- Date posted
- 3y ago
- Date posted
- 3y ago
I’ve struggled with this type of Existential OCD before and still stuggle. It’s a tough thought process that mixes in with my suicidal OCD theme petsonally, so I can relate with the theme mixing in with your harm ocd. Just want you to know you’re not the only one stiggling with thus type
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 3y ago
I struggle a lot with this as well and it helps me to think 1) "so what" and 2) that not every potential "what if" scenario is bad. Not every thought that pops up has to have a negative feeling attached to it. Let's just say for the heck of it that nothing is real and this is a simulation (which is extremely unlikely, but let's just pretend that it's true). That thought isn't required to be scary or bad. In this life, or "simulation," I have had many laughs, lots of delicious meals, I haven't died once (lol), and I've met so many kind and loving people and I'm willing to bet that you've experienced some of these joys as well no matter how small they may be. On the extreme off chance that life as we know it is not real, that does not inherently mean that whatever "life" is is a bad or harmful thing. I don't know for certain if everything is real or not, but so what? I have enjoyed so much of what I've experienced and I will continue to do so. And so can you, friend. I feel your struggle, but it really does get easier. I've had the same thoughts you have and you're not alone. You will have better days.
- Date posted
- 3y ago
I experience the same thing. I’ve gotten so much better and one of the biggest things that helped me just saying “so what” go all of those thoughts. Accepting that I literally will never know the answer. It all might be real, it all might be fake. I’ll never know. And it doesn’t really matter. I just try to shrug the thoughts off as if they were a high dude at a party trying to get me to go down some trippy rabbit hole with him. Maybe he’s right, maybe he’s just high. Who’s to say? Definitely not me so I don’t give power to the thoughts or waste my energy finding answers to things I will never have certainty about. Hang in there. I know it can be so so terrifying. Just know there is hope. If I can handle these thoughts better, you can too.
- Date posted
- 3y ago
This is from an article about the GOOD PLACE- a show on NBC. Solipsism (thinking only you exist) "pretty juvenile" form of philosophy, and that she might as well be nice to people in case she's wrong and her entire reality isn't a figment of her imagination. "Why not treat them better just in case they're real?" he says. "What do you have to lose by treating people with kindness and respect?" She's receptive: "Keep talking, probably-fake-but-maybe-real philosopher man." Always, it's just a silly skit from a TV show but I found it comforting.
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 3y ago
You’re definitely not alone, dealing with both themes myself!
- Date posted
- 3y ago
I am dealing with the existential theme and have been since June. It’s what finally pushed me to properly get diagnosed and start medication. Please know you’re not alone! When I start to feel unreal and have derelization and depersonalization it’s horrible. My psychiatrist said to try “grounding techniques” note 3 things you can smell, see, and touch
Related posts
- Date posted
- 18w ago
That’s kinda my question. All my thoughts feel so realistic and so now I doubt if they are ocd and if I just can’t make my mind up about something and I’m using ocd as an excuse or something idc I feel like this post is word vomit.
- Date posted
- 10w ago
So, I know my capacity to get fixated on things. And it's normally something that's relatively remote but, my latest issue is really getting to me and I was wondering if people have any advice. I'm avoiding getting too into specifics, as I don't want this to get reassurance-y but, in essence.. I came to the realisation recently that people who I'd been "friends" (feels like the wrong term now) when I was younger were not very nice people, and normalized a lot of very unpleasant behaviour towards other members of the group. They really normalized it, sold themselves as figures of authority, as older and more responsible and grown-up than others, and looking back, they acted horribly. And coming to this realisation, that I'd been manipulated into just accepting their behaviour has just... broken me. My OCD has latched onto it and I can't stop feeling irreversibly tainted by it. I've talked to others about it, and they've reassured me, told me it's not a big deal and that I hold myself to too high a standard, but none of that sticks. I feel better for a bit, then think 'Maybe when you told them you were skewing it to make yourself look better' or 'Did you leave out a crucial detail'. I keep ruminating over and over, trying to remember exactly how everything played out, trying to figure out if I fed into the behaviour, if I did something bad myself (because y'know, I feel like I was accepting of it at the time, so what does it say about my own values?). I know I need to stop doing all this if I want to improve, but then some part of me keeps saying 'So, you're just going to let yourself off the hook then?' Normally, I can rationalize my own fears to some degree, assure myself something won't happen, but the realness of the situation, and the fact I only came to understand the reality of it because the thought had been bothering me means it feels so much more all-encompassing. I know confessing in itself is a compulsion, but I keep feeling that if I'm not I'm somehow concealing what I 'really am' from others around me, and any positive interactions are me deceiving them in some way. I feel like I can't enjoy anything in life right now, and a good part of me feels I should not enjoy it ever again. If anybody has any advice on it, I'm all ears. Or even hearing if you relate to these feelings, I might appreciate the solidarity at least.
- Date posted
- 8w ago
Hi guys! I’m new to the community and I’ve recently received my OCD diagnosis (tho I’ve known about it since childhood). I’ve been somewhat spiraling lately as I wait for my first ERP session (hooray!) I was just wondering if any of you guys have received ERP for existential OCD and if it was successful? My existential OCD compulsions are more so mental and have been affecting me in the sense of dream/memory flashbacks and giving me a sort of “uncanny” feeling about everything around me. Any advice is appreciated! Thank you❤️
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