I’ve been doing fairly well the past 3 weeks, I finally came out of a bad episode. The past couple of days I can feel it coming back on again and I just don’t know how to deal with it. It always seems like it has to get so debilitating before it can feel easier again but I just can’t keep getting to that real low point every single time. Any advice?
I’m in the same boat as you… it’s really tough. I’ve been going through it for about 3 weeks now and it’s crippling. Have you attempted therapy?
@Corlisia I’m so sorry to hear you’re going through it too 😢 yeah I’ve been doing ERP since January. I’ve managed to stop doing the majority of my compulsions just a few sneaky ones keeping me stuck
@Ellsx - Recovery is not linear, it's messy. You've only been doing ERP since January and it appears you're making good progress. It takes time, so just be patient with yourself, keep using your ERP tools and stay in therapy. You're getting there. And, yest, OCD is one sneaky SOB!
@Steven55! Thank you. It can be really disheartening when you go back a few steps. Makes me feel like my hard work has been for nothing
I think this pretty much sums OCD recovery. You may want to look on the positives. For example, when you say you re having to reach “that real low point”, how low is it really? In my case it used to be “suicidal low “ in the beginning of recovery, now it’s more of a “depressing low “ and the time taken to tide over the low point is a day or two for me now. It used to be weeks earlier. Also remember your OCD is untiring and works overtime. It will try to deceive you with its cognitive distortions , eg. discounting positives, black or white thinking or tunnel vision. It reduces your recovery to a state of black and white. But be comfortable with the gray areas. Recovery is not linear or black and white. It’s gray and bumpy. You can write a positive log of things which you are able to do or achieve, during your recovery and look at it to see how far you have come. Be compassionate with yourself. You deserve it !
@Ocd surfer Thank you for your comment, honestly it does help sometimes knowing other people’s experiences. You’re right, this low hasn’t gotten to the suicidal, constant panic attacks like it has before. It still feels shit though 😂 I guess I get scared of getting to that low point again, something my OCD loves to grip on to but I’m recognising it now so that’s a good thing
Always look at the sum of the whole.
OCD will try hard to keep you in its claws. It's really and indication that you're fighting back, particularly with uncertainty and ERP, and are making progress. I found that when I first began therapy it got worse before it got better, but it really meant that I was on the road to recovery. I still have my flare ups but they're not nearly as profound as they used to be, more of an annoyance. I, too, continue to use the tools I've been given.
It’s baaaaaack....just looking for some support. It’s been a pretty good run for the past few months, and that has been nice. It never really goes away, but it just gets to a low level and the anxiety wanes too. But, I know this disorder cycles and for me it is back. It hit last weekend, and now the anxiety has increased as have the urgency of the intrusive thoughts. I have been here many many many times before and I know it always passes, but when you feel terrible there can be this urgency to making it go away now, and to also wonder why it gets worse from time to time. I know that I just have to feel the feelings and wait for it to calm down, but as we all know it can be hard on our mind when it returns. So, just seeing if others experience these ups and downs. And, just had to write about the hard feelings. Thanks all!
I’ve been having a really rough two weeks. I’ve been great for months and all of a sudden it hit hard out of nowhere. I’m anxious, sad, and my intrusive thoughts have been at an all time high. I feel like I’m trying to do things to combat the thoughts and nothing is working for me. I’m feeling scared and trapped. Each time I hear something bad on the news or see something triggering I feel worse and the thoughts come flooding back strong. Any suggestions?
Ive relapsed pretty hard with my anxiety and depression, and ocd thoughts. I was doing so well for months and just suddenly everything feels so hard again. This week has been extra hard, I haven't had much energy do to much at all. It's like I've forgotten all the ways to handle my thoughts. I don't think I'm looking for tips or anything I just want to write this and maybe talk to someone here. Anyone here who's in a similar situation?
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