Everything is a trigger

@KelSul73 Thank you for sharing ❤️ it really is relieving to find out we’re not alone. I am proud of you!

@Idyot Thank you so much for your kind words. This gave me some strenght. But sometimes I just physically and mentally can not handle the guilt and pain. But I’m gonna try again and again. :( what helps you when the thoughts are getting too overwhelming?

@sannesxphie Of course, I'm sorry that you're in the rough of it, OCD really makes it hard to want to keep trying, but I'm proud of you for sticking with it. I'm still learning a lot about how to handle things when they get overwhelming, but there's been a couple things that really help. Sensory input is really helpful when you start to get overwhelmed with thoughts: try smelling something really strong (candle, essentially oil, tea bag, etc.), try rubbing something soft or fuzzy (blanket, stuffed animal, pillow, jacket), grab something cool or hot (heating pad, ice cube), or tasting something (candy, mint, gum, etc.) and really focus on that sensation and how it makes you feel, what it reminds you of. Breathing exercises are also really helpful: 4-4-4 (4 seconds in, hold 4 seconds and breathe out for 4 seconds)- these really help immediate break the obsessive train of thought and cause you to focus on something other than the obsession/compulsion until the anxiety dies down enough to be rational about your feelings/thoughts. Meditation and mindfulness has been really helpful at separating myself from my thoughts and being more present in reality than in my head, but it can be really difficult on your own so using an app like Headspace is really beneficial. You can also try a mantra anytime you start getting caught in a thought loop just a saying or phrase you repeat to yourself anytime you get anxious or afraid or caught in thought. I hope this helps somewhat, I'm happy to answer any more questions you have about OCD- you're not alone in going through this, we're all here to help eachother battle this :)

No worries! Glad I could help :). And thank you so much. I hope things get easier for you. One thing I neglected in my responses, is that it's okay to be mad, frustrated, scared or whatever you're feeling going through this. Your emotions are real and you should allow yourself to feel them. Try to be kind to yourself and understand that what you're feeling is a reflection of your values, and it says a lot about your character that you're so worried about the safety of others. Obviously, the intrusive thoughts don't make it feel that way, but try and use that as reassurance when ignoring the thoughts. ❤

I completely understand that :(. My worst days usually follow my best days, and that can be really rough. I really understand the emotional overload, it's definitely okay to take time for yourself when you're overwhelmed and it doesn't stop any of the progress you've made. I'm in a bit of a rough spot, I tested positive for covid and between that and being isolated the intrusive thoughts have been bad, but working on managing it. Hope things have gotten better for you :).

@Idyot Yes… recovery is with ups and downs :( that’s always good to remember, that no matter how bad we feel, we are still making progress. Thank you for the reminder ❤️ oh no, im so sorry to hear that. I hope you are not feeling too sick and that you are getting better soon. Sending you some love! I also hope you have some distraction from your intrusive thought during this challenging time. You are going to get through this and there will be better days!