I’m having a serious panic attack right now, and I really need some help. Warning this might be a little TMI: I went to the washroom and noticed that some of my stool had some black splotches in it. My mind has immediately jumped to the conclusion that there is a serious bleed somewhere in my digestive tract and that I’m dying, despite the fact that I haven’t been vomiting, haven’t fainted, am not in any serious pain, etc. The panic is so bad, I can barely catch my breath, I’m shaky and feeling fantom cramps across my stomach. I am on the verge of tears and I am so scared and I can’t calm myself down. I just can’t get the thought out of my head that I am internally bleeding to death and that I am dying. Can anyone help me? Thank you ?

How is using your logical mind a compulsion? With health OCD you end up creating false realties. You FEEL the fake symptoms. Just accepting uncertainty sometimes will make health ocd worse. Or what if there is actually an issue and you’re now use to accepting all health issues as “uncertainty”. Maybe that method applies to the 90% of extremely illogical OCD themes, but health OCD is a separate monster.

Focus on your feet pressing against the floor for 10 seconds. Breathe deeply. Few of us ever really look at our poops after we’re done. So if this was a reason for concern or death, half of us would be dead.

Are you stable now?

Tbh its probably something you ate. Eat any beans or veggies lately?

Think logically, use your rational brain. If all other things seem fine, than the likelihood of you being fine is...what? Thats what I ask myself when I find myself worrying.

@jade27 don’t try to use logic. OCD likes to catastrophize, convincing that you are in the worst case scenario. IT FEELS F’ING REAL. But if you can notice this experience as something that OCD does, and be mindful, you’ll be making the first big step in winning the war. Trying to decide if it was something you ate, rationalizing or using logic are all compulsions. I don’t recommend this.

@jade27 Trying to figure “it” out only convinces your brain that there is something to worry about in the first place. When there probably isn’t. Like I said earlier: how many poops were had today that went unnoticed? ?

Helping other people learn what I’ve learned helps me in this ongoing process. Feel free to email userfriendlyOCD@gmail.com with any questions and I’ll try my best to provide all resources that have helped me.

I get worries like these too. You aren't dying don't worry. Stools can be weird as fuck sometimes. And tummy ache comes with panic. You can even faint from panic. You can vomit from panic. You can have yellow diarreah and things like that cause your food doesn't digest properly etc. Us with ocd think the worst straight away. You're fine xx

Thank you ?

Thank you so much

I’m honestly not sure, I can’t remember, but I have been eating a lot of really shitty food (it’s exam szn)

Could it maybe be that do you think?

Thank you!

@userfriendly I’m feeling a little calmer now, but the thought is definitely still there with some of the more physical symptoms as well

Thank you!! ??

Very true @userfriendly thank you :)))

Thank you so much!!!