How to explain to a friend what you’re going through without giving too much detail? Sometimes I want to open up and not keep all of my suffering inside. Although I haven’t decided if I want to just yet, any ideas of how to say it in a way that will make me feel comfortable might change my mind. Also, do you think friends should know what you’re going through? Thanks x

How do I tell them? I think I’m ready to do so. I’ve lived in silence for years. I’m wondering how long it took for you all to tell your family or friends. P.S. I’m not looking to confess. I want my family to know to feel less alone in this.

I am very new to this app and to accepting that I likely have OCD. I am not diagnosed yet, but I have suspected that I have it for years now. I think ignoring it/feeding the reassurance loop led to my first really bad panic attack a few days ago that put me in the hospital and essentially forced me to stop hiding my struggle from my loved ones. I had another one last night, and out of habit I’m already hiding my feelings from my loved ones. I’m having thoughts that I know are OCD but they’re very hard to get past because they feel so logical? Some examples: -I shouldn’t tell anyone because it wasn’t as bad as the one that hospitalized me -my loved ones are already tired of hearing me talking about it and I feel bad burdening them -I just had the last one and if I tell people about this one I’ll look like I’m attention seeking -I don’t want people to ask what the trigger was so I shouldn’t bring it up if I don’t want to have to answer that question I’m naming them here not for reassurance, but to help myself hopefully label these things as OCD per usual trying to keep me from getting help. The hardest part of this journey so far has been accepting that there are so many things that feel like normal, rational thoughts and feelings that having been hurting me and feeding a vicious cycle for years on end. It feels unreal because these things have become such subtle integrated parts of my life and my routine, and telling myself those things are harmful just feels wrong. It’s like what I have considered my “gut feeling” for years isn’t actually my intuition looking out for me, but is an overactive fear response that has been isolating me from everything and I’ve never questioned it because the isolation, the reassurance, feels good and like the right thing to do. How do I push past these thoughts and be honest with my loved ones about my struggling? How do I rewire my brain to stop the reassurance seeking and compulsions when it’s the only thing that’s made me feel better all these years?

I hate when people don't give more insight and ask questions like "Can we talk?" "Can I ask you something private?" "Can I tell you something?" Stuff like that, and often if it's text they will leave ya in suspense for awhile and it kills me. Like be direct, sometimes it feels like it's on purpose. Like I'm worried on how to respond to things cause if I don't wanna respond they might make assumptions, but if I do respond im uncomfy and worried they will make assumptions due to the fact I over explain. And I wanna talk about something specific but their is a slight chance the person who caused this rant has this app. So I'm worried to be specific and that they will look at my other posts and it won't be anonymous, half the reason I'm able to talk about things on this app is that nobody knows it's me. It's comforting that I can anonymously talk about the things in my brain, that I keep to myself.