- Date posted
- 3y
- Date posted
- 3y
Well that fear is understandable that’s for sure. I don’t experience it myself but I definitely get why that would mess with you
- Date posted
- 3y
Yep.
- Date posted
- 3y
How do you get over the fear?
- Date posted
- 3y
Yes! Half an hour ago 🤣
- Date posted
- 3y
I have found a good strategy is to intentionally do the opposite of what your OCD is telling you. So in this circumstance just let the intrusive thoughts be there and swallow the pills. If you can do it once, it will be much easier the next time.
- Date posted
- 3y
Okay I will try that thank you!
- Date posted
- 3y
but still I ate what I was afraid to eat
- Date posted
- 3y
Does it get easier each time you make yourself eat?
- Date posted
- 3y
For me it didn't work like that , if I hadn't taken meds I wouldn't be in that position I'm in in which I still get the thought but it doesn't seriously prevent me from living a normal every day life. If it's something that constantly occupies your mind and makes u question every thing u eat then ask for some help.
- Date posted
- 3y
For me the amount of stress I was experiencing defined how much the thought of me getting an allergy will turn into a compulsion. If I was super anxious or depressed the thought turned into compulsion - I didn't eat and started crying because I knew that im not ok- some other times I got the thought but yet I ate and was ok, some other times I ate and was waiting for the allergy to come. So for me meds made me stable
- Date posted
- 3y
That’s how I’ve been getting. I constantly have intrusive thoughts about anaphylaxis possiblinh happening. And I get so paralyzed by the anxiety and fear and I can’t even be alone bc I freak out if someone is not there to watch me. When I do eat food i constantly look in the mirror to make sure I’m not having an allergic reaction. Honestly the worse thing I’ve ever been through my ocd is getting so bad where I can’t even function or take care of myself
- Date posted
- 3y
I understand 100. I couldn't eat , sleep and I was having panic attacks every minute for many days because of OCD. I couldn't even breathe without instructions. Go to a therapist and try meds! And go to an allergiologist and take that test that tells you to which ingredients you might be allergic to. It shows everything! Then you will know and probably this will calm you down!
- Date posted
- 3y
@tinaant I agree with the therapy and meds part. But getting tested for allergies without medical cause would be a compulsion. It would also likely be very expensive because insurance probably wouldn't cover it. Getting tested for allergies without cause will only strengthen the intrusive thought and make OCD worse. Trying to argue, reason, or disprove an intrusive thought doesn't work. No matter how much evidence you find to the contrary, OCD will never be satisfied. It will ALWAYS come back with "Yeah, but what about ________? " the only way to break the cycle is by doing ERP.
- Date posted
- 3y
@Lms526 Yes I know I have experienced it myself! But if the OCD is not out of control maybe it can work! I don't know how medical insurance works in the us so I didn't take it into account. I haven't tried ERP myself so I cant tell. I know that meds saved my life. I don't think any therapy could have helped more effectively at this point I had reached back then.
Related posts
- Date posted
- 20w
I'm going to try and be coherent because I know that sometimes during these moments I tend to babble in fear. I have a mole on the left side of my chest that I've had since I was a kid. Been there for as long as I remember. And I never paid attention to it; it was just a part of my body. I even felt a little sad considering that I might not have it anymore whenever I get top surgery. Yesterday I went down a rabbit hole and landed on Melanoma. Which, of course, prompted me to look at my mole again. And again. And again. It's large, bigger than my other moles. Always has been, at least to my knowledge. I always thought it was cute whenever it crossed my mind. Now...now I'm just scared... I'm not asking for reassurance. None of us on here are medical experts (unless youre an actual doctor) (also insert OCD joke here). I sent a picture to my doctor, and she said that if it hasnt changed size that's a good sign. But she also suggested a follow-up with a dermatologist. And that's what scares me the most. All of this started yesterday, but I sent the message to my doctor this morning. And ever since then...I havent been okay. I can barely eat, and every time I try to I can barely swallow. I've isolated myself in the guest bedroom of my parents house. I cant move. I cant think straight. And...let's just say my thoughts havent been good. Like I said, I'm not asking for reassurance or medical advice. I just...I need help to not feel like I'm dying. I didnt mention that yesterday, in the midst of going down the rabbit hole, I realized how badly I didnt want to be afraid, and yet I also felt like I needed to be afraid. And I realized that that's what ERP is (at least for me in case it's different for everyone). I really did naivietely think that it was just going to be about avoiding compulsions. I didnt realize that accepting uncertainty would feel like a death sentence. And now this has happened. I just...I'm scared. And I dont want to be. I dont want to live in this reality where I'm sick and dying. I dont want to have to tell my family. I dont want to live in that world, but it feels like I'm already in it. My body is just preparing me for it. I dont know. I dont know why I'm even making this post. No one can help me, can they?
- Real Events OCD
- NOCD Therapy Alumni
- Existential OCD
- Young adults with OCD
- Mid-life adults with OCD
- Health Concern OCD
- Date posted
- 7w
This is going to sound so silly, but I’ve always wanted to try lip plumping glosses, just for fun! I love playing w makeup. Now the issue: I’m scared of the potential burning/tingling sensation. I deal with allergies and swelling lips was something I experienced as a kid during some of my more…traumatic reactions. I have big health OCD around allergies so I’m just scared of putting on the gloss and seeing my lips swell up bc of an allergy and maybe triggering a more serious reaction if it gets in my mouth. Idk how to deal with this…🥲 I could just,,, not wear them, but I also think I should choose that out of a personal choice and NOT bc of fear, you know?
- Date posted
- 11d
I know this may sound strange and this is no way meant to say people with autism are lesser or anything like that, but similarly to how i fear being gay even though I'm not homophobic and have no problem with gay people, I have a fear of being autistic. Everytime I see a list of autism symptoms online or a post on social media that's like if you do x you must be autistic I literally panic. I'm constantly monitoring my behaviour in case I show any signs and I'm always looking at old photos and videos of myself for the same reason. It's also annoying that I have a bad memory so I can't really rember if I did something in the past that definitely means I have autism. My brain keeps focusing on moments that could mean I have autism. Like if I misunderstood a joke one time in the past my brain keeps telling me that's a sign I didn't understand a social cue so I must have autism, even though there are probably countless times I have been fine with social cues, its just I can't remember. I have also had a time in the past where a therapist brought up I could potentially look into seeing If I have autism, but I just keep telling myself she said potentially and she only brought it up because of one potential sign and not a whole list of signs. My only reassurance is that I've never had anyone mention any autistic like behaviour to me or my parents when I was little and I keep asking my family if I showed any particular signs of autism and they keep saying no, but knowing my family they wouldn't have noticed even if I did. I just feel so scared and so guilty. There is nothing wrong with having autism just as there is nothing wrong with being gay, it's just so scary to me though, I really dont want to have autism and don't know why I just don't. Does anyone else feel the same?
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