grieving time lost to OCD

Yes. I started experiencing symptoms of OCD when I was 8. I was diagnosed August 2021 at age 45. I had such a limited understanding of what OCD. It never occurred to me because all I knew was that OCD was liking things neat and organized and washing your hands a lot. I didn't have either. I also had no idea that what I was experiencing wasn't normal. I thought everyone struggled the way I did. It was only after listening to a podcast where the guest was someone with OCD and realized I could relate. I have completed treatment and now am in recovery. But it makes me so sad that I lost so much time I can never get back.

This is very common with those who have suffered with OCD. It's normal to grieve what you lost out on and what OCD did in your life. And at the same time, it is important to move forward- you get to create new memories and do things that you couldn't before. And that is something OCD cannot take from you. https://www.treatmyocd.com/blog/how-therapy-helped-me-gain-back-all-that-ocd-had-tried-to-take

Just now starting my healing journey hoping I can be speaking the same words as you soon!

Just 2.5 years? Hey, that’s better than me at 6 years lost to OCD 🤪🤣 But you can’t fix or change the past, so you live your life to the fullest now.

not recovered yet but sometimes the grief of how much of myself and my life i’ve lost to all these thoughts and everything i could do before without compulsions getting in the way hits so hard. i’ve never seen this discussed before, so i’m thankful i’m not alone in this. it’s hard to let go of all the time lost, but now i’m trying to dedicate a double amount of time working to get better and live life. we deserve so much better.

All the time. Especially with the amount of school I fell behind on because of it. Honestly, it just makes me disappointed in myself, that I was just too stuck up in my mind, that I could’ve been doing something with myself.