Messed Up In The Head

[Guest rsingh89]

I've been unemployed for some time now. I'm mainly at home for now. Don't really have much of a social life at present. Meet up with a mate or two once in a blue moon. They're all working. Thanks.

Maybe take up a hobby to help, or hit the gym to lose some weight, I'm sure plenty of other Desis hanging out in the gym, and most YMCAs are pretty cheap, so not a problem there, or maybe learn a new skill at the local community centre, I used to box when I was 16-17 and I didn't really know how to vent myself.

[Guest Turbanated]

I think developing a detachment of yourself and your 'thoughts' is a good strategy to try? So the thoughts can come but you have a detachment from them, you ignore them, play them down, think of them as just 'thoughts' that you have a choice to 'get behind' or let waft away into the sky and evaporate. Let the person behind all the thought waves emerge, don't let the person be defined by the thoughts if you get what I mean.

How does your OCD manifest specifically? Anything else other than trichotillomania? Do you do compulsive cleaning for instance?

Was there any issues at home between mom and dad when you was younger? Brother remember not to give out any info that might compromise your anonymity in any response you may make.

I think a better way of seeing it is that you don't have a 'thorn in your mind', rather your mind generates thoughts of its own sometimes that aren't positive for you. Mine does too. I slowly learned to disidentify with the thoughts. Simran helped, although it was hard at first because the thoughts would keep popping up. But then you learn to just observe them without buying into them.

Do you think you would like to try this?

I had severe cleaning OCD around 5 years ago. I was literally washing my hands away. That OCD is virtually not there anymore although it does crop up sometimes. I was experiencing Pure OCD (OCD in the mind, bad thoughts) really badly. This made me drop out of college. This, is much less than it was 3 to 5 years ago but it is still there in the back round of my mind and it gets worse when I go the gurdwara because I am conscious someone can read my mind. This then makes the thoughts worse and harder to get rid of. I have a nightmare around saints (i've met a couple), who really do have the ability to read minds.

There were not really any issues at home. I've tried what you mention, it worked in the past at one point, but doesn't always. I'll carry on trying. Thanks for the advice mate.

[Guest Turbanated]

Maybe take up a hobby to help, or hit the gym to lose some weight, I'm sure plenty of other Desis hanging out in the gym, and most YMCAs are pretty cheap, so not a problem there, or maybe learn a new skill at the local community centre, I used to box when I was 16-17 and I didn't really know how to vent myself.

Thats the other problem, lol. Theres something wrong with my body too. I have chronic injuries all over my body. I was active around the age of 16 17 and 18 but one injury led to another. Whenever i try to exercise, a muscle gets pulled or a joint gets hurt and these injuries don't seem to heal. I have a lack of vitamin D but its been corrected but still, my body doesn't seem to heal when it gets injured.

Thanks any way

[VanHelsingh]

@ Turbanated - I remember your central "complaint" being that you wanted to cut your hair. Do you still feel that to be the case or do you think if you sort your head out, you may find your kesh and dastaar are not a negative?

[Guest Turbanated]

@ Turbanated - I remember your central "complaint" being that you wanted to cut your hair. Do you still feel that to be the case or do you think if you sort your head out, you may find your kesh and dastaar are not a negative?

Well it wasn't a 'complaint' as such. I reckon I could probably see my kesh and dastaar not being a negative if I didn't have these issues, yeah. Or at the least, I could say that it would definitely be much easier for me to have my turban and beard if I was free of this mind state.

[Guest Kaljug Singh]

"Mindreading" such as you describe is one of the cognitive components of the various anxiety disorders. You can find a description of "mindreading" and the others here:

http://www.drfabian.com/cognitive.html

A great book to understand your thought processes and how they are a symptom of your anxiety, and how to overcome them, is Reneau Z. Peurifoy's Anxiety, Phobias and Panic.

Given that you have (or have had) OCD in the past, I would suggest asking your GP to refer you to a psychiatrist who can work with you in finding a medication that works for you. (Of all the anxiety disorders, OCD is most closely associated with the neurochemical functioning of your brain.) Citalopram may simply not be the medication for you. I would look into more CBT also. Be prepared to do the work though, because CBT requires a lot from the patient to be effective.

Take care of the basics: exercise regularly as much as your physical condition allows; eat a balanced diet; take a decent multivitamin and supplement additional vitamin d3, omega oils, and calcium-magnesium; meditate; do abhyaas of shaant ras bani especially such as Sukhmani Sahib, Anand Sahib, and Dukh Bhanjani Sahib.

Recite the following paath 21 times daily at amritvela and do an ardaas to be free of worry and fear:

ਗਉੜੀ ਮਹਲਾ ੫ ॥

Gauree, Fifth Mehl:

ਸਿਮਰਤ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਕਿਲਵਿਖ ਨਾਸੇ ॥ ਸੂਖ ਸਹਜ ਆਨੰਦ ਨਿਵਾਸੇ ॥੧॥

Meditating in remembrance on the Lord Master, sinful mistakes are erased,

and one comes to abide in peace, celestial joy and bliss. ||1||

ਰਾਮ ਜਨਾ ਕਉ ਰਾਮ ਭਰੋਸਾ ॥ ਨਾਮੁ ਜਪਤ ਸਭੁ ਮਿਟਿਓ ਅੰਦੇਸਾ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥

The Lord's humble servants place their faith in the Lord.

Chanting the Naam, the Name of the Lord, all anxieties are dispelled. ||1||Pause||

ਸਾਧਸੰਗਿ ਕਛੁ ਭਉ ਨ ਭਰਾਤੀ ॥ ਗੁਣ ਗੋਪਾਲ ਗਾਈਅਹਿ ਦਿਨੁ ਰਾਤੀ ॥੨॥

In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, there is no fear or doubt.

The Glorious Praises of the Lord are sung there, day and night. ||2||

ਕਰਿ ਕਿਰਪਾ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਬੰਧਨ ਛੋਟ ॥ ਚਰਣ ਕਮਲ ਕੀ ਦੀਨੀ ਓਟ ॥੩॥

Granting His Grace, God has released me from bondage. He has given me the Support of His Lotus Feet. ||3||

ਕਹੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਮਨਿ ਭਈ ਪਰਤੀਤਿ ॥ ਨਿਰਮਲ ਜਸੁ ਪੀਵਹਿ ਜਨ ਨੀਤਿ ॥੪॥੭੩॥੧੪੨॥

Says Nanak, faith comes into the mind of His servant, who continually drinks in the Immaculate Praises of the Lord. ||4||73||142||

Good luck,

K.

[Guest Turbanated]

Kaljug Singh

I know mind reading is related to these disorders but it is also very real. It is one of the 18 siddhis mentioned in gurbani and high gursikhs can do it. My sister, my dad and my mum, all their minds were read by holy saints. They (my family) would have no reason to lie to me. My mind has also been read.

[Guest thisio]

I had severe cleaning OCD around 5 years ago. I was literally washing my hands away. That OCD is virtually not there anymore although it does crop up sometimes. I was experiencing Pure OCD (OCD in the mind, bad thoughts) really badly. This made me drop out of college. This, is much less than it was 3 to 5 years ago but it is still there in the back round of my mind and it gets worse when I go the gurdwara because I am conscious someone can read my mind. This then makes the thoughts worse and harder to get rid of. I have a nightmare around saints (i've met a couple), who really do have the ability to read minds.

There were not really any issues at home. I've tried what you mention, it worked in the past at one point, but doesn't always. I'll carry on trying. Thanks for the advice mate.

Mate I had Ocd like that a few yrs ago and one of my good friends could read minds, I know its not fun, but naam simran really does work to kill(silence) the mind, it works. Just follow gurbani. Its kalyug, a bad thought is a bad thought, and everyone gets bad thoughts constantly, thats why we're all here in darkness(kalyug) and not self realised(mind is the 5 thieves/ ego).

[Guest kaur264]

Bhaiji.... I have had the same problem too.. not the women issue lol but the wierd look thing. I have recently started wearing my patka/keski to sixth form as my sikhi has grown stronger. However living in a majority western area of Birmingham I felt the same as you. Like a lot self consious and like I was always being looked at. People would mistake my identity as a Muslim and I felt annoyed at their perception of me. However looking back to our history I grew stronger and seen how much our brothers and sisters gave for us and sikhi and realised I was not going to trade my identity away just because some people are igorant and are not open minded. Instead of taking anger out on them we should educate them of our religion and be PROUD. What would our father Guru Gobind Singh Ji Maharaj say if we would all cut our hair and change our identity just because of people's opinions??

Stay strong, read our history (the shaheeds)

Take care.

[VanHelsingh]

I know mind reading is related to these disorders but it is also very real. It is one of the 18 siddhis mentioned in gurbani and high gursikhs can do it. My sister, my dad and my mum, all their minds were read by holy saints. They (my family) would have no reason to lie to me. My mind has also been read.

What do you mean by having your mind read? Are you saying you're mind has been damaged or am I misunderstanding the situation?