OCD

techie

I don't mean OCD as in repetitive actions (like washing hands over and over). I mean OCD as in trapped in a network of thought. Every thought or idea becomes a puzzle to be resolved. You obsess over it, stay with it, exhaust yourself. Or it could be some task. You perform it perfectly, go over it a dozen times, check and recheck, and you're still not satisfied that the task has been done perfectly. Some sort of uncertainty keeps gnawing at you.

I know this would be a good case study for a psychiatrist, but I am curious to know how all this could be interpreted within the context of Buddhism. How would a Buddhist describe this sort of OCD?

federica

Self-generated Dukkha.
But then, isn't ALL dukkha?

Jeroen

Delusion, a lack of clear vision. It does come back to the three poisons.

DairyLama

@techie said:> I don't mean OCD as in repetitive actions (like washing hands over and over). I mean OCD as in trapped in a network of thought. Every thought or idea becomes a puzzle to be resolved. You obsess over it, stay with it, exhaust yourself. Or it could be some task. You perform it perfectly, go over it a dozen times, check and recheck, and you're still not satisfied that the task has been done perfectly. Some sort of uncertainty keeps gnawing at you.

You could look at this as the hindrance of restlessness and anxiety.
See No. 4 here: http://www.wildmind.org/blogs/on-practice/meditation-hindrances-and-how-to-work-with-them

You could also look at this as papanca, mental proliferation.
http://leighb.com/papanca.htm

techie

@SpinyNorman said:

@techie said:> I don't mean OCD as in repetitive actions (like washing hands over and over). I mean OCD as in trapped in a network of thought. Every thought or idea becomes a puzzle to be resolved. You obsess over it, stay with it, exhaust yourself. Or it could be some task. You perform it perfectly, go over it a dozen times, check and recheck, and you're still not satisfied that the task has been done perfectly. Some sort of uncertainty keeps gnawing at you.

You could look at this as the hindrance of restlessness and anxiety.
See No. 4 here: http://www.wildmind.org/blogs/on-practice/meditation-hindrances-and-how-to-work-with-them

You could also look at this as papanca, mental proliferation.
http://leighb.com/papanca.htm

Thanks, I think that's the word/concept I was looking for: papancha.

IronRabbit

Just completed a five week class on DBT, Dialectical Behavior Therapy. Stresses mindfulness as the core of the approach. It is a very analytical approach to observing,accepting and letting go of certain behaviors as opposed to obliterating the offending behavior.

http://behavioraltech.org/resources/whatisdbt.cfm

Jeroen

@IronRabbit said:
Just completed a five week class on DBT, Dialectical Behavior Therapy. Stresses mindfulness as the core of the approach. It is a very analytical approach to observing,accepting and letting go of certain behaviors as opposed to obliterating the offending behavior.

http://behavioraltech.org/resources/whatisdbt.cfm

It's funny how many of these therapies come back to the same processes of bringing awareness and letting go. It's all very Buddhist, going back thousands of years.

David

Looking deeply is good practice but over-do it and we risk getting lost in a hall of mirrors.

We don't have to figure it all out for it to keep working.

BexM

Hiya. I empathise with you completely. I have just completed a 6 weeks course of CBT and counselling therapy for my intrusive thoughts and compulsions to do certain things, which were triggered by post natal depression. Meditation, mantras, and my faith in Buddhism has definitely helped me along the way, . But more than anything I whole heartedly recommend some therapy if you haven't already. I was discharged this week a different person. 6 weeks ago I was having suicidal thoughts. So I've come a long way. Anyway, no more about me but just to say, you're not alone. Take care.