- Date posted
- 2y
False memories
Can someone please explain false memories related to OCD? I feel like I have had these but have never realized it’s related to OCD
Can someone please explain false memories related to OCD? I feel like I have had these but have never realized it’s related to OCD
False memories in OCD is basically like picking up on any doubt. For example, let's say you said something mean to someone once as a little kid, and one day you encounter a person you went to elementary school with. From there you start wondering, what if I said something mean to that person I encountered when I was little because I said that mean thing to that other kid? and you keep and keep on ruminating without having any evidence that that actually happened. Of course, false memory doubts can be much worse than that. For example, you could wonder if you ever killed someone without remembering. Ya, it sucks.
this might trigger someone so pls read with caution - - - it’s like going back in ur memories and being like “wait but what if this actually happened and ur just purposefully forgetting that it did to make urself feel better” it’s so annoying 💀
That is a great question. When our intrusive thoughts cause us to compulse, we are trying to figure out the answer , so our brain will proceed to give us a scenario of how something might have happened. And the more we compulse, the more the brain tries to “fill in the blanks” and hence false memory occurs. For example, if I think I hit someone with my car, and I compulse by checking my car for damage or blood, and I don’t find any - then I am ok - or am I. Ocd then says well maybe you barely hit them - so they fell over but there is no damage to your car. And then there are more compulsive behavior until I have many scenarios in my head. That is how false memory happens. I hope this helps.
@Jeffrey I am so unbelievably late to this post but I’ve been dealing with this this morning. Exactly how I feel!
Has false memory OCD affected you so badly that you feel that a lot of your memories period are unclear, vague, fuzzy and can’t recall correctly?
I experience crippling, debilitating false memory OCD. It started with a “what if” thought 6 days ago and has spiraled into a never ending loop. My mind is telling me that “maybe you did this terrible, awful, unforgivable thing years ago and you don’t remember it and it’s only a matter of time before it catches up to you and your life is over” I’m really needing some coping mechanisms and support. I’m really scared and my body is exhausted. I just want it to stop. It is full panic attack all day, every day. Please if anyone can relate or help me.
I basically can’t stop thinking about the false memories and I’ve been thinking about them non-stop since I’ve woken up today. I keep picturing the images / the false memory and I focus and fixate on the images and they feel so so real and realistic and when I think of them I get a feeling of “clarity” and a genuine sense of knowing and belief that deep down I know these memories are true and have happened and that I’m just in denial and lying to myself and you by saying that they’re false memories when in actuality I know they’re real which is also really frustrating and makes me feel uncomfortable. On top of that as I’m writing this message my stomach won’t stop turning and it really hurts and I just want to cry and my brain says that I’m experiencing these physical feelings because I know I am lying and just in denial and that these physical symptoms are proof that I am lying and just in denial and I just don’t know what to do or how to calm down. I really don’t want these memories to be true and I want them to be false more than anything in the world and I am not lying when I say I don’t know whether or not they’re real and I’m not lying or pretending they’re false memories but the more I say that to myself the more it feels like a lie and I’m just terrified at the thought and idea of them being even 1% true because why wouldn’t they be? Is it really possible to fabricate entire memories or doing sexual things to and with another person that are that detailed and realistic :/ My brain says things will only get better once I admit to the false memories and stop lying to myself and stop being in denial and stop using false memory ocd as an excuse and just admit to them because I know deep down I have done them and that they’re true which is why I feel a deep sense of clarity about them and that I am just continuing to lie to myself, to my girlfriend, to my therapist and to my family when I say I don’t know whether I have done anything sexual to or with this person because deep down I know I have I just don’t want to admit it so I’m continuing to be in this heavy state and cycle of denial because I don’t want to accept what I have done. I just want this to end. I just want confirmation that I have never done anything sexual to or with this person and that these memories are entirely fabricated by my ocd and have no basis in reality but I don’t even think that’s possible. I’m so done.
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