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Mental Health (Expert Forum)
behavioral therapy
Answered by
Roger Gould, M.D. - Mental Health, Wellness
Questions posted in the Mental Health forum are being answered by Dr. Roger L. Gould, author of the Mastering Stress and Depression program and affiliated with the UCLA. Department of Psychiatry. Topics covered include anger, attention deficit disorder (ADD) , bipolar disorder , dementia , electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) , learning disabilities, memory, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) , panic , personality disorders, phobias , post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) , schizophrenia , stress , transitions, and work problems.
behavioral therapy
by amayah, Oct 21, 2001 12:00AM
I have ocd for about 5 yrs now.I have been self treating w/ the help of a book.I have also been to 2 therapists who specialize in cognitive behavioral therapy.My question is im not sure if im doing the therapy right.What i do is every time i start obsessing -instead of fighting the thoughts i make myself have them.I know im cognitive therapy they say that you should accept the thought is this the same thing as accepting it?I find it helpful but tiring at the same time.Thank you for any help you can offer.
Doctor's Answer
by Roger Gould, M.D., Oct 22, 2001 12:00AM
, Oct 22, 2001 12:00AM
It is difficult to answer your question because I am not sure what you are doing and what thoughts are involved. In general, the most important process is to deprived the obsessive thought of its "reality" by any method you can. That means not acting on the thought as if it is compelling or the truth. The next thing you can do is try to understand how the obsessive thougtht is a substitute for feeling something deeply or having an ordinary conflict within youself. If you can surface the conflict, you will want to change the "conversation" and convert that into a simple honest statement to yourself about life.
