Any support is appreciated!

So lately my OCD flared up because of stress and anxiety triggered by an unrelated event. My thing with hit and run OCD / false memory OCD is specifically about backing out of a parking spot and hitting someone because I remember when I was little seeing news about cars backing out and hit children because driver didn’t see the kid. So now it’s a thing for me. Really stupid. Last weekend, I parked in a garage and by an elevator. It was underground and quite empty, I think only 5,6 cars parked near me. I have the backup camera so I know there wasn’t any people behind my car but still circled around 3 times, and kept looking at my rear view mirror when driving away. And now I’m thinking all the what if’s and checking local police news if they’re searching for hit and run persons, etc. The more I read the news, the scarier it is for me cuz they just add to my anxiety of all the “what ifs” I already have and thinking the police is going to show up and pick me up. I have a therapist but she’s not an OCD specialist but I’m reading some books and doing researches on ERP. If it gets worse, I’ll have to find a specialist because this is a lot. This isn’t my only ocd, but they all center around false memory “What if I did this horrible thing or that awful thing”. Any support is appreciated!

Zoë_84

18d ago

Dear Koala, I also from time to time suffer from thoughts like that (Accidental hit and run), sometimes I turn around and check, sometimes I don't. The more you search the news for reports about hit and runs, the more you feed your OCD. I know it is hard to stop, but it is worth trying.

Koaladream

18d ago

Thank you so much!

Zoë_84

18d ago

I had therapy with therapists who weren't specialized in OCD, one if them had no clue about it at all, the latter made me so much worse. After that experience, I decided to never again seek OCD therapy with a therapist not specialized in that field.

chrisjones

11d ago

Yeah, tell me about it! My guy had absolutely no idea what OCD is! That asshole's exact words were: "You see, you're having these thoughts because somewhere deep deep down, you really do want to do that. Why else would you constantly obsess over them? Next time they come, if you can't control them, start counting numbers in your head. Oh, and stop watching tv shows and listening to music with even a hint of Violence in them (That meant no more death metal:( )." I lived with these words in my mind for a full year before confessing to dear old Google. It was when I found out that I'd OCD, I was a little relieved. Don't have any specialized people in my country. Just soldiering along for now.

Zoë_84

11d ago

@chrisjones Hi Chris, I had therapy with OCD specialists, but I never got better. I started only therapy with manhattancbt and I realized, that their approach (The therapist supports their patients and doesn't lecture and pressure them) works for me, where the German approach didn't. If ERP for OCD isn't available in your country, I'd give online therapy a shot.

Zoë_84

18d ago

*of