you have to stop focusing on the negative thoughts and interacting with them, and instead, focus on resisting compulsions. Maybe this is what your therapist was talking about, when they mentioned you need to separate yourself from your negative thoughts. If you categorize specific thoughts, it can lead to interaction, and then lead to obsessing. If you apply your therapy anytime a negative thought is bothering you, it’s far more effective, and will make sure that you don’t end up getting stuck thinking about your obsessions too much. We need them all to pass through our brain. You don’t want to separate yourself too much from your negative thoughts, they are a part of you.. you don’t want to end up fearing them, or avoiding/reacting to them.. they need to blend in with all thoughts. It’s all about getting them moving through our brain so we don’t stop and have to deal with them.

You should not see yourself separate to your negative thoughts. They are a part of you and you will always have them. I don't agree with this at all. Even newer and more modern approaches like ACT are beginning to touch base on this. You should only focus on what is actually causing you pain and causing your thoughts to go into loops, which are your compulsions. I am comfortable with my negative thoughts, now, and that's what ERP teaches you to do.

You also shouldn't ignore the thought, you have to stay exposed to it. This will help prevent relapses later on. You want to detach reaction with your negative thoughts. You shouldn't have to ignore or react to anything, you should be able to just live life and enjoy it.

/r/ROCD Thread Parent