Face Your Thoughts

Tag: OCD

  • Mental Health Victories

    Who Needs to Hear This Today?

    So many people talk about mental health, but how many truly understand what it’s like to live inside it every single day?

    If you’re quietly battling OCD, anxiety, phobias, depression, or any mental health struggle that feels impossible to face, and that no one else can see, this is for you. Every morning, you wake up already in a fight that feels invisible. And yet, every small victory, finishing a meal, facing a fear, surviving another panic attack, is monumental, even if the world doesn’t notice.

    This post is a reminder: your struggles are real. Your victories matter and you deserve to celebrate them, even in silence.

    The Struggles No One Notices

    I’ve carried those battles for years. What hurt the most wasnt just the symptoms, it’s the silence, the lack of acknowledgment. People celebrate medals, promotions, milestones, but who celebrates the victories that feel small to the world but life-changing to you?

    For years, I couldn’t eat properly. Anxiety, OCD, and phobias had taken over something as simple and human as sharing a meal.

    The day I finally finished a plate of food, the joy was overwhelming. It felt like reclaiming a piece of life I thought I’d lost forever.

    And yet, no one around me could see how monumental that moment truly was.

    Facing Fear Alone

    Panic attacks made every day unbearable, the fear, the shaking, the endless “what ifs.”

    When I finally faced them and overcame them, there was no applause, just me, just my own quiet victory.

    Progress can be invisible. Courage can go uncelebrated. But that doesn’t make it any less real.

    Why This Matters

    This isn’t about sympathy or praise, it’s about recognizing the strength it takes to face each day.

    You deserve acknowledgment, recognition for your progress.
    You deserve someone to say, “Well done,” even if the world doesn’t understand what it took to get here.

    Celebrate Your Own Victories

    Sometimes, we must celebrate our victories in silence. Not every triumph will be witnessed, not every moment of courage will be applauded.

    But that doesn’t make them any less powerful.

    We all carry private worlds inside us, places no one else fully sees, where our fears live, hope grows, and strength is built piece by piece.

    And in those private worlds live our victories too.

    Honor them.
    Celebrate them.
    Say “well done” to yourself for the battles no one else sees.

    The Power of Quiet Victories

    Sometimes, the quietest victories are the ones that change us the most.

    Every day, every small triumph, finishing a meal, facing a fear, surviving another panic attack and conquering the silent battles you face.

    Even if no one else notices, these victories belong entirely to you.

    And that makes them extraordinary.

    Well done, for facing another day. This is for everyone who has struggled no matter what the health issue may be.

    kate.faceyourthoughts@gmail.com

  • Why do intrusive thoughts feel so real?

    Why Do Intrusive Thoughts Feel So Real?
    The Mind-Body Connection at Play

    In my experience, many people with OCD and anxiety will at some point, ask this question: “Why do intrusive thoughts feel so real?” This is one of the reasons OCD is so hard to overcome.

    Here’s the thing: your body doesn’t know the difference! That’s right, when you think about something, especially when you worry about it, your body matches that thought with real feelings.

    Why?

    Let’s break it down. Say you’re thinking about something pleasurable, maybe a nice holiday or daydreaming about a nice meal. How does that make you feel? You feel good while the thought is occurring right ? With OCD, the thoughts are based on fear and negativity. So, when we think about “the good stuff” and feel good, the same thing happens with “the bad stuff.”

    why do intrusive thoughts feel so real

    But thats not all

    When you think of bad, scary, or negative scenarios, your body supports these thoughts by preparing itself for danger. So, you may experience symptoms like shakiness, rapid heartbeat, or simply a feeling of impending doom.

    You’ve probably heard of the “fight or flight” reaction, where your body releases chemicals like adrenaline to help you prepare to fight or flee in the face of danger. This is what happens during a panic attack. In simple terms, after having so many negative thoughts, your body thinks, “Hey, we need to gear up, because there must be an immediate threat!” Of course, there isn’t a real threat, because the thoughts are only imagined.

    So In summary, why Do Intrusive thoughts feel so real?

    • Your body doesn’t know the difference between a real and an imagined threat.
    • When these thoughts arise, your body produces chemicals, and over time, these can lead to panic attacks.
    • Your body responds to positive thoughts the same way, by producing calming, happy, feel good chemicals.
    • Fear feeds fear. Your trapped in a loop. When we think of the ‘bad’ our body matches it with feeling of uneaseness. Then we start to hold on to the feeling and send signals to the brain that it must be true.

    How Do We Break the Cycle?

    The key to overcoming it is knowledge. Simply understanding what’s happening is the first step. When you can recognise the process, the next step is to remind yourself why these thoughts feel so real. When they arise. Monitor what is happening in your body.

    Separation

    Another important part of the puzzle is to separate the thoughts from the feelings. See if shifting the thought to a positive one can help you feel calmer. Overcoming OCD is all about knowledge, awareness, and rational thinking. It’s like being a detective, you’re going to figure out everything that’s going on. Analyse your body and your mind. It’s easy to get caught up in the thoughts and fear, without noticing what’s actually happening. Instead of blindly obeying the thoughts and feelings, start to investigate.

    Final Thoughts

    Intrusive thoughts are the main symptom of OCD and can be the most distressing. However, when we accept that these thoughts are just a symptom of OCD and understand why they feel so real, we empower ourselves to begin the journey toward recovery.

    FREE OCD CHECK BOX PDF

    Kate.faceyourthoughts@gmail.com

  • Obsessive Intrusive Thoughts

    Dealing with Intrusive Thoughts

    Obsessive intrusive thoughts, the word “obsessive” typically describes thoughts that won’t go away. They keep coming back over and over again, often causing anxiety, guilt, or distress. People who experience obsessive thoughts may feel like they have no control over these thoughts, and they may disrupt daily life or lead to compulsive behaviors.

    The best way to deal with these thoughts is first by accepting that they are a symptom of your OCD, and second, by recognising that you need to treat them as such. The key to overcoming them is to approach them rationally. By doing so, you can reduce their power and regain control over your thoughts

    Everyone will experience an intrusive, disturbing thought at some point in their life. Most people can shrug it off and move on. A person with OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder) will obsess over the thought, worrying that it might become a reality or that it means they are a “bad person.” People with OCD may perform compulsions, such as tapping surfaces or switching lights on and off, a certain number of times, with the idea that they may prevent the thoughts from playing out in reality. Of course, these are just examples, and compulsions can show up in many different forms.

    OCD themes vary, and people suffer from many different subtypes of OCD. Some may obsess over germs and contamination, while others may fear that they will lose control and harm themselves or others. Everyone’s OCD is unique to their themes, and their intrusive thoughts and obsessions are too. But overall, OCD thrives on the belief that what we think is part of who we are or that it will always come true.

    Will what we think always come true?

    The answer is no, thoughts aren’t facts, and we are free to think anything we like. Obsessive intrusive thoughts aren’t a reflection of our intentions or desires; in fact, they’re the opposite. Intrusive thoughts are unwanted, and that’s exactly why they’re so disturbing, they don’t align with our values or beliefs, and this misalignment is what causes so much guilt.

    Take our dreams and nightmares, we can vividly picture and imagine wild scenarios every night. But when we wake up, we don’t dwell on them or obsess over what they might mean. We accept them for what they are.

    Yet, when we experience vivid thoughts and feelings during the day, like intrusive thoughts, we struggle to move on. Why is that? Mostly because dreams are widely accepted as just that: dreams or nightmares.

    OCD is also widely recognised, and yet people still cling to the idea that intrusive thoughts mean more than they actually do. Even with a full diagnosis, many still live in fear of their intrusive thoughts

    Obsessive intrusive thoughts
    Reflect on Intrusive Thoughts

    Why do we continue to live in fear?

    Uncertainty and doubt fuel OCD, and as long as we continue to doubt and live in fear, we remain trapped by obsessive thoughts. Up to now, what evidence do you have that your intrusive thoughts will come true? And what evidence do you have that they have come true? Reflect on this, have any of your intrusive thoughts ever come to fruition? Gather the evidence. Without evidence, why do you blindly believe these thoughts?

    How many times have you fantasised about winning the lottery, becoming rich, or experiencing something good? How many of those thoughts actually came true? Why do we assume the “bad” is more likely to happen, but not the “good”? It’s because fear fuels the “bad” thoughts, along with uncertainty and doubt. But we have nothing to fear when it comes to good things happening.

    This is just a small snippet of how we can start to view intrusive thoughts in a different light. I cover this in more detail in my book, which solely focuses on how to rationalise intrusive thoughts and help your mind begin to break down what they are, and why you shouldn’t fear them. Stop letting obsessive intrusive thoughts hold you back.

    Please follow the link below to view the book on Amazon

    Book now on amazon
    Email for counselling enquiries

  • Swallow your fear: Living with Phagophobia and pseudodysphagia

    How do you feel when you think about food?

    For the average person, the idea of a big plate of food may sound comforting, something to look forward to. But for someone with an eating disorder or a food-related phobia like phagophobia or pseudodysphagia, the thought of food fills them with fear and dread.

    I was one of those people. Suddenly, it felt like food was everywhere, the only thing on people’s minds. It seemed impossible to escape. I often wished food wasn’t necessary, just so I wouldn’t have to think about it. But avoiding food wasn’t an option because, in the end, I needed it to survive.

    What does someone do when they suddenly find themselves consumed by an irrational, yet very real fear of swallowing or choking? They often feel lost, hopeless, and stuck, hyper-focused on food, eating, drinking, swallowing, and the fear of choking. This creates a debilitating cycle with no clear way out.

    If you’ve experienced this condition, you’ve probably asked yourself more than once, “Why me?” In hindsight, I realise that question didn’t really matter. I should have focused on why it came about.

    When fear and irrational thoughts take over, it becomes difficult to see the bigger picture.

    This condition thrives on the belief that we will choke, yet we rarely stop to question it. Who says this will happen? Why do I believe it? Where did this fear come from? We seldom reflect on how these thoughts took hold in the first place.

    We develop an overwhelming certainty, maybe even a feeling, that we are destined to choke with every bite or sip. But what is driving this irrational fear?

    If you’re like me, there was likely a time when eating and drinking felt completely normal. Then, at some point, something changed, often gradually. Maybe it began with throat tension, a strange sensation, a panic attack, or even a choking incident.

    What is undeniably true is that this condition stems from something traumatic

    Whether it was a period of extreme stress and anxiety that built to a breaking point, or a deeply impactful event that your mind struggled to process. The result is the same: a debilitating fixation and, to be frank, an obsession.

    Like any other phobia, anxiety disorder, or form of OCD, rational thinking is key. I liken this condition to my OCD because, at its core, it’s fuelled by intrusive thoughts. These thoughts tell you: “Swallowing won’t happen,” “You will choke,” or “There’s something mechanically wrong.” Pay attention to these thoughts and challenge them: Why? What evidence do you have? Like any form of OCD, you’re trapped in a loop of “What ifs.”

    Of course, recovery takes time and multiple steps. We need to incorporate relaxation techniques, eliminate stress, address past trauma, and most importantly practice exposure. Exposure is the only way to overcome fear. With exposure comes evidence. Each time we face our fears; we gather proof that nothing bad happened.

    There’s no way to fully guide you through overcoming this fear in one post. That’s why I offer one-on-one counselling sessions, details are available on my website, faceyourthoughts.com.   But you can start here by understanding why this is happening and what steps you can take to move forward.

    Steps to help you on your road to recovery, to overcome the fear of swallowing:

    ✔️ Explore what trauma you experienced, how to process it, and how to manage stressors in your life.
    ✔️ Practice relaxation techniques, meditation can be extremely helpful.
    ✔️ Understand the role OCD may be playing and learn about intrusive thoughts.
    ✔️ Examine your beliefs and the evidence supporting them.
    ✔️ Begin exposure with very small steps, gradually building up.

    keep an eye out for more posts, as I continue to explore OCD and Phobias in more in depth.

    kate.faceyourthoughts@gmail.com

    Rationalising Intrusive thoughts amazon

    Download Your free Guide to recovering from the fear of swallowing and choking

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