Acceptance - Learning to just accept my OCD is hard

[MB1702]

I had a therapy appt last night and we discussed how I need to really focus on "accepting" my anxiety as simply physical and something that I have developed in my life/it is just a part of who i am/it is not going to hurt me/ Purely physical. and just because I have anxiety often, doesnt mean "something is wrong" that i need to fix or figure out. I am so consumed with figuring out WHAT gave me anxiety or WHY i have it. I need to let that go.

I am now working on the same thing with my OCD intrusive thoughts. Very hard...

anyone have experience or advice on this topic? 

[floridaguy65]

Acceptance, to me, is the most critical foundation upon which we can begin to build a viable, longterm healing path from ADs / HA. We need to embrace and accept, as you said: "It is part of who I am...it is not going to hurt me", etc.

When we fight tooth and nail against our makeup it leads us into turmoil (mainly with ourselves) and it leads into us continually asking "why me?" or "what in the hell is wrong with me, why can't I just snap out of this crap!?"

You are in therapy, so I will leave further discussions of acceptance up to you two. Hopefully, there is building upon your initial discussions:) And, there is lots of insightful info out there (internet and books and articles) that can provide you with further relevant info about acceptance. I would run it past your therapist about where he / she would like you to look or research....so your not stepping on his toes, so to speak, about where you should be getting some of your guidance, potentially.

Two important things about acceptance, IMHO:

1. Acceptance is NEVER resignation. NEVER. It doesn't imply giving in to the domination that anxiety can have upon us, at times. It doesn't imply having to live with serious lifeflow interruptions.

2. Acceptance is not a static position in life. We cannot simply say, "OK, I accept my mental health challenges - now go away!" Acceptance is an active, vibrant, participatory state of learning how to best live alongside our anxiety issues. This comes majorly through the adoption of the actions and habits (and eventually mindsets) that you would embrace and practice to help you, hopefully, begin to move away from the more serious OCD issues (anxiety challenges). And, then it would, potentially, continue to get better as you continued to do the 'good stuff':)

Peace and Feel Well:)

[MB1702]

Thank you for your reply. I have almost fully accepted that my anxiety doesnt mean something is "wrong". I always feel like I have to "figure it out" and i am constantly trying to link it to something going on in my life. Then I panic about whatever it is I link it to....this starts it all over. does anyone feel this way? How do you deal with it?

[Crims0n]

Accepting is so hard it makes you mentally wanna give up.

[marc]

I agree that acceptance can be difficult, especially if we all want certainty and perfection, which are impossible to have in
everyday life.