Bringing anxiety back down a few notches isn’t easy. OCD brings on its fair share for sure. When I struggle, and I still struggle, I normally gain control back with one, or all of these activities.
Prayer:
No better OCD cleanse than a good prayer. A way to push my worries aside and be thankful for the many blessings. Praying is a big trigger for me as well, something I’m working on, something I pray gets better. With a good prayer where I can open up and feel stress being lifted off of my sore shoulders, that’s my go to.
From the heart. When it’s lead by the brain, that’s when things get cloudy. That’s when OCD wants to peer in from within the mind. Knowing that if I’m not truly feeling it from the heart, it has a chance to feed. From the heart is where prayer must come from. When I can do that, Obsession can fall. Bringing anxiety back down a few notches.
Workout:
I work out daily, at least my goal is to work out daily. Completing a good workout makes me feel like I’ve accomplished something. I get the feeling that I can conquer any task. As the sweat drips from my beard, and I gasp for more water, it reminds me that conquering a workout isn’t easy. I did it though. Now go conquer OCD. Yeah, lets do this.
Whether it be in the gym, at home, outside, cardio, strength training – I get the accomplished feeling, which defeats doubt. I get in a different zone. Don’t get me wrong, while in that zone there are thoughts that try to get me out.
Thoughts of doubt, thoughts of difficulty, and guilt. Intruding thoughts that tell me to redo that rep, rewind that song, focus on the right even number volume on your earbuds. OCD is looking for any trigger to steal focus from my workout.
Dismissing those thoughts allows for a gain in focus, an extra push that I crave. That’s when I’ve done it. That’s when I realize that all the tiny dismissals during my sweat session equals up to one giant great feeling of self promotion. Obsession can fall, bringing anxiety back down a few notches.
Music:
I’m such a fan of music. Music has the power to move. If I’m dancing, I’m happy. Either through my ear buds or speakers, a good jam fest can change my mood in a drum beat. Something that can get my head nodding with a rhythm, that’ll push OCD aside for me.
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Music tells so many great stories of upliftment that sometimes I can’t even help it. I might not even want my mood changed, but a song’ll do it.
It doesn’t even have to always be upbeat. Sometimes the words are put together so perfectly that you feel like you were meant to hear that verse. You were meant to dive deep into that melody of words.
Music used to be one of my biggest triggers. To turn around and enjoy it for what its worth – It’s empowering. Being able to embrace the song’s intended feel, whether it be sad, happy, gangsta, or chill – THAT’S FUCKING DOPE TO ME!
Go chill somewhere OCD! Bring anxiety back down a few notches while your at it.
Games:
Haha… so, not sure if this is how everyone treats games.
Anyone else want to toss your phone or a controller at the first mistake you make when playing a game? That’s me too. That feeling is good in my opinion, at least when you’re OCD. At that moment, you’re thinking of only the game. Any intrusive thoughts, images, or words are much easier to kick through a goal post a mile away when all you want to do is beat this level of [Insert today’s hottest trending game].
A swear word might even slip out of your mouth. Instead of casting judgement for not being perfect, you let it go during raging moments of “BEAST MODE – Imma hand him his own ass starting… NOW”. When you do actually defeat the boss, match all your candy in a row, slap the next slap down on to your opponent… it feels fantastic. You’re not focused on what not to focus on, you’re reacting to the game, and that’s it.
Games are just a delicate way to bring your RAGE WAY UP! AND TELL OBSESSION TO GO SIT IN THE CORNER! All the while bringing anxiety down a few notches too.
Smile:
Simple as that. Try smiling for 20 seconds and not feeling better. It’s like your mind reacts when your cheek bones arch closer. Even if it’s a fake one.
My best friend and I used to dorm together in college. At silent moments, which we didn’t have many, he would start to fake chuckle. He would fake laugh, while I thought he was a lunatic. Eventually, the two of us would be bursting out in uncontrollable laughter. It’s like our minds reacted to the snickers meaning we should full fledge burst at the seem. And we did.
Smile Anxiety, you’ve been brought down a few notches.
Sharing:
I might lean over to my wife and say “Whew… My OCD is getting the best of me”. Before she even says all of the right words, my own words feel right. Instead of trying to hide it and spend so much mental capacity on compulsions and keeping it locked in, most of the repairs are already starting.
Instead of thinking to myself that ‘this is stupid’ ‘why do I do this’ ‘ what is wrong with me’, I throw that away for the moment and admit out loud. Boom, now all I have to do is be strong. Half of the battle was won with acknowledging it to someone who understands what I deal with.
Then she normally tells me all the right things because she’s awesome, and blah blah blah, and she doesn’t look at me like I’m crazy. Because sometimes I look at me like I’m crazy. She doesn’t do that, and that helps.
OCD brought back down a few notches.
Nothing:
Sometimes, I just pause. Stop what I’m doing, before my repetitive compulsion kicks in naturally, just pause. While I’m paused, I normally don’t even have to debate, I just need to wait. Eventually something tells me to move on, don’t feed it. Sometimes I listen, sometimes I don’t. I do learn though, and even if I do still give in at that moment, the next one isn’t as challenging as it would be had I let the previous obsession get the best of me automatically.
Those are just a few things for bringing anxiety back down.
Oh… one more. Reminding yourself that either way, you’re awesome. OCD won’t tell you, so you should. That’ll knock it back down a few notches too.
Also check out an article I posted recently about recovery.
Let me know if you found this helpful. I am curious to hear your opinions. Leave a comment or find me on Twitter @UghOCD or Instagram @brentleybigkid.
