I usually post something sad, hopeless and questioning hoping people are feeling my same pain. Today I would like to hear from those with hope. Even if its just in the moment of writing this. Share so much love on this Friday. 💜💚

Hi. I have rocd, and the last months were an hell. Last week FOR 4 DAYS IN A ROW I was really happy, enjoying time with my bf, want to be with him, want to hug him and everything!! WITHOUT HAVING THOUGHT OR ANXIETY! Now I'm in bad feelings again, but I was really really happy that that happened!😁

I have come to the realization that the lessons we can learn from OCD can be priceless. That usually people with OCD are kind and insightful. That the fact that we get disgusted with certain thoughts it's proof that we aren't and we will never be in agreement with them. Which tells me that we are not our thoughts! Even when they feel so intense we are not the and they are just thoughts. We are becoming more resilient people. People with more understanding. People that understand what is like to suffer what in turns makes us more empathetic towards others. And one more thing. We don't need fixing! We aren't bad or broken. We just have a condition that's difficult to handle sometimes. So when we think: "if I could just stop thinking about this I will be ok" is a lie because we are ok. We were ok all along. And what I mean is that we aren't bad or horrible or disgusting. We just need to realize it in the middle of a thousand intrusive thoughts that we are good, valuable, worthy and amazing individuals. Yes, all of us! So to all my brothers and sisters that have OCD you are stronger than what you think. Let's not give up. Let us be compassionate towards ourselves as we are towards others.

I didn't know I had OCD until a few months ago. So I went untreated for 37 years. I started treatment is August at age 45. The period just prior to starting treatment was an incredibly dark time. I felt hopeless and wondered if things would ever get better for me. I had done years of talk therapy and never made any progress. But I trusted my NOCD therapist right off the bat. She was kind and empathetic and assured me she could help me. Trust is incredibly hard for me. So for me to trust someone so easily was huge. I made more progress in 3 weeks than I did in about 10 years of talk therapy. Doing exposures was brutal and hard. There were times when I wanted to quit. I got discouraged. I still have bad days. For awhile, I felt guilty because my OCD is considered moderate. I felt like I should stop treatment and let someone whose symptoms are more severe take my place. I know I will continue to have good and bad days. I feel like I am back in control and can handle anything OCD throws my way. I am also incredibly grateful and thankful for my friendship with M. We live in different parts of the country but keep in touch via Messenger. She has OCD and has been so encouraging and supportive. She instinctively understands what I am thinking and feeling. She says I have done the same for her. I have been blessed with some truly incredible and supportive friends. But none of them have OCD. I thank God for NOCD. I have made more progress than I ever dreamed possible.