If you don’t already know about me, I’ve been recovered from OCD (and my other mental illnesses) after doing hardcore ERP and trauma therapy for 3 years. I’m still on NOCD to help. Ask my anything and I’ll answer to the best of my knowledge 😁
What were your ocd themes?
Literally all of them 🤪
@Nica I see! Also! Why did you choose Nica as your username??
@mcbridef Just random.
I love that you're doing this. Thank you for taking the time. How do you work to overcome health anxiety? I'm very worried about passing out, it's almost always in the back of my mind.
I have it from time to time but I’ve realized I can only do what I can to stay healthy and active. If I develop, let’s say, a brain tumor at 55, I will fight like hell to overcome it but I can’t obsess over if I have one or not right now because obsessing on what ifs do not help.
If you pass out or don’t pass out, it is what it is. Something you could do is fake pass out on a couch or your bed to start with. Do it over and over and see how your OCD takes it. It’ll probdbly surprise Pikachu face you 😅
I have Just Right/Perfectionism as my main type - The main thing that OCD tells me is that if something isn't "perfect" I won't be able to handle it. I've had panic attacks because of this, and I feel like it definitely strengthened this need and my OCD is constantly scanning for threats. I find that challenging some of the compulsions does help, but ultimately I've always given into the biggest compulsions even if I didn't do them for months. I also feel like its part Real Event since it revolves around actions. I have a strong value of just wanting to move on with my life and do the things I actually want to do (essentially not being driven by OCD) , but its hard and OCD definitely has taken that and made me a hostage. What would be some exposures and other ways I can challenge the OCD?
Giving into compulsions, seeking reassurance, and ruminating are hard to overcome but it has to be done to fully recover. You’ll fall back sometimes and that’s normal— just yesterday I did that. But when I realized what I was doing, I put my phone down in another room and walked away. Walking away and doing something productive is a great step. Another thing that’s simple (but can be difficult) is whatever your OCD’s telling you to do, do the complete opposite. It’s kinda like trolling your OCD. Example: It’s tell you to check the stove; do not check the stove. It’s telling you to seek reassurance from a close family member; do not seek reassurance from them (or anyone). It’s telling you not to go outside because it’s “dangerous” out there; go outside.
Around 2 months ago I started to experience harm ocd after a bad trip from a thc edible. I would get gruesome images and thoughts about me doing harmful things to my family, my pets, my friends etc. Although extremely stressing at the time, my theme has switched to something I would have never imaged to happen to me. I was doing something that typically makes me happy when a thought popped into my mind “you are not happy anymore, you want to die”. It’s been 2 weeks since I have had that thought and I can’t get the thoughts and feeling of wanting to die out of my head. It feels so real, as if I don’t actually want to be here anymore. I honestly wouldn’t even consider this suicidal ocd because I don’t have a fear of harming myself, almost just the fear of not wanting to live and enjoy life anymore. It’s really causing me to feel so unusual and I am unable to feel happy in any situation anymore. Everything seems so grey to me, and the thought of not wanting to be here anymore is the only thing that’s ever on my mind. I’ve never even been depressed before and my life has always be great. I can’t fathom why I feel this way and I don’t know how to come out of this. My mind tells me I don’t even want to come out of this. If you have any suggestions or possible Erps I can do, I’d greatly appreciate it.
No matter how disturbing and horrible the thoughts, feelings, and images are, you can’t give into your OCD. Anything your OCD says or “wants” you to do, so the opposite. If it says don’t hug your mother because you want to hurt her, hug your mother. The more you push people away because you’re fearful of hurting them, the more you are training your mind/OCD that what it’s doing is correct and to keep doing it. It’s the same for suicide OCD. Just because you have thought sdienst mean you want them not do you have to take them seriously. You have to rewire your mind to not take these thoughts, feelings, and images seriously. At this point, you gave into your OCD so much, your mind thinks it’s doing something good because you’re reacting to it so much. It’s a bit counterintuitive, but the human brain isn’t very smart when it comes down to mental illnesses.
@Nica I am just struggling because I can’t tell if it’s ocd or not. I literally have been living my life these past two weeks as if I have no desire to live anymore. I can’t even feel happiness because my mind tells me that I just want to die. I don’t know how to rewire my brain. The only thing I hold onto is remembering my values/ wants/ and beliefs before all of this.
@Nica I very rarely struggle with the harm ocd anymore. I did exactly what you have mentioned. When I would get a thought about harming my mom, i wouldn’t avoid her, instead I would go sit with her. This “theme” just seems a lot harder for me because I can’t figure out if these are just thoughts or not. I don’t have an answer to this.
@Nica I have tried the “maybe I want to die maybe I don’t” but then my mind just says “I want to die” ugh! I am so exhausted
@Anxiousmindsthinkalike If it’s really a concern and you can’t tell the difference, then you need to seek professional help. Or at least talk to someone that cares about you.
@Nica I have had professional help and have spoke to many people who care about me. I’m not in danger. Just suffering in my mind.
@Nica I was told that these thoughts are just obsessions. Also, OCD lies. It wants you to believe that your thoughts are true. I guess I can’t tell the difference because I have fully believed my thoughts.
@Nica I don’t know if I would be here on this app trying to find answers or reassurance If I had a true desire to die. I think my brain is just confused and tired
@Nica I have so many people who love and care about me, I’ve never felt alone. I have a great family and a great life that’s why I don’t know why I feel like this. It all came so randomly.
@Anxiousmindsthinkalike Then you need to stop seeking reassurance, as you said you just said you’re doing on this app, and work on actively getting better. It starts by putting your foot down against your own mind and not putting up with its shit anymore. You’re in charge, not your OCD.
@Nica Sorry for venting! My biggest problem is that I seek reassurance in hope that someone will tell me that I will be okay, but I guess no one really knows what’s going on in my mind. I’ll get better soon. Thank you for the tips ❤️🩹
@Anxiousmindsthinkalike You’re the only one that can tell yourself you’re okay. It helps that others will tell you but at this point, you have to take control.
Do you have any recommendations for good distractions when trying to resist a compulsion? I feel like I need to distract my brain otherwise I’m just thinking about the thing I’m trying not to do.
Honestly, distractions are only short term solutions. The better way is to stop whatever compulsion you’re doing or about to do and go do something productive. Example: You want to check Twitter and doom scroll. Put down your phone and go to another room where you folder your laundry/clean the bathroom/go out for a walk/etc. it’s better to do something meaningful that also makes you feel accomplished. Also setting up a schedule/daily routine helps a lot. A messy outer world helps a messy mind. Didn’t think that was true for years until I actually went on a daily routine 🤣
@Nica That’s great advice - I never thought about it that way. And a routine will definitely help. Thank you! 🙂
I have trans OCD and have completely lost my identity. Do you think I'll ever get it back?
That is 100% up to you. I can’t say either way because I don’t know you and I’m not a professional therapist. But I do suggest, if you haven’t done it yet, to find an OCD specialist. But know that you can get better if you work at it. It might take a while— it took my 3 years. But it can be done.
@Nica I had a therapist. It didn't help. It's been a year and I've only gotten worse
@Kaylaaaa You can recover on your own but you have to be extremely strict with your mind while also practicing mindfulness, putting yourself on a schedule, and standing up for yourself against your OCD.
Hi hun! Did you ever suffer with the theme SOOCD? X
*Q + A* Hi Everyone! My name is Kerry and I have suffered from severe OCD since 2008. It came on after a bad car accident and I had shown no signs prior to that. I was 17 and now I’m 28. I saw many therapists untrained in OCD, and it wasn’t until I met an OCD Specialist and went through weeks of intensive therapy using ERP that I started to really question the connection between my obsessions and the effect I had on my reality by performing my compulsions which were totally random (anything you can think of!) I mainly suffer from magical thinking OCD which is basically like “superstition on steroids” - it follows along and targets with my everyday anxieties and my obsessions try and tell me if I perform certain, ever changing compulsions, that I can make or prevent things from happening. This has morphed into multiple themes of OCD, but also follows along with my real life which is hard. BUT I can honestly say I am in a state of ongoing recovery from OCD because I truly understand it’s sick game now and I am able to stop it in it’s tracks before performing compulsions. I’m not perfect and will always have OCD, but I wanted to open up a Q + A session today for you all to ask any questions you may have for me. To give you all some hope, I just published my OCD memoir “The Obsessive Outsider” and I’m so thankful to have added a resource to our world from a sufferer’s perspective. My goal is to eventually help you all get to a point where you can share your stories like I have because it’s so empowering. Hit me with your questions, friends!
Hey nOCD Fam! Opening up a Q+A session all day today if you have any questions on OCD Recovery and what life is like in recovery with OCD still there but maintained, if you are a skeptic if it because you are suffering so much, how ERP worked for me, anything. Love chatting with you guys, thanks for letting me lend a hand!
I haven’t done a Q&A for a while, so comment with the your questions and I’ll do my best to answer! My background is: I have 5 different mental illnesses and have been recovered for 3 years after doing 6 years of intense therapy for my PTSD and OCD ❤️
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