Organized Chaos - Volume 4
Getting Rid Of Frightening And Violent Images And Thoughts
by Brad Hufford, LCSW-C
As a young person, you have a good imagination. You might have imaginary friends or pretend to be a superhero. You may act like a policeman or fireman and make people's lives safer. You follow your imagination and imagine becoming a wife or dressing like a famous athlete. Your parents and teachers encourage you to use your creativity to express yourself. You learn new ways to do things, and find different ways of doing them.
Young people's imaginations can create catastrophic, terrifying and violent images (mental pictures) and thoughts. Examples include thinking of a parent in a car accident, a loved one in an airplane crash, or a parent becoming very sick. Some kids have these thoughts; some have these images; and some experience both. There are many more scary thoughts and images that someone can have. The scary things are not just frightening to a person who has Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Kids with OCD, unlike kids without OCD, think that they have to do something immediately when they get these thoughts and images or they think thoughts won't go away or what they are imaging will really happen. They try things, such as, thinking "good" thoughts or images, saying a set number of prayers or tapping pieces of furniture until the "bad" feelings leave.
The more time you spend trying to get rid of the scary thoughts or images, the stronger they become. The bully is another way to think of OCD. OCD tries to get you to do what it wants like a bully does. The best way to deal with a bully is to not give it what it wants. Bullies, like OCD, leave you alone if you face them head on. This can be very scary.
The best way to have fewer scary thoughts and images in your mind is to think more about the scary things without doing anything to get rid of them. The uncomfortable feelings that come with them is the way you get used to having them in your head. Then you head will not have scary stuff in it anymore. If the scary thoughts of you sister being hurt by someone comes into your mind, do not tap the coffee table three times like you usually do. Just wait. Your body and mind will get used to the fact that it is a random thought and it will go away.
Your body gets used to things all the time. When you go into a pool, doesn't the water temperature feel warmer after a couple of minutes? When you play video games and your brother starts to play the trumpet in the next room, you may be startled at first. But, as times passes, the sound becomes less intrusive. You can forget about it and focus on your game. Your mind gets used to things just like your body does and you become more comfortable. [See the Webzine article on Habituation.
Sometimes kids wonder if their thoughts or images will come true. They forget that thoughts are only thoughts. Someone becomes scared when they imagine a parent being stabbed because they think that the presence of a thought or image means that it will happen. Because having this kind of thought makes a person with OCD anxious (scared), it almost seems like the scary event could occur. Maybe the person believes that the only way to keep the parent safe when such a thought occurs is to ask the parent for reassurance that they are fine. They love their mom and dad and do not want anything to happen to them. Therefore, they do everything that they can do to keep the image away and asks for reassurance that the parents are safe. There is so much anxiety that it is understandable that the sufferer asks for reassurance.
The person is falling into the OCD trap because when he asks his parents for reassurance, the OCD gets stronger. Performing a compulsion (asking for reassurance is a compulsion, as is tapping on the table a set number of times) makes the OCD stronger and fiercer. The sufferer needs to think about or do things that raise his level of anxiety. First, write down everything that causes you to perform a compulsion. This makes you more comfortable (but only for a little while). Next, write what you do to strengthen it.
Behavior Therapy can help you diminish the OCD. Think about scary thoughts and do things that make you anxious. This is a therapy called Exposure And Response/Ritual Prevention (E&RP) Therapy. First, you do or exposure yourself to things that only bother you a little. When you do that and not become anxious, you move on to things that cause you a medium level of anxiety. You work your way up the anxiety ladder step by step until you reach and conquer the actions or thoughts that give you the most anxiety. The good news is that along the way, you will feel more confident and less anxious. The scariest thoughts and actions will seem less frightening.
E&RP Therapy works well. With practice, you can bully the OCD and learn how to deal with scary thoughts and images. This helps you to begin to learn how to handle your feelings. So, bring on the scary thoughts and images because you are tougher and smarter than they are!
Behavior therapists that are familiar and experienced with E&RP therapy may be needed if you find yourself having trouble following or sticking to the self-help techniques described above. Contact the OC Foundation. The staff will help you find a therapist in your area to help you. [Click Here]
Brad Hufford, LCSW-C, practices in the Behavior Therapy Center of Greater Washington, Silver Spring, MD.
