Releasing Obsessive Thoughts: Rumination, OCD, and Dealing with Fear
In this episode, Dr. Rick and I focus on one of the most frequently asked questions: how we can deal with intrusive and obsessive thoughts. We explore why we get stuck on certain thoughts, rumination, obsessive compulsive disorder, balancing closeness and distance when dealing with an issue, and coming to peace with the worst things that can happen.
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Key Topics:
0:00: Introduction
1:20: What is rumination?
5:00: Why we get stuck in certain thoughts
8:10: Two kinds of obsessive thoughts
11:00: The brains attempt to problem solve
12:50: Beliefs about yourself
13:40: Assessing a hypothetical client
20:15: We all have weird thoughts
22:35: Reality testing, naming thoughts and not feeding them
25:20: Feeling the hypothetical outcome, or completing the gestalt
28:45: Ajahn Chah confronting spiritual beings
31:40: Rick completing a gestalt on psychedelics
33:45: Balancing closeness and distance
39:45: Exaggerating the obsession vs. thought suppression
42:35: Widening your view and surrendering to the worst
44:50: The intrinsic emptiness of a ruminative thought
48:10: Another hypothetical case study
56:10: Doing good in the world as an antidote
58:20: What is your refuge?
59:30: Recap
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