TW: What gives you the motivation to keep going?

I’m sorry you’re going through this too. Honestly, most of the times I really can’t see anything to keep me going. I’ve to put in tremendous effort and think about the people who love me, and how I’m making a difference for them. Being a doctor myself, I think about all the people whose lives I’m making better. But even that is not enough at times. So I tried self compassion meditation. Loving kindness meditation , talking to yourself like you would to a loved one, gratitude, writing about my positive traits are some of the things which helped. There is a book by Kimberley Quinlan on self compassion for ocd. It also helped. There are other authors whose works have helped me: Jon Hershfield - mindfulness for ocd Mark Freeman- you are not a rock Jonathan Grayson - Freedom from ocd Hope it helps

I’ve felt this way when I’ve had ocd crisis, the main thing that keeps me fighting when I feel this way is the people I love, such decision can destroy their lives.

I was diagnosed with depression & GAD. Many years later I was diagnosed with ocd…what kept me going was the love for my then gf who I married and has been my rock. She’s kept me grounded. And through the mental health community I’ve found additional support, which to me is very important.

Usually my favorite shows. Can’t die before I get to see Mandelorian season 3!

For me, it’s definitely my cat and the reminder that I will have better times. That’s a mindset I started believing after like 5 years of therapy (currently 9 years) and another reminder is that everybody fakes it sometimes. I find that fake it till you make it is accurate. Everyone struggles sometimes. Sometimes the struggles are out of your control or you’re more vulnerable to those harder times (bad home, trauma, mental disorders etc.) everyone’s different but, the way you handle and carry yourself throughout those situations determine how you get out. I like to use the mindfulness DBT skills. But as for my reasons, it’s my dreams I would never see come true, I want more animals, owning a home I can decorate just how I want, a solid group of supportive friends that make me and each other happy, finding a partner who i can happily build a life with, having and adopting kids and bringing them up in a happy, loving, healthy, stable and supportive home, traveling and all the other dreams I have. That stuff keeps me going when I feel like the work isn’t worth working on. To live a life worth living!!!

i have a lot of people who need me, i see myself as a shield for my family and loved ones, so i gotta be a shield which never breaks.

I know it’s hard, it really does take a toll on your wellbeing. For me, I think about the times in my life where I struggled bc of my other illnesses, and how I managed to bounce back every time. So I realized that even though OCD is a lot more challenging for me to handle, I can still comeback from this too. I’m also curious as to how things will go from here and what my journey has in store for me. I know if I give up now, I’ll never be able to see what life could’ve been if I never gave it a chance. I also have a list of things I’d like to accomplish so I’m working through that and it gives me something to look forward to! 🌱

Sometimes the thought of how many amazing experiences and memories you will endure in the future or even in the moment and looking at your loved ones and people around you practicing self compassion and love. Simply living life the way you want. Life hard but sometimes the little things matter and you can make life worth living it doesn’t have to be big somtimes even getting a really good meal or seeing my dog or a good conversation with someone makes me happy and excited. ocd sucks and depression feels like a loop but you can get out of it even if it doesn’t feel like it but please keep your head up and have fun with life even tho it seems impossible right now you are stronger then you think I hope you feel better❤️