How to reduce "checking" ?

I guess I just have to want to recover more than the urge to self check?

I made a goal list with my counselor for this week. 3 goals.

1. Reduce checking
2. Don't call the kids after school to ask how they felt all day
3. Actually try to stick to 1 and 2

I know 1 and 2 are sort of the same- but I'm starting small (or so I thought).

I started making a tally mark for each time I checked my breast/lymph nodes/etc. the first day, I was over 90 just during work hours. I stopped counting when I got off. This was me making an effort to not check as much. What a wake up call.

Next day I was just as high.

Stopped counting all together today and just checked obsessively.

I really did not realize it was this bad. I knew I checked a lot -but wow. The overwhelming urge to check was stronger than any desire to get better.

My husband got upset at me tonight and asked me "what are you anxious about NOW?" And went on to tell me I should be on medication. Which I am really not ever wanting to try again. I had such a negative experience that I would rather suffer with anxiety than ever feel the way I did on medication.

I wish it was easier to take control. I feel like I'm just spinning.

Hi

Well done on making a list of goals that is a good way forward.

I have the same problem with checking which is part of my OCD and I also kept a note of how many times I was checking things and then slowly reduced the amount of times I checked over a couple of weeks until I stopped checking but I still have to fight the urge to check.

I would not rule medication out as if you have had a bad experience with one medication it does not mean you will have the same reaction to another one.

Keep us posted.


Hibee