Future Farmer
New
Hi
I'm new to this forum, but I'm a long time follower of Skeptiko.
Okay, here's the thing. I have OCD, and one way in which this has manifested itself is as a fear of negative psychic influences, such as possession. Now, I know that even among believers of psychic possession, it is generally seen as a rare event. And until a few days ago, this fear wasn't that much of a problem. Yes, I had been doing some protective rituals and stuff which would have struck some people as a little bit paranoid, but it wasn't a hindrance in my day to day life. However, the other day something happened that made me a lot more worried.
So I have been seeing a psychologist for a while, and we have been doing cognitive behavioral therapy, which is based on exposing yourself to what you fear. So if you're afraid of touching door handles because you believe you will be contaminated with some disease, you gradually expose yourself to this fear, until it is no longer perceived as a threat and you can touch door handles without getting panicked. I have great respect for this method, and it has been of great help to me. However, the other day, my psychologist proposed that why don't we treat your fear of psychic possession by saying things to the effect that evil spirits are welcome to possess you. Since just saying something isn't supposed to have any effect on the world, it shouldn't be a problem. I was instantly reluctant to this idea. Welcoming evil spirits didn't seem like a good idea if psychic possession indeed is for real. So I tried to evade doing it by saying I found it highly uncomfortable etc. However, my psychologist answered that doing uncomfortable things is the very point of cognitive behavioral therapy. And then he somehow got me to do it. I wasn't able to refuse. Now I don't want to lay any blame on him because he didn't force me to do it in any way, and his intention was of course to help me. But that was what happened.
So now I haven't been able to sleep well for a few days, my stomach has been really weird all the time, and I have been obsessing about the possibility of possession or other negative psychic influences. I know that getting panicked isn't going to help so I'm trying to keep calm, but the fact that I said things to the effect that "evil spirits are welcome" is really bothering me, and I'm at a loss what to do.
I would greatly appreciate advice. Thanks.
/ Future Farmer
I'm new to this forum, but I'm a long time follower of Skeptiko.
Okay, here's the thing. I have OCD, and one way in which this has manifested itself is as a fear of negative psychic influences, such as possession. Now, I know that even among believers of psychic possession, it is generally seen as a rare event. And until a few days ago, this fear wasn't that much of a problem. Yes, I had been doing some protective rituals and stuff which would have struck some people as a little bit paranoid, but it wasn't a hindrance in my day to day life. However, the other day something happened that made me a lot more worried.
So I have been seeing a psychologist for a while, and we have been doing cognitive behavioral therapy, which is based on exposing yourself to what you fear. So if you're afraid of touching door handles because you believe you will be contaminated with some disease, you gradually expose yourself to this fear, until it is no longer perceived as a threat and you can touch door handles without getting panicked. I have great respect for this method, and it has been of great help to me. However, the other day, my psychologist proposed that why don't we treat your fear of psychic possession by saying things to the effect that evil spirits are welcome to possess you. Since just saying something isn't supposed to have any effect on the world, it shouldn't be a problem. I was instantly reluctant to this idea. Welcoming evil spirits didn't seem like a good idea if psychic possession indeed is for real. So I tried to evade doing it by saying I found it highly uncomfortable etc. However, my psychologist answered that doing uncomfortable things is the very point of cognitive behavioral therapy. And then he somehow got me to do it. I wasn't able to refuse. Now I don't want to lay any blame on him because he didn't force me to do it in any way, and his intention was of course to help me. But that was what happened.
So now I haven't been able to sleep well for a few days, my stomach has been really weird all the time, and I have been obsessing about the possibility of possession or other negative psychic influences. I know that getting panicked isn't going to help so I'm trying to keep calm, but the fact that I said things to the effect that "evil spirits are welcome" is really bothering me, and I'm at a loss what to do.
I would greatly appreciate advice. Thanks.
/ Future Farmer