- Date posted
- 3y
- User type
- NOCD Alumni
- Date posted
- 3y
Hi Acronym1l, OCD can latch onto anything and make you doubt it. The fact that your intrusive thoughts can feel so real is why this illness can be such a struggle, because sometimes it is very hard to tell what is real or not. You said this was your first theme, but has come back with a vengeance. Is there any specific event or thought that cause this to come back so severe? Have you tried using the same ERP exercises or sitting with uncertainty that you used before to manage it? I have had many of my themes that I thought were under control flare up again due to stress or some event and then taper off with ERP/ telling my thoughts “so what” about whatever they wanted definitive answers on. If you have been doing very well recently and not dwelling in doubt and feeding your OCD bully, this may be its way of lashing out to get your attention since it knows it can, as you mentioned it was so hard to get over. Whatever you used to get your SOCD under control last time, try doing that again. Just remember you are not your intrusive thoughts. If your OCD tells you what if you never liked any of your past crushes, tell it maybe you didn’t maybe you didnt, you can’t change the past so what does it matter if you know if you did or not. Try not to actively deny or acknowledge the intrusive thought, which I know you know is easier said than done, just let them pop up tell them “yeah whatever I’m going about my life” and try not to give them any more time or power over you. Ultimately, try to tell your ocd, “I’m me, I can like whomever I want to like, either way I’m still me and you can’t change that. I don’t owe you an answer, because you’re going to make me doubt myself either way so I’m done listening to you, good bye.” Stay strong, you have overcome this before and you can do so again. Practice your ERP and don’t give attention or dwell on the OCD bully’s thoughts or doubts, as difficult as it may be. You can do this.
- Date posted
- 3y
Thank you so much for the advices!
- User type
- NOCD Alumni
- Date posted
- 3y
@Anonym1l - Take care of yourself and glad I could help.
Related posts
- Date posted
- 25w
hi i’m a lesbian! and i have known im a lesbian for a really long time and i have a sweet girlfriend of 1 year. it all started when i saw this masc lesbian come out as straight, after that i had my guy friend over and he’s a sweet guy and he was flirting with me (he didn’t know i was gay) im not sure but i panicked and my brain froze and i was like “do i like him”, ever since my brain has been over worked 24/7 for 2 months now and it’s spiralling constantly. im trying to control it but all these thoughts are so disgusting and my brain tries to put him and i in scenarios that make me uncomfortable and i feel panic and i hate it. i have always been comfortable being a lesbian and i still am comfortable as a lesbian, but i dislike these thoughts i have about him and men and i want it to be over. i do not want to experiment with men even tho my brain is telling me i do, i find it disgusting and i dread it, i have a sweet girlfriend and i want to be with her forever, i do not imagine anything with any men and i hate these thoughts. im scared of becoming bisexual/straight one day and i hate hearing sexuality is fluid. its a whole mix of comphet and so-ocd
- Date posted
- 21w
Last night I took my meds to help me sleep and I kept waking up throughout the night with thoughts like “I’m really a lesbian now” or “I’m ok with it now, this is what I prefer”. I really feel like everyday for a couple of days now, I’ve woken up feeling more and more like my preferences have completely changed. The first few days was major anxiety, panic attacks, then I had a really bad double-bind and reversal spiral, and I became a little bit calmer since then. Now I feel like I’m managing the thoughts without anxiety or panic like I’m used to, but now it feels like I really want them and that I’m ok with it. Like I don’t care anymore. But the thing is, in between all of the mini spiral episodes I’ve had, I had these little moments of clarity like “I’m not giving up on my fantasies of men” or “I’ve always wanted men, that doesn’t just change”. But last night I’ve had really sexual dreams that I’m having trouble interpreting. I had one where I think it was me sleeping with a guy, but I woke up frantically because I think the roles got reversed, but I’m not sure. Another one I was a random woman with a husband, but I think the roles got reversed again so I woke up immediately. Both times it felt like arousal. Obviously I still care somewhat if I’m still here asking, but my brain or maybe me (I’m really not sure anymore) is telling me that I’m a lesbian now and I prefer it. It’s like I don’t care and want it now. It’s like I’m not even feeling confusion about it. I don’t know if it’s because of the meds, I’ve been distracted (family in town), because I’m in maybe quieter stages after two bad spiral episodes, or because I’ve really changed. It’s literally like I think being a lesbian will be enjoyable now but I don’t want that, even if my brain (and body apparently) keeps telling me that. I was told that ocd doesn’t change who you are, but now I’m worried that what I thought was background noise leading up to another spiral was suppressed self discovery (I’ve had two major soocd episodes in my life: late high school and now a few years later).
- Date posted
- 14w
I really need help understanding what I’m going through. For a long time now, I’ve been struggling with thoughts and feelings about women that confuse and scare me. Sometimes I feel this strange emotional or mental ‘pull’ toward certain women — it’s not exactly sexual, and not clearly romantic either, but it feels like something, and it triggers deep anxiety. When I see a beautiful woman or a WLW (woman-loving-woman) couple, I feel something that I can’t explain — sometimes I think it’s just admiration or aesthetic appreciation, but OCD keeps telling me: “You felt something, so you must be gay,” or “You’re hiding something.” I get stuck in endless loops, trying to analyze these moments and label them. Even when I feel physical or emotional reactions, they don’t feel natural or aligned with who I am. They feel like a reaction to the idea of women, not real attraction. I try to be honest with myself — I even told a friend I might be bisexual at some point, just to test if that felt more comfortable. But it didn’t. It made things worse, and I felt like I lost touch with who I am. I don’t want to lie to myself or live in denial, but I’m exhausted. It feels like I’m being mentally forced to feel something that isn’t mine. I’m 14, and I understand that things might still be developing, but I can’t help feeling like I’ve always been drawn to men, and never naturally wanted women that way. Still, I keep doubting everything. Is this real attraction or OCD feeding false feelings and thoughts? Can OCD create emotional or mental sensations that feel like desire? I’m so scared that I’ll lose myself, or find out something I never wanted. I just want peace and to feel like myself again.
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