Haunted House

My OCD is like being forced into a theme park haunted house. On one hand, I know that all the scary things are actors and props and machines. On the other, I'd like to avoid getting scared. Soon enough, I'm convinced that everything inside the haunted house is real and I barely remember that I'm in a theme park and I'm supposed to be having fun. I've lost sight of my life. And it's even more unsettling to be in a haunted house waiting for a jumpscare. If I go somewhere in the haunted house, an actor could come out and scare me. If I touch an unlucky object in my room, there's a possibility of something bad happening. In both instances, I feel stupid for getting scared in the first place. I'm living in a constant state of suspense. I know it's fake, but my body and my brain aren't lined up because I get a physical anxiety response. I just have to remember that haunted houses have exits!

taurising

Date posted: 2y

“I just have to remember that haunted houses have exits!” i needed that

Lisa LeeLou

User type: NOCD Alumni

Date posted: 2y

Thank you for sharing this. You’ve really done a great job of describing how OCD can be a trickster. Love that we have this site to post with each other. OCD can be very overwhelming . But like you said there are exits!

Anonymous

User type: Staff

Date posted: 2y

THIS!! This is an amazing metaphor. I am so glad that you shared and I will likely be sharing this with others.

klin18

User type: OCD Conqueror

Date posted: 2y

THIS IS SUCH A GOOD ANALOGY!

Steven55!

User type: OCD Conqueror

Date posted: 2y

Yes, that's how OCD keeps us on its treadmill. People who don't have OCD have these thoughts and they just shrug and blow them off. We, on the other hand, have to deal with the synthetic, false feeling that it feels so real, which freaks us out, makes us do compulsions, either internal, external or both, and worry (ruminate) all day over them. That's where ERP therapy comes in.

Steven55!

User type: OCD Conqueror

Date posted: 2y

That's right, there ain't no bears in there!

Tomwillbehappy

Date posted: 2y

This is a very very good description. I’ve bookmarked it as it really helps to explain how I am feeling and it actually reached down very far smh. Maybe because it’s humorous and describing a situation most people should be able to recall or imagine without having serious reasons for their anxiety (but still serious enough, haha). Thank you!

ocdeeznutss

Date posted: 2y

This is such an amazing way to describe OCD, this is exactly how i feel !!

User type: Therapist

Date posted: 2y

I LOVE this analogy. When I was little, I went to Casa Bonita for a Halloween party, and Black Bart's Cave did an extra little haunted house activity. Crossing a bridge, a hand reached up and grabbed my ankle. I, understandably, freaked out. However, the adults around me said something like "you can make them stop if you want" and when I asked how, they called out "No more jumping or grabbing for this little one, please" and it stopped! I learned that if I was having a good time being scared, I could keep it up. If I wanted them to stop, I could just say so! I have no guarantee that my request will be followed, but what a powerful thing to learn that I was not scared and powerless, I was scared and powerful and could use my voice to handle the situation. I still don't love haunted houses, but I trust that I can use my voice if I want to, and that I enjoy trying to scare or trick the scarers, and I can get out if I want to.

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