Dear fg:

“I want to be back to normal”- meaning you want to feel okay, not anxious and not tormented by thoughts. When you feel stressed think to yourself: I need to calm down. Notice your breathing and slow it down, taking deeper breaths. If you are sitting down, get up and walk around a bit, or take a walk outside. Or listen to music.. or take a hot shower, or a cold one.

Because your tormenting thoughts are in regard to sex, it is better than you do not watch porn videos (I think it’s better to not watch those in most cases), or look at/ read porn material. Better that you don’t visit the HROCD forums, and if possible, better that you don’t give in to the compulsion/ urge to check if you are aroused by this or that.

Also, try to understand, best you can, that thoughts are not dangerous. You can try it and see for yourself. I will do the exercise myself- I am intentionally thinking: I am dying and I will be dead in a minute. Now I wait… a minute passed and I am not dead. The thought did not come true. Now I am thinking: I am a lesbian. Wait.. no, I am not. Whatever thought crosses your mind, by itself, it has no power. No reason to be afraid of something that has no power. Do you want to try this exercise yourself?

anita