Oh but I don't say it out loud! People might not like that lol.
What I do is say the opposite of whatever oc thing im thinking at the moment. I do it for about ten seconds then try to focus on whatever task I'm doing at the time. Seems to help me.
I would like to say good for you for making it this far without your medication. You should be very proud of yourself for making it this far, and you can see the finish line in the distance.
OCD panic attacks are not easy to control, because they are usually irrational. I find that going somewhere where I can be alone, and just closing my eyes and breathing helps. I try to focus on my breathing and not on what it is that caused the panic in the first place.
I also find that saying things out loud helps. The voice that is spoken is louder than the voice in my head telling me to worry. I tell myself to "stop it" - "calm down" - " you are being ridicolous" ... things like that.
I find comfort in the facts. I KNOW that I cannot get HIV from the many ways I fear, and I know this because my fears are from OCD and not from fact. Know your facts and find strength in them. You said you know you cannot catch HIV these ways, so use that to your advantage. Yes, OCD gets out of control, yes it causes you to worry and stress over things that are not real, and that is when you have to rely on the FACTS.
You have a few more weeks to go, and these weeks is it very important to rest and relax. Soon, you will be rid of these thoughts and you will have your new baby. That is reward enough, for going through OCD unmedicated.
Again, very proud of you for making it this far. And remember, we are here if you need us.
TreTre...did you try the controlled breathing to try to get your anxiety down to a lower level at which your self-coaching sayings may work for you? How about meditation videos when you are at home? I know you can't do that at work so you probably have to do controlled breathing when you are there. Maybe you could take breaks where you can go into a room, do the breathing, so that you can calm down. Maybe several a day..you are pregnant...you can always say you are exhausted...which I'm sure you are at 35 weeks.
I like your first self-coaching statement...you are right...the last two are depressing. How about "It is an impossiblity to get HIV from any of these scenarios...so enough already." I found that if I yelled at myself, in my head of course, that it helped rather than just saying words. So I will say things like "ENOUGH" "MOVE ON" "NOPE, I"M NOT GOING THERE."