Grief and OCD

Sure, for a bit. But if you grieve too long over something that can’t be changed, then the grief can become a victimhood mindset.

Big time, but for me it was my 20's. I'm 29 now. I had a very social time as a teenager, but my OCD flared up hard when I was around 17-19 and I couldn't do anything the same way. I feel pretty stunted by this illness. I feel like my living situation is still the exact same as when I was 17 in terms of my mom supporting me, not having a job, not knowing how to do adult things like taxes and whatever, still living at home. I often worry that I missed out on a lot and if I'm too old to do things, but that's a silly way for me to be. It's never too late to give your dreams a shot. Also, a bit silly, but something I hold onto: scientists have been able reverse aging in mice. So any time that was lost to OCD might not be as important if we all end up living longer with science. I may be nearly 30, but that doesn't mean my life is over. That doesn't mean that there aren't fun times to be had. I don't know what the future brings, but there is more out there for us to experience

I like to think that at least with what I’ve been going through all my life with OCD, I can eventually become an advocate and help others learn about OCD where I feel my network (including medical professionals, etc.) failed to see the red flags of my OCD. I want to tap into my purpose through pain, to help others! It’s also made me a much more empathetic person than I would have been if I never had OCD, so it makes me a more valuable mentor in my community. I like to see it that way. To grieve but also to not let it hold me down but rather to energize my “why” of why I want to work on recovery. :-)

Yes, but I grief this recent years of my life, what helps me is this phrase that Thanos said in the movie hahaha "As long as there are those that remember what was, there will always be those, that are unable to accept what can be. They will resist" Let's focus on what we have not in what we lost 💖

It’s nothing like the grief I felt over losing my mom. But I do think it’s healthy to feel the feelings, then move on.

Yes I was diagnosed at 7. I didn’t want to go trick or treating for years since I was scared I would be poisoned.