It can be tough for business people with OCD to have to
experience obsessive thoughts that are intrusive, scary, and
difficult to manage. As a result, here is a short list of
techniques that a person can use to help manage their obsessive
and fearful thoughts.
The first thing a person must do is not to dwell or focus on the
fear provoking thought when it comes. The more a person tries to
reason out the thought or focus on the fear behind the thought,
the stronger the thought becomes. The next time you encounter an
obsessive thought, get into the practice of not dwelling on it.
From my interviews with various professionals, I've learned that
usually it is the fear behind the thoughts that gets us worked
up. Ignore the fear behind these obsessive thoughts, regardless
how the strong the fear may be. If you ignore the fear behind
these thoughts, then the thoughts become easier to manage.
A person should visualize a red stop sign in their mind when
they encounter a fear provoking thought. When the negative
thought comes, a person should think of a red stop sign that
serves as a reminder to stop focusing on that thought and to
think of something else. A person can then try to think of
something positive to replace the negative thought.
Sometimes, a person may encounter a lot of scary thoughts coming
at them all at once. Instead of getting upset, remember that
these thoughts are exaggerated and are not based on reality.
Even if your fearful thoughts tell you otherwise, the fact is
that there are circumstances and factors in every situation that
can not be anticipated. We may be ninety-nine percent in
predicting the future but all it takes is for that one percent
to make the biggest difference.
Although I am a Layman and not a professional, I have
interviewed many counselors and I learned that there are many
ways to deal with these kinds of thoughts. There are ways to
deal with your obsessive thoughts and with the proper treatment,
you can live a productive life.
About the author:
Stan Popovich is the author of "A Layman's Guide to Managing
Fear" an easy to read book that presents a overview of
techniques that are effective in managing persistent fears and
anxieties. For additional information go to:
http://www.managingfear.com
