It’s a lovely Saturday, so if you have any questions for someone that’s recovered from every OCD theme under the sun, send me those questions below! 🥳

False Memories?

You have to accept something might/might not happen and/or you did or didn’t do something and go about your daily routine.

How do you feel is the best way to handle intense intrusive images about an on going event you're attending when it's the last thing you'd ever want?

Like what type of ongoing event?

@Nica A funeral

@capn Funerals are always hard because of the mourning you’re going through. Give yourself some grace but let the thoughts be there. There’s plenty of people that have intrusive thoughts during funerals because it’s so difficult to bear.

@Nica Thanks for the response

Congrats on recovering! My biggest fear is being a bad person (moral scrupulosity ocd). Any tips on how to get over such a strong obsession?

I’ll say it once: bad people don’t care they are bad. Now you must accept that you might/might not be a bad person and continue with your daily life. Obsessing makes things worse. And if you do something bad, don’t make excuses. Do better and get better.

@Nica Thank you for the response. Have you ever struggled with this and did it ever get better for you?

I suffer from all sorts of ocd types. I believe I did something wrong and then suffer with extreme guilt until I can confess or reassure everything will be okay. Until another worry pops up. Idk what to do with this extreme guilt

Seek out advice from one or two people but other than that, stop yourself from seeking reassurance. You know it only makes things worse.

I also struggle with extreme guilt. My therapist told me it’s actually a compulsion in my case but I’m still figuring out how to stop it. You aren’t alone though. Guilt is absolutely horrible.

How did you get over the POCD theme & what was your recovery like? or do you still get those thoughts?

I still have it and will always have it but I have accepted the uncertainty of OCD overall and I let the thoughts, feelings, and images be there. They alway go away eventually. POCD is the worst of them, so I suggest getting into ERP therapy as soon as possible.

@Nica im in therapy through this app! im hoping to one day feel okay again no matter what my thoughts are:/

@Anonymous_234 Keep working on it! It took me a few years to recover 😁

once you’re healed from pocd do you start feeling like everything’s back in place like it used to be? such as like now you can look back and laugh bc you know that you’d never do that & that it was all ocd trying to trick you the whole time?

I don’t think the theme is what you should try to focus on overcoming but the ocd thought patterns.

Nothing has ever been “back in place” since I have a bunch of other mental illnesses, including childhood trauma from abuse. Don’t look at “going back to things were” or “being cured” because that won’t happen. You’re a different person and you’ve changed, but that doesn’t mean anything bad. I’d be more concerned did you never changed in your life.

how to know if it’s ROCD or just a dead relationship

Do you feel like a completely different person after recovery? I mean, do you look at past you and think, who was that? (Don't worry, you won't give me reassurance of any kind if you answer, my theme is completely different)

I’m the same person I’ve always been, just recovered.

@Nica Okay thank you for the reply!

How to know if you are really recovering?

When the thoughts don’t bother you and you have barely any reaction to them. You also know you’re getting better when something does trigger you but you have AND use them to settle down and move on about your day.

Hello and thank you! What about horrible Rocd and intrusive thoughts of being betrayed, cheated on, left alone? I am being tortured by these thoughts for the past 6 years... it's too much and it doesn't go away no matter how I try...I feel that I will never be able to manage it and stay like this for ever...

You have to accept you might not know about being cheated on unless there’s LEGIT evidence. ROCD is tough but obsessing over these things won’t do you any good. It’s taken 6 years of your life. I suggest doing ERP therapy for it as soon as you can do you can see some relief and learn coping mechanisms to handle it.

Thank you for your response! It seems so difficult to accept uncertainty as I feel insecure and really love my husband and I am afraid something bad will happen and destroy my relationship. I know it is stupid and pointless to think like that because life is uncertain and things are not sure or always right but it's the first time in my life I feel so accepted, loved and protected that I wouldn't want to imagine my life without him. I know it doesn't make sense but that's Rocd...

Have you recovered from Health Anxiety? I'm always worried about being sick, not having enough energy, fainting, or my body somehow shutting down. It's taking over many aspects of my life.

You should absolutely do you yearly wellness checks and do what your doctor says, but if your doctor says you’re healthy, then you have to trust your doctor and live with the uncertainty that you might get sick and/or die at any moment. Because really, that’s everyone’s reality. But we can’t change Ernst. We have to live life to the fullest.

@Nica Thank you for your response. I really appreciate you helping us all on this thread. It feels nice to know recovery is possible, especially when it feels like it isn't.

Tips on rumination?