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How not to be afraid of OCD coming back after you recover? I've already done that, but I can't find strength to do it again.

Is this normal? I’ve been with my boyfriend for 5 months and he makes me so happy and is the best boyfriend i’ve ever had. He literally worships the ground l walk however i can’t help but doubt my own feelings for him. I obsess over everything to do with him and it’s making me depressed. I keep asking my friends and mum if I love him when deep down i know i do it just feels stuck somewhere. I feel like i’m stuck in a bubble. Is this just relationship anxiety and ocd?

does anyone’s ocd make them think that they committed a crime in the past? like they can visualize it but deep down u know u didn’t? ugh this is awful, just want to make sure i’m not a freak :(

Guys, look up serotonin by girl in red right now!!!! I just heard it on the radio, it’s a song about OCD! I almost cried when I heard it! Let’s keep spreading awareness!!!!! 💜

Is anyone available to talk? I’m having some scary thoughts but more importantly scary weird “happy” responses and I’m begging please I need to talk to someone

I'm in a phase of rocd where I can't feel anymore anxiety, or anything else. But now, I can't understand anymore what I really want, and what ocd makes me think I want! Do you guys have some tips?

Is it possible to have ‘false realisation’? Because sometimes I feel so convinced that I’m gay and that I’ve just realised it. :/

I need to say this once again, don't do your compulsions. Letting go of my compulsions certainly opened a door to long term relief. I used to grab onto any compulsions I could, let it be google searching, ruminating or seeking reassurance. Recently, I've been doing my best in resisting my urges, and the upsides are extraordinary. Though I would fail to resist once in a while, one fail doesn't indicate complete failure. This is a long journey, I don't have to worry about small mistakes. Recently, my thoughts have been about harming myself to _____, but hey, it doesn't matter. Today, I was triggered by a tiktok I'be stumbled upon, but I was ruminating way less than previous episodes. Nowadays, I never google search or seek reassurance from others. Though it's hard to let go of rumination, progress is progress and I'm doing great 👍 Compulsions are the reason your OCD is alive, by letting go of them, you are opening the door to immense relief, for the long term. It may not be full recovery for me, but I can still carry on day-to-day chores and live my life! ❤️ Easier said than done, but it doesn't have to all happen overnight. Keep trying, resist your compulsions until the urge subsides, then you'll realise that you don't need compulsions, you are fine on your own.

Someone told me about a psychologist who had great success with ocd by eliminating mental compulsions, as by his theory without compulsions there is no ocd. He had a lot of great points about rumination and mental compulsions but I forgot his name, can someone help me?

I don’t know what to do. I’m so so scared I’m in denial. 7 years now this theme has been plaguing me on and off but what if I am just making ocd an excuse? I just want to be with my boyfriend, I don’t think I want to be with women but what if deep down I do? I’m really struggling. I’m so sorry. I don’t want to reassurance seek but I feel like I can’t even help it at this point.

I just want to wake up one day and not have intrusive thoughts anymore

I just did ERP with coming out later in life videos, and it made me scared that one day I realise that all these ocd / attraction in reality are real. Anyway guys, the answer is always the same May be - may be not The important thing is to stop ruminating non tonsolve our sexual orientation Have a good day

My partner and I have been kind of exploring the intimate side of us lately and it’s good, we talk about what we like and what we want to try. I feel like I’m finally letting myself be sexual again without going nuts. But what’s scary is that’s there’s things I like that I never really thought of before that I want to try with my boyfriend and I’m worried that with time the more I explore with my boyfriend I’ll realize I want more and that he won’t satisfy me anymore or I’ll realize I was never actually into him but actually into women. I also get scared because I love the fantasies in my head but I pick apart at his appearance when looking at him and it makes me feel guilty. In my fantasies we’re both perfect because I’m not thinking of every little detail, just the general idea of us together but in person I notice and feel like I have to like everything about him from head to toe. I’m just scared… I want to let go and explore with him more but I don’t want to leave him behind

Did any one else see Taylor swift’s all too well short film? I have pocd. So while I was watching it all I cousin think was I wish I could be normal and fall in love and experience all these things in life casue im so scared of everything about relationships and I just wanna be normal but I everyday I get moments where it feels too real ya know

Lately I've been trying not to get hung up on my dreams. I've been trying to find every reason not to, but the dream I just woke up from turned so horrible so fast. It started with a girl rejecting me and my reaction was deplorable. I stood there shocked that she could say no to me, isn't that concerning? The situation escalated pretty quickly, and at the end a woman basically told me that I'm being spied on. It was all a mess that wasn't even the catalyst. I know it's just a dream, but the people in my dreams seem so real. I can't believe I behaved the way I did. I'll be ruminating on this forever now.

How do you stop from trying to figure out a memory, there’s one memory that can’t figure out or fully know, and I know I should stop, but I don’t know how

One word. Trust.

Can ocd make you feel like you arent yourself anymore

I remember being little and complaining to my mom that I could feel my bones. Anyone else have this experience? Also I realized recently that I’ve always used counting to help with anxiety, because I used to be terrified of death and the meaning of life and when I would panic about it I would count. And I had never really thought about it before, it’s just something I did.

Well I really thought this was ocd for 10 years but I’m realizing I’ve been in denial this whole time what made me hang on to it so long I think was because at one point I did like girls but with how much avoiding I do now and the suicidal thoughts at hand how much I don’t want to show my face hats off to the actual gay people out there takes some serious guts to come out that will be my next part of my journey not looking for response here just needed somewhere to vent I really hope you all find peace though!

I just thought of a challenge for everyone, when we’re triggered and want to open this app to seek reassurance or announce that we are triggered, let’s open a game app instead and play 5 mins until you’re relaxed some and can continue your day

There is nothing wrong with you. You have a fear of uncertainty. That fear can fade when you realize that uncertainty is unavoidable, people without OCD are faced with the same level of uncertainty as you! I believe in you!

Does anyone get stuck on a specific intrusive thought that continues for days and days that it’s just in the back of your head? I can’t get it out of my head that idk if I would enjoy having sex with a women and I can’t get it out of my head. I keep trying to figure it out but I know that’s bad. But how would I know the truth if I’ve never done it? This is so hard.

Erp excerises for trans ocd?

Message of hope for those with rOCD* I experienced severe rOCD for the first 6 months if this year and it almost crippled my relationship with my partner. But through therapy through NOCD, alongside support from my family and partner and medication I have basically completely recovered and have been feeling so good for the last 4 months. I had a session with my psychiatrist this morning and be said that I had recovered so well that I could look at coming off medication very slot at the start of next year which I am really happy about because I am having some annoying aide effects. So, I want you to know this... No matter what your mind is telling you, if you have been diagnosed with rOCD, or if you think you might have it, you can get through it. At my worst, I completely lost track of reality for a period of time, I absolutely hated myself and truly believed that I would never feel better or love anyone ever again. But through persistence and hard work, I did the ERP and worked on myself and I have come through the otherside. Undoubtedly there will be set backs, but I plan to deal with those as I did with this period. I wasn't always kind to myself, but please be kind to yourself. OCD is so challenging, but if I can get through it, so can you 🙏❤️

Has anyone read “BrainLock” by Jefferey Schwartz? What was one thing you learned from it?

How frequently do people do erp? I do it once or twice a week in session, and my therapist has told me to do the amount I can but that’s rather vague to me and she won’t give me specific targets. For me personally it would be motivating to here what amounts others have done that have really worked. I hear after 12 sessions people experience significant improvement but I’m wondering, does that include a lot of out-of-session therapy? Thanks

Is anyone only diagnosed with OCD tendencies + other disorders Rather than OCD itself?

is mindfulness good or bad? should i keep doing it?

hello everyone! i havent been here for a while, and i am just here to tell you that i have overcame my obsessions!! trust me, it does get better. i did my exposures, felt scary at first, but it got better. then, any time i would get an intrusive thought, i would ignore it and it would go away on its own. no compulsions at all. i am at least 2 and half weeks "clean" from my thoughts and they no longer bother me. i feel so free and as soon as i started getting better, i started getting the clarity. i hope this will be your motivation to keep going because it really does get better. ive had this obsession for 5 months. 5 months of hell. now i am doing great and im so happy. please, never give up. all the hard work will lead you to where am i. you may relapse, i did too few times, but remember, recovery is not linear. you will have ups and downs. but its all worthy in the end. sending much love and support to everyone struggling!

“Stop researching every aspect of it and reading all about it and debating the pros and cons of it. Start doing it.” -Jocko Willnik

My OCD doesn’t fit into a neat box. It started as concern about my sexuality, then the next summer it was a concern about being different around my family versus my friends, then the next summer it was the belief that I was a sociopath and bad person who didn’t care about others. Now, I’m 29, and convicted in my belief that I am an anti-social, mean person. I wake up everyday and deal with this. I do my current exposure, I try my best to stay present and engage with what is relevant, but I fall down into a depression because my inside world is screaming and I can’t share it. I’m scared that I will always have these breakdowns because my inner world is always begging to escape. Trying to avoid reassurance while also just seeking not to feel so alone.

Happy Sunday, my fellow OCDers! I just wanted to remind you all that you’re strong as heck for being here. This is NOT an easy disorder to live with. So, a self-compassion reminder that we’re all hurting and none of you are alone. We’re all humans here ♥️

i hate how alone existential ocd makes me feel. and i hate that i can’t prove the thoughts and ideas wrong (because they’re philosophical concepts).

what to do when you see a trigger?

Does hocd ever feel like your kind of fantasizing?....

Everyday I wake up and it feels as tho I want to be with a man....how can this be hocd 😔

Your anxiety due to ocd is not your sexual orientation. Start solving the first😉

“Breathing in, I calm body and mind. Breathing out, I smile. Dwelling in the present moment I know this is the only moment.” -Thich Nhat Hanh

“People have a hard time letting go of their suffering. Out of a fear of the unknown, they prefer suffering that is familiar.” -Thich Nhat Hanh

“To be beautiful means to be yourself. You don’t need to be accepted by others. You need to accept yourself.” -Thich Nhat Hanh

What's your reason for fighting? I want to be more present with God and with neighbor. I want to be a good example for those who look up to me. I want to have the energy to do more good. How about you?

I don't understand what's intrusive thoughts like what are thoughts and what does the intrusive mean I'm really confused

Over the last few years I started to drink every evening to 'turn my mind off' it may sound obvious that in that time my OCD has gotten subtly worse with me blaming everything but the alcohol. 3 weeks so alcohol to get fitter and I see a nice difference in the stickiness of thoughts. Has anyone else noticed the impact of alcohol (the day after) on symptoms?

i cant stop lookin up am i bi videos and i am so stressed that i feel sick. i feel like what if i have been my whole life and just didnt realize. it all feels too real that i think it probably is.

Brothers and sisters what a beautiful thing it is to trust completely in God and move forward into uncertainty and to trust the therapy He has sent our way knowing that He holds our hand and never let's go leading us towards Him every step we dare take forward! Glory be to God amen.

Does anyone struggle with the obsession that you’re destined to end up in jail? It’s driving me crazy and making me wonder what the heck I would do, which leads me to more obsessing. I hate it.

Any other typically straight women triggered by masculine women? I am in such a bad loop right now I don’t even know what to think.

I feel like I get my thoughts and feelings twisted......😔

all my meds are empty and I'm supposed to get prescribed new ones this week. my psychiatrist was supposed to have a phone chat meeting with me and canceled since it was Thanksgiving week. I was talking to my bsf and I heard my little cousin in the background and got triggered and I'm trying not to have an anxiety attack. Any suggestions?

my POCD played New tricks on me again today, I'm really in the worst of it when things were going better! Yesterday I was in sport and I saw a 12/13 year old girl dressed like a sexy adult, I don't know why but I wanted to watch her, it obsessed me, in the evening I did not take it into account but in the morning I woke up in panic because I dreamed that she was flirting with me. I had the misfortune/error to do my compulsions on checking tiktok and I saw the videos of a girl born in 2008 who really looked like an adult with the makeup, the posture, the shapes of the body even her face I find it rather built! I can't stop thinking about it, and i'm very scared. What if I was really attracted? I was already afraid of being attracted to people aged 17-18 but here I'm really panicking!!!

“Don’t expect to be motivated every day to get out there and make things happen. You won’t be. Don’t count on motivation. Count on discipline.” -Jocko Willnik

Are there any other Christians struggling with Real Event OCD? Specifically being able to differentiate between if it’s the OCD making me feel like I need to confess to more people or if it’s actually guilt coming from the Holy Spirit that is trying to convict me so that I will talk with elders in the church or something, etc.? For a tad more information in case it helps you respond to me- The “real event” wasn’t any action(s) that I committed. It was just thoughts/feelings that I had that were inappropriate. I never acted on them and never would. I even prayed them away when I had them at times, but I don’t think it’s fair to call them intrusive either. I feel like they were my thoughts/feelings. I already confessed to my husband 728734 times and will be talking to a counselor in January (first she had available), but in the mean time I am struggling very, very badly. It’s led me to being very depressed and my mind constantly swirling like a tornado. It’s also led to lots of other “themes”… also, I’m new to OCD. I’ve only been seen in the past professionally very briefly for “general anxiety” although it’s starting to become clear to me that I’ve had OCD all along.

I finally have a logical explanation on my ongoing ocd real events. My brain is calmer rn but after an hour it comes back with guilt thoughts and I have to explain myself I’m not that guilty how my brain wants me to be, this has worked for me for a couple of hours today now.. I feel a bit of relief

QUESTION: Do you find your OCD works in cycles? i.e~ Good for a week or so then comes back for a week or so. Looking for input.

I know I don’t know any of you personally but I’m so thankful to have this community. ♥️

Hey, I would love some advice on how people stay discipline with doing their exposures and resisting their compulsions. I really do believe erp and NOCD really works but it’s hard to stay disciplined when your whole mind is against you, especially on the days you feel like you don’t deserve treatment. I understand ERP is a behavioral treatment and it’s about doing the exercises regardless of how you feel. Would love some tips on how everyone stays disciplined!

anyone else feel their ocd intrusive thoughts get worse at night during the night and then when they first wake up?

QOTD: “What if it could turn out better than you could ever imagine”. A lot of the times recovering from OCD is spent wishing for your old life and in negative thinking and we often forget how great the future could and will be. Today lets forget the negative thoughts and focus on positive ones! We only got one life lets make it amazing.

Great my OCD has been triggered again because I read 'If you're not sexually attracted to someone you should let them go' but im not really ready for stuff like that and I want to take things slow since I've never had sex before

I'm getting mad at my ocd. But it seems like that's making it worse. But why though? Isn't disagreeing with it good? cuz I'm not believing what it says?

Reminder to never give in to your compulsions. I know you are desperate for relief, but it's really not worth giving in. Instead, resist until the urge falls, then you'll realise that compulsions aren't necessary.

Am i doing ERP correctly? I am doing ERP as I type this (shit maybe I should be online right now) but one thought occured to me as im bringing these images to my head. Am I supposed to tell myself I like them and sit with them? What if that changes my whole perspective on what I'm trying to avoid lmao. Or do I tell myself i might like it? Do I stick with my values and just ride the thought out? And also last question, should I keep trying to pull disturbing thoughts into my head? I feel like when I do that I create new disturbing thoughts because I overthink when doing ERP. Unfortunately I can't afford a therapist and I'm going off of things I read online so id rly appreciate some help :(

I removed gluten from diet, m ocd free within 1 week. I sufferred for 20 yrs, tried everything imaginable.

Can ocd make you question whether you like or hate someone like your mother and then that ties into my big overall harm theme. It’s really scary cause the unconditional love that I felt for her has now been replaced by the realness that I don’t love her and I hate her. Does anyone else go through this?

Does online relationships also count in the spectrum of ROCD? I've been dating her online for almost 3 years now and I've had my ups and downs fighting my OCD. Sometimes it's there and sometimes it's gone for a short span of weeks. I know I do love her even if I don't see her everyday. It is down to a choice, which I chose to love her.

I’ve noticed that zI have a really big issue with following the crowd. Even with things I’m certain in their moral wrongness or rightness if most people agree with one opinion, I’ll agree and see their point. Then if they switch their mind I’ll see their point and do the same thing. How can I stop this? It creates so much guilt. Any help is deeply appreciated!

im medicated but my ocd keeps telling me that i dont need it cuz i dont actually have ocd. so i havent been taking it as often as i should be. does anyone know how combat this feeling? any tips?

I feel guilty after doing a compulsion

I haven’t had pocd in a few months if not a year, but i was on tik tok last night and there was this cute kid and my brain goes “you find that kid attracted.” which i don’t and then i got a groinal response, but i’m going to accept uncertainty! anyone else get this?

My harm ocd and sexual intrusive thoughts are so bad that i cant even look at somebody attractive anymore without thinking i might do something bad to them. Its really destroying me right now smh

Any Christians with ocd? It’s really been attacking my faith

There’s apart of me that is really scared to heal. Obviously I want to heal deep down but change is so scary to me at this point I’ve been living with it for so long what would life be like without it. Idk that sounds weird cuz it’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to me but idk. Does anyone feel the same ?

Why don’t I have a crush? Is there something wrong with me? Like I got close to a guy but then lost feelings completely. Idk he just wasn’t my type and it gets me stressing out like what if that means what my ocd is telling me. I can’t stop thinking about it

I kept telling myself over and over again… that I wasn’t in love with him… I kept telling myself I wanted to break up to see my reaction but now it’s like I don’t have a reaction anymore that ROCD has disappeared… yesterday I kept hearing my brain say ex or feeling like I truly wanted to run… it’s like I am in denial everyday… I don’t like this… 😞 I don’t wanna feel this way I have moments where I feel love and I’m happy…. But why can’t I feel that way all the time… I feel too normal TOO NORMAL… I hate it…

Any tips for harm ocd centered towards a loved one, like for me is my mother. Any tips for when it feels real and like your actually going to act on your thoughts and that really terrifies you.

pocd tw sometimes the shock and disgust of pocd triggers can feel like excitement and arousal! very distressing and hard to navigate.

TW* I think even if I had not developed hocd I still wouldve found out Im gay. I think i accidentally got hocd, at first thats what I thought It was but a year and half later its not it. Every morning and throughout the day I get these small realizations that I am gay and once I accept it most my problems will be solved. It also explains why during all my interactions with women before ocd I felt strange feelings and some other weird unexplained thoughts that I used to get. It all makes sense. Im just depressed and feel anxiety about this all man. I dont know what to do. Im wasting so much time, someone please talk to me

Hi everyone! Well.....I have been doing my erp religiously the last couple of weeks and yesterday I had an epiphany whilst walking along the beach!!!!! I realised all of a sudden that this is all OCD and nothing else! It was amazing ! Today I have continued with my erp but it hasnt taken me half as long. The thoughts were feeling a little more 'real' today but I am persevering! Does anyone else have moments like this when you get clarity? I am determined to keep feeling well from this moment on and will keep doing the erp no matter how hard it is. Although the thoughts seemed more 'real' today I know eventually I will not feel like this as I will be able to let them pass. Anyone else want to share their story with erp? Thank you!!!!!! Together we will beat this! Xx

Was stressing about my OCD a lot, staying up researching it and now I feel that it is too early in the morning for me to become tired and sleep, anyone else gone through this?

Ocd such a lier it will make you doubt yourself, it will let live in a fear of things that happened or the things will never happen, it ruin the past and present and future, but i will defeat that ocd

Does anyone else wish they could go into a coma? I don’t want to die I just don’t want to be awake or aware. I want that level of unconsciousness where you don’t even dream

does anyone else get psychical symptoms because of the anxiety? i get tummy aches and nausea..~

Today, I promise to let go of doubts, intrusive thoughts, images, urges, and feelings. Today, my theme song is LET IT GO cuz the STORM DOESNT BOTHER ME ANYWAY 🤣

Hey everyone, I think that I have the sexual orientation ocd, Ik I’m a lesbian, but I doubt it when I think a guy is handsome, I’ve read about it and it turned out that it’s called “aesthetic attraction” which means being attracted to the looks, but I still keep imagining weather I wanna be with a sexual relationship with a guy or not (although Ik I don’t want to be in one) and the thought keeps reoccurring, if someone have this type ocd, can they help me please

Lets have a great day today! Lets focus on ourselves and make choices for you not your OCD! Lets say thanks for all the hardwork weve done today!

Took four years but finally finished my fantasy book. Ocd made it extremely difficult but it’s done.

Why does harm ocd make you feel dangerous like your going to snap at any given moment and you can’t even trust yourself and it all just feels very real and like you want to be this evil person?

I’m having a huge ocd episode rn because I fell asleep and woke up feeling very tired but because I felt ‘off’ my ocd didn’t like that and is going absolutely crazy rn. I think it’s also from eating too much sugar but I keep getting thoughts like “this is going to happen” “it will happen” right before I fall asleep it’s scaring the crap out of me. I wake up and I feel like I’m gonna have a huge panic attack. And my ocd is like “you’re gonna go crazy” Can anyone plz help? :(

What’s a phrase or anything in general that helped you when your harm OCD or OCD in general was giving you a hard time? Something that motivates you to know that we will overcome this!

Ok so I’ve been struggling with ROCD. I found my old Nintendo DS and I’ve been playing Pokémon on it. Idk why but it has like drastically reduced ocd symptoms. Like I feel like I’m putting a lot of obsessive energy into the game like I have to do things in an order in the game. Just wanted to share with y’all.

The toughest thing ive come to realize in OCD recovery is that the thoughts don’t go away. We can get to the point where we are comfortable and happy with our recovery but the thoughts never go away and every once and a while they slip and itll cause u too react. Just something ive noticed.

It feels like my intrusive thoughts are mostly all my mind can think of now. I don’t even remember things that i use to think of in different situations

Does anyone get it when you always feel like your lieing to yourself you say something head makes you feel different or constant same thing tell you you want certain things and you don’t so you baiscally arguing withy your head to shut up

Does exercising/ eating healthy help ocd & anxiety?

i think i’m relapsing. i also believe i developed tocd because i have questioned my gender and pronouns in the past but afterwards felt content with being a girl. i even told myself “if i ever develop tocd, just know it’s JUST tocd”. i spiralled from watching compulsively watching lgbtq+ tiktoks of people being in denial. help. these past weeks i’ve been convinced i had a crush on this girl but i just didn’t have any energy to do anything about it. this just proves it’s true. :(

Reminder: we usually forget but there is no reason why you must not have flaws. You’re allowed to make mistakes. And judge those mistakes without judging your totality as a human being. Because you’re far too complex for that. I think people with Ocd tend to make a bad choice and then think of themselves as bad. And there’s this conflict because we don’t want to accept we’re bad but we see the mistake as bad. Accept the mistake and don’t rate your entire self because of it. Black and white thinking is really hard to shake but you have to because the world is full of gray area. And there’s freedom in that.

Mindful meditation help for ocd intrusive thoughts? If so any good apps? Thanks. Happy Thanksgiving to all.

Is it normal for a person rocd to feel like they are bored at their partner in the call?

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!! I hope everyone has a blessed day and remember you are not alone! Don’t let OCD ruin your day! God bless you all 🙏🏻🦃🍁