Status Updates From Rewire Your OCD Brain: Powe...

•”worry may lead to planning and problem solving[…]but worry is not the same as problem solving”
•anterior cingulate cortex stuck in a loop in “faulty worry circuit” has trouble shifting away from worrying and on to problem solving
•“survival of the busiest”—to decrease the likelihood of a thought, you have to just stop thinking it. Arguing against obsessions and worries only strengthens them.

•cortex makes up interpretations that could be true or false, when false it activates amygdala unnecessarily
•most people have frequent intrusive thoughts, OCD brain just focuses more on the meaning of thoughts (while they have no meaning), cortex creates interpretations that cause anxiety which reinforces the belief of being in danger
•amygdala has more influence and control over mood and feelings than cortex

•cortex creates thoughts, images and interpretations of sensory information (or without) that tells amygdala there is danger
•OCD brain tends to think thoughts=danger
•cognitive fusion: believing in the absolute truth of mere thoughts (so that’s what’s driving me crazy for 30 years omg)
•do not take every thought seriously, cortex is gaslighting me

•worry and obsessions
•pathway 1: thalamus->amygdala, fast reaction to danger and threat, pathway 2: thalamus->cortex->amygdala, cortex processes sensory info first
•OCD brain focus on ways of reducing anxiety rather than reducing intrusive thoughts
•neuroplasticity