nOCD moderator here! An update on our flagging policies: sharing scary, difficult, upsetting OCD thoughts is just fine. We WILL flag any post that suggests a user is considering harming themselves. Why do we do this? So we can send that person information on getting the help they might need. We want to keep our community safe. Let us know if you have any questions!

Hey all, This is so strange to share this, and I have been judged by others and misdiagnosed many times. About a year ago I worked with an OCD therapist and it was really triggering. For me my thoughts are mainly about suicidal ocd and harm ocd centered around my children of all things. Fear that I could or would want to hurt them, then feeling so horrible that I believe I’m suicidal then I go back and forth on that. After reading a few of your posts, it makes me truly have a bit of hope that I can overcome this.

I told my OCD group about NOCD and one of the members brought up that this app, despite its intent to create a safe community for sharing OCD experiences could potentially be used for reassurance seeking, thus contributing to compulsions. I’ve noticed some posts about people venting and asking for reassurance and I wonder the same thing.

As the Chief Clinical Officer at NOCD, I like to check in with our community when we enter a new season, especially knowing how OCD responds to change. The arrival of spring can bring many changes—longer days, increased activity, and breaks from school or work. These shifts from the pace of winter can be refreshing, but they can also affect our energy, emotions, and stress levels. As a result, OCD symptoms tend to ebb and flow during this season, just as they can during any time of change. I encourage you to pause and check in with yourself in these early days of spring. If you're noticing OCD feeling more intense, know that you're not alone. Instead of judging these feelings, try to focus on how you respond to them—because no matter how OCD is showing up, there are tools and support to help you through it. Here in the NOCD Community, you're surrounded by people who relate, who care, and who are rooting for you. I hope you'll lean on your support system and seek care if you're feeling stuck or overwhelmed. Therapy can be a powerful way to gain skills for navigating life's changes, and our team is always here when you're ready to take the next step. Have you noticed any changes in your OCD as we enter spring? How are you managing them?