tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6831964660986535542.post1439825703477421449..comments2023-10-08T08:29:47.056-04:00Comments on Bringing along OCD . . . : The lights at work: Are they really off?Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6831964660986535542.post-27516460598520640862012-12-13T19:35:23.732-05:002012-12-13T19:35:23.732-05:00Thank you, Sunny, for your encouraging words. You&...Thank you, Sunny, for your encouraging words. You're right--if I give myself the opportunity to check, I probably will.Tina Fariss Barbourhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15659018994558471570noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6831964660986535542.post-57125774659639118542012-12-13T19:34:22.975-05:002012-12-13T19:34:22.975-05:00Janet, there really is no rhyme or reason. It'...Janet, there really is no rhyme or reason. It's so inconsistent! Thanks for the encouragment.Tina Fariss Barbourhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15659018994558471570noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6831964660986535542.post-16123094077833818602012-12-13T19:33:45.958-05:002012-12-13T19:33:45.958-05:00Thanks for the encouragement, Ann. I will keep pra...Thanks for the encouragement, Ann. I will keep practicing! Tina Fariss Barbourhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15659018994558471570noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6831964660986535542.post-82545921984055129952012-12-13T16:33:42.517-05:002012-12-13T16:33:42.517-05:00Yep, Krystal Lynn - totally agree with Tina. If th...Yep, Krystal Lynn - totally agree with Tina. If there is no legitimate danger in leaving your bathroom doors open, then leaving them open and learning to sit with the anxiety is exactly what my psychologist would have suggested. Ugh, it's hard though, I know.71º & Sunnyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09981113989131619635noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6831964660986535542.post-38085048685138985662012-12-13T16:30:28.470-05:002012-12-13T16:30:28.470-05:00Hey - great work!! I think you are doing all you c...Hey - great work!! I think you are doing all you can to fight this. Turn them off, then walk right out!! I find if I give myself an opportunity to hang around and check something again, well, that's exactly what I will do. You are doing awesome - really proud of you. : )71º & Sunnyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09981113989131619635noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6831964660986535542.post-53395783492422996842012-12-13T13:43:28.332-05:002012-12-13T13:43:28.332-05:00Keep it up, Tina. You are going in the right direc...Keep it up, Tina. You are going in the right direction! This post just shows how there is no rhyme or reason to OCD. You only have issues with certain lights........go figure!Janet (ocdtalk)http://www.ocdtalk.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6831964660986535542.post-73011885226222645892012-12-13T00:17:14.387-05:002012-12-13T00:17:14.387-05:00Lights are funny. At my job when I first developed...Lights are funny. At my job when I first developed OCD, lights were SO tough. I was convinced I'd leave them on, they'd start a fire, the sprinklers would go off, and mold would grow. That was also my mold fear phase, lol.<br /><br />I just moved to a new cubicle space in my current job where for the first time in years, I turn on a light over my desk. And for some unknown reason, it's not causing any trouble at all. Go figure.<br /><br />I think this is another practice, practice practice sort of thing. Keep it up!Annhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01403176285595873953noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6831964660986535542.post-70777911647333128502012-12-12T16:54:11.837-05:002012-12-12T16:54:11.837-05:00Jodi, I could do the downward arrow exercise where...Jodi, I could do the downward arrow exercise where I go through the series of worst things that could happen, and that might help. Thanks for the tip.Tina Fariss Barbourhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15659018994558471570noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6831964660986535542.post-73571261836086840262012-12-12T16:42:51.380-05:002012-12-12T16:42:51.380-05:00What is the worst that can happen if they are left...What is the worst that can happen if they are left on? Logic is where you may be able to beat it. Go to logic. It is not logical and logic will beat it every single time. Jodi @ Heal Nowhttp://www.healnowandforever.netnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6831964660986535542.post-71012605119732594652012-12-12T16:23:06.691-05:002012-12-12T16:23:06.691-05:00Elizabeth, me too. Funny thing is, I'm not hav...Elizabeth, me too. Funny thing is, I'm not having trouble with the Christmas lights. Mostly it's the two lamps at the office that have their OCD hold on me.Tina Fariss Barbourhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15659018994558471570noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6831964660986535542.post-39391456401363546882012-12-12T16:21:40.418-05:002012-12-12T16:21:40.418-05:00Thanks, Lisa, I hope it's soon!Thanks, Lisa, I hope it's soon! Tina Fariss Barbourhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15659018994558471570noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6831964660986535542.post-73121009900507894172012-12-12T16:21:07.789-05:002012-12-12T16:21:07.789-05:00Thank you, Kristina, it's a work in progress.Thank you, Kristina, it's a work in progress. Tina Fariss Barbourhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15659018994558471570noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6831964660986535542.post-40062321994837446342012-12-12T16:04:45.684-05:002012-12-12T16:04:45.684-05:00You too?
My therapist and I have been working on ...You too?<br /><br />My therapist and I have been working on lights for weeks now as well. With mixed results for me as well.<br /><br />I am especially struggling with all the Christmas lights. Sigh. Lights are sure a checking nightmare even when your therapist intellectually explains the risk to me.Elizahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18279501398388972542noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6831964660986535542.post-29145649327407424092012-12-12T13:59:02.165-05:002012-12-12T13:59:02.165-05:00That's great that you are making progress. No...That's great that you are making progress. No doubt you'll get to the place that you can leave without glancing at the lamps!Lisa @ Two Bears Farmhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03464839163693785901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6831964660986535542.post-4454912412968026762012-12-12T13:07:44.092-05:002012-12-12T13:07:44.092-05:00Sounds like you're doing well. Sometimes it he...Sounds like you're doing well. Sometimes it helps to tell myself that I would know...if it wasn't the way it's supposed to be.Kristinahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07912518380859086951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6831964660986535542.post-36999952445354728572012-12-12T13:02:38.054-05:002012-12-12T13:02:38.054-05:00Krystal Lynn, what I'm doing now--not engaging...Krystal Lynn, what I'm doing now--not engaging in thoughts about whether or not the lights are off--is helping me. But with your doors--if it's not dangerous for them to be open, perhaps leaving them open and dealing with that anxiety would be helpful?Tina Fariss Barbourhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15659018994558471570noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6831964660986535542.post-69321401521889267482012-12-12T12:14:06.549-05:002012-12-12T12:14:06.549-05:00"Now I want to get to the place where I’m not..."Now I want to get to the place where I’m not even glancing at the lamps". Boy oh boy, can I ever identify with that Tina. I have similar checking rituals, not with lamps, but with doors being closed. I will stare at the door to make sure it is closed. It drives me bonkers because I can clearly see the door is shut but I can turn my back and I have this urge to check to see if it really is closed..even though I know it could not have opened on it's own. I guess that is why they call OCD the "doubting disease." What I want to do is believe and not have to check it at all or it would really be nice if I did not care if the door is open or closed because most of the time it is a bathroom door which I liked closed but it's not exactly the end of the world if a bathroom door is left open. Sometimes I wonder if I should intentionally leave the door open..and risk the uncomfortable feeling and anxiety that that brings. ????? Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16288842067954888301noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6831964660986535542.post-80552440233330952822012-12-12T10:03:32.764-05:002012-12-12T10:03:32.764-05:00Middle Child, yes, it's exposure therapy with ...Middle Child, yes, it's exposure therapy with a gentle touch that my therapist suggested. It would be tougher to leave the lights on all night while I was gone, and I may eventually have to do that, but for now, I'm making progress doing what I'm doing.Tina Fariss Barbourhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15659018994558471570noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6831964660986535542.post-33784447268925915432012-12-12T10:00:48.901-05:002012-12-12T10:00:48.901-05:00Keith, yes, it's a way of doing exposure thera...Keith, yes, it's a way of doing exposure therapy, and it seems to be helping me.Tina Fariss Barbourhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15659018994558471570noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6831964660986535542.post-63845156431916234272012-12-12T09:59:54.046-05:002012-12-12T09:59:54.046-05:00Catherine, I'm glad your notebook method is he...Catherine, I'm glad your notebook method is helping you get through this time. Sometimes temporary fixes are what's needed until we can deal with more.Tina Fariss Barbourhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15659018994558471570noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6831964660986535542.post-8545684659850339312012-12-12T08:24:00.261-05:002012-12-12T08:24:00.261-05:00I agree with 'Middle Child' in that it is ...I agree with 'Middle Child' in that it is similar to exposure therapy. Optimistic Existentialisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11507986337866049924noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6831964660986535542.post-46152160987924577972012-12-12T03:11:52.757-05:002012-12-12T03:11:52.757-05:00This is probably a temporary fix, at least that...This is probably a temporary fix, at least that's what my therapist tells me as we work on the underlying issues... but here's what i do with the stove: I keep a notebook dedicated to my log by the stove. When I cook something I note what I made and the time in one column. Then when I turn off the stove I note the time in the next column. In the third column I note my ten minute check that everything is off. Then in my final column, which is when I leave the apartment, I note that I have looked at the three previous checks and done a final check. I take the notebook with me. That way when I'm far away (like an hour away on my way to school) I can look at my checklist and see that I checked three times, and I have it in writing, so I don't need to turn back. It has helped me so much this semester. I still have to check a bunch of times before I leave, but I have the three official checks in writing. catherinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16780313741320002109noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6831964660986535542.post-54423793052050378282012-12-12T00:49:05.327-05:002012-12-12T00:49:05.327-05:00All I can say is that I believe your therapist is ...All I can say is that I believe your therapist is a good one. It's kinda like exposure therapy but it your case....you are being lead to slowly try to stop your behavior and after so many times of not checking the lights...realizing nothing bad will happen....you will feel less anxiety about it.middle childhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09805863175279915034noreply@blogger.com