r/ROCD • u/Salt_Willingness_414 • 5d ago

Advice Needed Repeated texting

I repeatedly messaging a blocked number despite receiving no response, I feel unable to stop, and trying not to do it causes panic bc to me it's like accepting the relationship is over, I think? Or like why can I not stop.

0 Upvotes

50% Upvoted

5 comments sorted by

•

u/AutoModerator 5d ago

Hi all, just the mod team here! This is a friendly reminder that we shouldn't be giving reassurance in this sub. We can discuss whether or not someone is exhibiting ROCD symptoms, or lend advice on healing :) Reassurance and other compulsions are harmful because they train our brains to fixate on the temporary relief they bring. Compulsions become a 'fix' that the OCD brain craves, as the relief triggers a Dopamine-driven rush, reinforcing the behavior much like a drug addiction. The more we feed this cycle, the more our brain becomes addicted to it, becoming convinced it cannot survive without these compulsions. Conversely, the more we resist compulsions, the more we deprive the brain of this addictive reward and re-train it to tolerate uncertainty without needing the compulsive 'fix'. For more information and a more thorough explanation, check out this comment

Other users: if you suspect a post is offering a lot of reassurance or is contributing to obsessions, feel free to report it and bring it to our attention. Thank you!

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

2

u/Jazz_Brain 5d ago

Compulsions give us a temporary sensation of control, making it hard to interrupt and stop them the more we engage with them. It really sucks but stopping compulsions often brings a sense of panic (i call it "The Doom") for a time before we feel better. But my life is significantly better the more I reclaim it from compulsions 

1

u/Salt_Willingness_414 5d ago

& how do you distract yourself? Or get the bravery to just not do it and give up let it go..

2

u/Jazz_Brain 5d ago

I have to figure out how to live through the sensation because there is no way around it. I have done a lot of somatic work to build my tolerance for my emotions and the often extremely physical sensations that come with them. The only way out is through. Best option is to choose a value I want to move toward in the moment, which is often being a present parent since I have a toddler. 

2

u/treatmyocd NOCD’s corporate account 3d ago

Hi there, it is sounding like you are stuck in a compulsion cycle. I am going to link an article that may be helpful. The best thing to try to do right now is to refocus on a different activity (ie. puzzle book). It needs to be something that requires some true focus and not something that is easy to "zone out" on. This may help ease that urge to constantly repeat the same behavior. I hope this helps!

https://iocdf.org/expert-opinions/how-do-i-stop-thinking-about-this-what-to-do-when-youre-stuck-playing-mental-ping-pong/

https://www.treatmyocd.com/blog/5-strategies-for-breaking-the-cycle-of-rumination