- Date posted
- 1y
Any hope?
Please share your stories of hope and recovery. I’m in a dark place and I need to know it’s possible to carry on.
Please share your stories of hope and recovery. I’m in a dark place and I need to know it’s possible to carry on.
I have overcame OCD and this is my story. I would tell on myself as a child, wash my hands, check to see if I locked the doors multiple times, tell on myself for intrusive thoughts, even if I couldn’t remember if I did something (I never did do it) I would tell on myself for off chance I didn’t want ppl to give me praise or like me when they didn’t know fully who I was by doing these acts (which I never did), this was all between ages 8-13. Then it started that no one liked me including family (this was still in me preteen years but not as prominent), everyone else I saw how awesome and amazing they were and how it made me treat them but then it never felt like I got that in return so I just kept thinking I didn’t deserve it, even though I was successful in academics and athletics my parents made it seem if I didn’t win or do great I might as well be last (ha Ricky Bobby), so then it started on top of no one likes me that “did I say this wrong? Should I have used a different word?. Went into depression had of course other traumatizing events that led to an attempted suicide few days after my 19th bday. Early 20s was a whirlwind but still ok. Mid twenties is when I finally was making steps and later twenties it was leaps. Now I say with confidence that my OCD has gone away. What drove me is when I was between the ages of 8-10 I felt so lonely (felt like it majority of my life) and I promised myself I would never let anyone else feel as lonely as me. I even told my parents I didn’t want any gifts because I didn’t deserve them. I couldn’t understand my existence. I wanted to get better and figure out the world around me to be the light in the darkness for others even if I will always feel lonely I vowed TO NEVER ALLOW someone to feel lonely like I did. I did not just want to bring uplifting, positive, warm energy but to sit with ppl in their darkness and let them know they’re not alone and someone can understand their abyss. I feel confident happy warm and have high energy most of my days which actually is great because I’ve always wanted to feel this instead of my despair. Even when the high energy isn’t there I’m still happy just chill. My main focus and always will be is I did it for others. There are no strangers in the dark. Thanks for reading
there is hope, you just have to remember that these thoughts aren’t yours and there is a way to get those thoughts not to bother your anymore. whenever you feel your having a bad episode of anxiety and feel unsure of yourself, take a deep breath and try and count to 10 see if it helps, but always allow your body to relax so it knows that there isn’t anything to be afraid of so that your fight or flight response lessens. At least that’s what helps me
When you hit rock bottom, there's only one way... UP. When we let go of all control is actually when we start getting better. Medication and therapy have been very good for me the last few weeks. God knows I do not like doing therapy and having to talk about such things, but doing it has actually helped. It's strange, but yes. I'm doing much better; while I still have a way to go.
@RMO2023 I agree therapy has helped me tremendously and I’m only a few weeks in.
Thank you everyone. I am certainly at rock bottom right now and it feels like I might never be truly happy again. But I am going to hang around and pursue further treatment. I need to trust this can improve
I’m cross with myself because for many years I had no serious OCD symptoms – it almost totally vanished from my life. But then my situation changed: my financial situation became insecure and I moved away from my community. My old obsessions started to return because I was vulnerable. Now I’ve developed a new terrifying obsession and I’m genuinely concerned it could destroy me forever. I never doubted with my previous episode that it would come to end eventually; I knew all I needed was treatment and some time to get well. But this time I am seriously afraid. If you’ve ever been in a similar place and recovered please let me know. I’m desperate to believe I can recover from this hideous illness
I pretty much hit rock bottom in September 2023 and it’s been so hard to climb out of. Especially with PTSD, Depression and undiagnosed ADHD. But I did it. And you can to. There is hope and as someone who has rebuilt herself back from OCD, I want to support others on their journey. Ask me anything 💜
I just completed a check in with my therapist today so naturally I reflected on my journey with OCD. Summer/Fall of 2023 feels like a swath of darkness. Bombarded with horrible intrusive thoughts, I thought my life was over. I did not see the light at the end of the tunnel. I hated myself. Life lost meaning for me and it felt as if every hope and dream was shattered. Needless to say my life was lost to me during a time when I should have been enjoying it the most. I was post grad with a good job lined up. But none of it mattered- my mind was as broken. Thank God, I had some small voice in me that urged me forward and to get help. So I did. I felt so scared and unsure. Was I doing the wrong thing going to therapy? I was not. It was the best decision I made for myself. Fast forward to nearly two years later, my life couldn’t be more different. I see and feel the light. I have so much love and gratitude for myself and for everyone who helped me along the journey. My therapist, my family, all the brave content creators who openly speak about their experiences, no matter how taboo. I won’t lie, it was a lot of work. And I had to learn to be uncomfortable and deal with frustrations. I had to learn to trust myself. I still deal with sticky and intrusive thoughts but my response and my daily life despite them can not be more different. So I am here to be proof to you that there is so much hope. If you don’t have the little voice in you urging you forward, than I will be just that. Go to therapy, get help, put in the work. It is so worth it. Every time there is a setback, and there will be many, push through. Feel free to ask questions! But no reassurance will be given.
Just wanted to give some hope to those who are having ocd spikes, spirals and worries. This past year I have regained my life back. I went from beginning to isolate myself, being convinced by my ocd that my hobbies are bad and that I should avoid things I enjoyed, and having constant panic attacks. With the work of IOP, psychiatry and nocd, I have made great strives towards my future. I now don’t avoid things and instead embrace my life and ANY possibility that may come. Don’t let the ocd bully you. Yes, I have intrusive thoughts still but I am able to go about my day instead of obsessing over them. You can find this too. I encourage anyone on the fence to please seek help if you are in a tough time, it can literally save your life.
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