Besides “What if”, what else does it do to convince you it’s real? Mine does “You don’t want” or “I am” or “I think” or “Maybe you are-“ or it gives me some dumb scenario of how i was doubtful of the thing i am currently fixating on.
I hate the “I want to”
Good question. I have heard it asked, “Can OCD …?” And the answer is Yes” it is called the “doubting disorder”. So if I am anxious about things like, Did I say something that insulted them? Did I hit someone with my car? Was there germs on the door handle? Am I ….? Do I ….? Etc. Etc. The only weapon OCD has is doubt. I don’t know if you are getting counseling for OCD through NOCD or some where else. I have been with NOCD for 1 1/2 years and it has been a huge help. OCD will always raise another “what if” that is why we need to live in the “what is”. Also once we start to use logic to reason away OCD it will always bring up one more “what if”. Trying to answer all the “what ifs” will keep us in the path of uncertainty. Is it easy to say to OCD every time “Nope I’m not going to try to figure that “what if” out? No. It is a struggle at times, but as we learn to say “No” to OCD, OCD will have less of a grip on us. I have gotten way better, but things still come up during the day where I have to use my ERP (Exposure and Response Prevention) tools. The only difference between me and you is what triggers us. I know you can say “No” to OCD 👍.
If one of my doubts or 'what if's comes true, how to handle that situation?
@Ailee - Hi Ailee, because my OCD makes me doubt EVERYTHING, I have asked that exact same question. I believe the answer is to handle that question the same way we handle all of the questions. There is no 100% certainty in this world. This applies to everyone whether you have OCD or not. Therefore, if one of your doubts or "what ifs" come true you deal with it. Period. You don't try to "figure it out" "solve a problem" "gain certainty around that issue or prevent it in the future". It's all the same generic doubt, it's OCD trying to suck you into the OCD loop. The quest for certainty is pointless. I read somewhere to "get out of your head and into your life." When I find myself trying to "figure something out" I quickly try to look around me and do something I value (spend time with my pet, engage in a conversation with my friend, enjoy the scenery if I'm outside, etc.) Hope this helps!
@VGH Thank you❤️
We all live with uncertainty. I drove today and could have and I might have been killed. I today and I have chocked to death. Uncertainty is all through our day but the uncertainty doesn’t bother us because it isn’t important to us. OCD goes after what s is important to us. I apologized to my wife last year over 1,000 times I felt like everyone was of them was needed. Guess what - they weren’t it was OCD saying “You should feel bad for what you just did or said”. I feed the compulsion and it grew. So to stop it I had to sit with the anxiety of not saying “I’m sorry” it was tough. But now it it isn’t nearly the struggle it was before. So to answer your question. I have to be careful because I don’t want to give reassurance 😃. But for me the things I was anxious about because of OCD was a lie from OCD. Maybe something might come true that OCD raises - we then need to live with the uncertainty and move in with our life. It is difficult. Sure it is at times. But I know you can do it 👍.
I wanted to mention that in the first paragraph I tried to fix the typo but wasn’t able to. It was supposed to say, “I ate today and could have choked to death”
Thank you so much for your valuable words❤️.
I don’t know how to explain this so I’ll do it to the best of my ability. Does anyone experience “co-intrusive” thoughts that try to negatively support the initial intrusive thought? Example: Me: “Thank God I never acted on (scary intrusive thought) & I’m getting better!” Intrusive thought: “What a shame you didn’t” These types of things send me into a spiral. It makes me think that it could lead to a desire instead of staying a fear. Like an intrusive disappointment that I didn’t follow through with the thought? It’s been a long fear/obsession & I think my OCD is trying to trick me that the only satisfaction would be to act on the thought. (I know that’s bs) But IS that why it sends me the negative co-intrusive thoughts? That’s the only explanation that makes sense. Then I wonder is it something else? Am I a grenade waiting to explode??? I simply cannot relax in any moment because I think what’s the use if I’m just going to (xyz) one day?
Does anyone else’s false memory intrusive thoughts of what could have happened feel very, very real?
does anyone has any tips how to stop the "what if cycle"?? i have very disturbing what if thoughts on daily basis and they're rlly scary always. i know they're not real but sometimes they feel so real and possible to happen and i hate this
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