I’d like to share something I read recently that helped me to start viewing my OCD in a different light. Many of us view OCD as a monster attacking us. May I challenge you all to try and view OCD instead perhaps as a faulty alarm. The brain has a system in place to warn us of potential threats - this is normal functioning. However, with anxiety, OCD, etc., this system becomes hyperactive and can cause issues. It’ll start throwing out these “fake-out” threats (obsessions) in order to get you to take precautions over things that aren’t happening (compulsions). It demands these compulsions because then it’s like you’re protecting yourself. But the threat isn’t there, that’s why a lot of it is surrounded in “what-ifs”. The brain is basically trying to protect us in its own way due to OCD. I personally never understood how OCD was the brain’s weird way of protecting us until I saw it from this side. I believe that once the perspective is shifted to view OCD in this light, it can cause us to develop self-compassion for ourselves - which I believe is vital to recovery. That’s why when we eliminate compulsions, we are telling our brains that we don’t need to do anything about the “threat” it is sending out. It’s being wayyy overactive, and we need to let the alarm ring without doing anything about it. The brain learns and changes when we avoid compulsions and we get closer to recovery. I sometimes think it could even be viewed as the character Fear from the movie Inside Out - imagine if he was running the show, huh? I hope this can help any of you out there struggling. Even just changed in perspective when it comes to OCD can make a huge shift in someone’s life. 💛 Also if anyone is interested, I came across this perspective doing a self-compassion for OCD workbook by Kimberly Quinlan, LMFT.

Thank you! That is a good way to look at it! Im just starting the journey of managing my ocd after 26 years of only medication.

You got this! Doing ERP, practicing mindfulness, instilling self-compassion, etc., I found have been super helpful in the recovery process. Rooting for you 💛

What med are u taking?

Hey you seem to have good advice and i need help… i have soocd too or thats what i think i have at least. its getting difficult by the day there are moments that feel so real with the thoughts that its like i question myself us this my realisation moment if this being denial and not ocd and if i actually do how is it still ocd?! Like i saw this video of a lesbian girl telling her type of women which made me think what would be mine and why would i think so when i have always been straight that means something right and for a moment it felt like my reality something i am so close to act upon my anxiety was sky high back in the day and now its not there why so?!? I consciously tell myself to feel anxious ask these why questions cause like i am scared and it's easier to hide under the cover of ocd but if i say this then it's denial and not ocd.. What do i do?!? I don't even know who i am anymore i feel like i am just living lies…

I’m sorry you’re struggling with this! I mean to me it sounds like textbook OCD - causing you a ton of doubt, anxiety, and hyper analyzing. The more you place focus on this, the more painful it feels. The best route is to really let the thoughts exist and not give them any attention, which I know now probably sounds impossible or very difficult, but it very much is possible with practice. OCD even causes doubt on whether we have OCD at all and this is “all real”. ERP can help a lot with this. Everyone experiences intrusive and random thoughts - it’s just those with OCD attach unnecessary meaning to it. We have to learn to separate ourselves from those meanings and learn to live with discomfort.

@NOCD Advocate - Evelyn I am so sorry to rant but i am thankful for your advice i am in a bad space I don’t know if this is ocd anymore people also say maybe and maybe not and then there are just so many things i think…