How to cope with becoming desensitized

Ironically. Becoming desensitized to my intrusive thoughts sometimes frightens me. The security of knowing I had such intense anxiety when I had violent/bad/scary intrusive thoughts comforted me because it made me realize I didn’t want them and found them bad. If I’m not reacting to them, I’ve convinced myself that I think it’s okay and maybe deep down I am a bad person? Does anyone else relate to this? My anxiety has felt better lately toward my intrusive thoughts as I am trying to give them no value (that and probably my lexapro lol) but is what I’m feeling normal at all or can anyone relate?

Username: NicaNica

Date posted: 2y ago

That’s another trick OCD does. When you are getting better but haven’t hit recovery just yet, it’ll do a last ditch effort. Everyone has intrusive thoughts—exactly the ones we all have. Does that mean the world’s full of horrible, disgusting people OR are thoughts truly just thoughts and the content of your thoughts don’t matter unless you make them matter? Trick question: it’s the second option, not the first 😜

Username: IamBlessedIamBlessed

Date posted: 2y ago

I think it’s another trick from OCD tryna latch on

Username: Anon17Anon17

Date posted: 2y ago

Literally me word for word!! I had extreme anxiety towards my thoughts in the beginning and now i hardly have any reaction to thoughts that have gotten much worse. I agree my anxiety is feeling better lately but it’s just so scary because I too think maybe deep down I’m a bad person since i am no longer anxious to something that used to disgust me so bad. So yes you are not alone on this one and i am too hoping it’s normal because it is me word for word. Also i am not on medication so it makes it much scarier that my anxiety is going away naturally

Username: EFF_OCDEFF_OCD

Date posted: 2y ago

@Anon17 I’m on the lowest dose possible and technically it’s not in full effect yet. I’ll say that this was happening to me before I started lexapro as well so don’t let that trigger you friend :). We will get through this. Maybe we are just getting better. Ocd is sneaky and will try to stop us but we are stronger.

Username: thrutheweatherthrutheweather

Date posted: 2y ago

Here to confirm that this is OCD… instead of ruminating on the subtype. You’ll start ruminating on why you’re no longer anxious about the subtype and what this means. Another loop. Try responding with ‘maybe I am or maybe I’m not’ when you start worrying if it makes you a bad person etc if you feel you’re in a place where you can respond like that.

Username: EFF_OCDEFF_OCD

Date posted: 2y ago

@thrutheweather Super helpful response. Thank you so much

Username: JacklyngrantJacklyngrant

Date posted: 2y ago

This is me currently. I feel bad for not feeling bad about the things I think. I hate it

Username: Anon17

Date posted: 2y ago

Nervous about having no reactions

So I’m trying to practice living with uncertainty because i know that’s what needs to be done in order to cope with ocd. And i struggle with super bad Harm intrusive thoughts that bother me every day. And today I’m trying to practice uncertainty by saying maybe or maybe not. And then one of the times i said “maybe your a killer maybe your not” and it brought me ZERO anxiety. Like I’m now freaking out because i had no reaction to a sentence that should have caused me intense distress. Like what does that mean am i really a bad person??? And also for my harmful images or thoughts it includes stabbing with a knife. And It seems like when i touch a knife i have no reaction to it. Like I’m constantly hearing stories of people avoiding knives because they are afraid but holding a knife is something i do everyday as a cook and i feel completely fine with it. Like shouldn’t it be causing me Anxious feelings? What if I’m secretly a bad person because Holding a knife is natural to me? I’m so scared.

Username: Rrk

Date posted: 1y ago

Any advice?

Hi All, I’m struggling with understanding something. Im scared that if I accept my thoughts and don’t react to them, then that means I’m okay with them. What if I start accepting my intrusive thoughts and then think it’s okay to act on them? Any advice?

Username: Pija

Date posted: 1y ago

Has anyone experienced this?

So my ocd is raging today. I have had a lot of intrusive thoughts that really disturb me but I don't get anxious from them anymore. I know I don't like those thoughts but why am I not getting anxious from them anymore?

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How to cope with becoming desensitized

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