Do you obsess over things you’ve read?

Today I read a mother write in a Reddit post that she was not maternal. She seemed accepting of it. For me personally that’s not what I want, as I’m a mother to a little girl, and now I can’t stop obsessing over the fact that maybe I’m not maternal? A thought I never had until I read this. I do this all the time with things I read. I’ll read something someone has that I never thought I had before or ever identified with and I’ll obsess over if I have the same thing/trait. I can’t stop looking up examples of maternal women and seeing if I fit them.

VGH

User type: OCD Conqueror

Date posted: 2y

Hello, yes this has happened to me, and sometimes still happens. What I’ve learned, however, is that I’m not “obsessing” all day, I’m ruminating. Rumination is when you are actively thinking about something, trying to figure it out, solve a problem, relieve distress etc. Rumination is a compulsion, and compulsions keep us stuck in our minds, or with behaviors, trying to solve problems and relieve distress and not move on with our lives. It is very difficult to stop compulsions (the behavior you do to relieve distress like looking up examples of maternal women). It seems like if you could just find that one piece of evidence, or remember that one example, you will have peace. The problem is, you will never have certainty, there will always be another question or urge to read something one more time. The more you read, the less certain you become. The answer is to stop trying to get certainty, stop researching, stop trying to figure it out. Allow the thoughts and uncertainty to be there while you do things you value. Hope this helps! https://www.instagram.com/p/CpsXShmoiGF/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

Lisa LeeLou

User type: NOCD Alumni

Date posted: 2y

Thank you for sharing what you are going through. I’m sorry to hear you are struggling. I can relate to this. Often my intrusive thoughts start with something i’ve heard someone Talking about. Try to remember OCD is the doubting disease and loves to attach to things that are important to us. Often the harder we fight the thoughts or try to push them out of our minds, the stronger they get. Try to allow yourself to have the thought and respond with a neutral statement like “thanks OCD” or “maybe it’s true, maybe it’s not” without engaging any more or less than that. I know easier said than done, but with time and practice it does get better. Are you currently in therapy for OCD? ERP (exposure and response prevention) therapy has Helped me learn how to accept the thoughts without doing compulsions. If you are not currently in therapy, please consider reaching out to the NOCD care team for a free 15 minute consultation, please see link below: https://www.treatmyocd.com/calendar?src=homepage&_gl=1*dpgbx1*_gcl_aw*R0NMLjE2MzY2NTk5MTQuQ2p3S0NBaUFtN09NQmhBUUVpd0FydkdpM0QwaEhYczN1Q0ZabWhVRUF4RndaaDJoa3AxbTRnek9TRWQweUJ4U3pqeU1SRU9FNGVwZkFSb0NNY0VRQXZEX0J3RQ

Carla. C

Date posted: 23w

Reading OCD

Does anybody else experience OCD while reading? I feel like i need to remember everything in my book. And i have a feel that i need to completely understand EVEYTHING in my book (even very minor things) and if not, i feel as though im cheating or that the minor thing is very significant and that ill want to remember it even way after i finish the book (just for the purpose of knowing EVERYTHING about my book) Also, when a character says some minor things i feel the need to understand it completely or i feel the fear that i didn’t understand what the character actually meant. If youve struggled with this please give tips on how to overcome it

Holl1

Date posted: 23w

OCD

So I’ve just found out I’m pregnant and I’m freaking out rn I’ve been getting thoughts like “I’ll be a bad mum” and overthinking everything & my OCD is convincing me that I’ll act on my thoughts because of my hormones and stuff. I’ve also got a fear of being sick & I’m stressing over that too. Anyone else who has harm OCD pregnant or a Mum can give me some advice pls😭

Harm OCD

anonymous00981

Date posted: 21w

Did I force this on myself?

I bought some books on OCD because I like education and would like to know a little more behind why I feel or think this way. I opened up to my mom about this and she keeps saying I’m obsessed with having OCD, she doesn’t actually believe I have it, and that I forced myself to have those thoughts. She then told me she’s going to ask her mental health provider (she’s a nurse) if you can give yourself a mental illness because she said there’s no way someone could spiral out of control within a few days the way I did.

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Do you obsess over things you’ve read?

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