- Date posted
- 1y ago
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What does an OCD episode look like?
What does an OCD episode look like?
For me having anxiety attacks, ruminating, overwhelming guilt (sometimes), excessive worrying. Basically feeling so overwhelmed
They hit different. Sometimes I'll isolate and try to hide from the feelings. No activity, no talking to anyone, no doing anything really. I basically regress back to a cacoon like state. Other times for some reason I'll nervously pace in circles like a dog chasing his tail. I've been doing this ever since I was a kid. I do this when I'm overwhelmed with feelings of shame/guilt. I either avoid or run in circles 😅
@Insert Clever Username I definitely isolate myself as well. I have extreme difficulty showing vulnerability so I get it.
For me, I get panic attacks and anxiety attacks. They often occur when I process a highly distressing thought, and my brain starts to catastrophise. I can instantly tell when they are going to happen and I can handle them but they are awful, actually had one today 😞. Isolating is a common thing I do when they happen - and ruminating in silence about whether or not my fear would happen and what that would mean for me…
@Bee. I fully relate to this. Had 2 episodes the past two days and they were horrible. Hope you feel better ❤️🩹
@v333 Thank you so much, I’m sorry you experienced that too - OCD episodes are the worst… Hope you also feel better ❤️
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I asked this question cuz I wasn’t sure if what I was having was an OCD episode. I thought they had to be solely related to doing compulsions, but after relating to all your responses I can definitely consider what I experience as OCD episodes.
My OCD has never been this strong, it's so real, it feels like it will never go away, it's never been this strong for me and it's very scary.
I started dealing with OCD when I became fixated on health issues, particularly the fear of contracting a life-threatening disease. If I experienced any kind of medical symptom, no matter how small, that even remotely hinted at something potentially fatal, it would drive me crazy, and I couldn’t stop obsessing over it. Then one day, I started having intrusive thoughts about accidentally hitting someone with my car, and I would end up driving in circles to check if I had. Eventually, I found myself overwhelmed by a flood of new obsessive thoughts and compulsions. One day, while I was at the park, a squirrel came near me, and for some reason, I felt like it attacked me. I Googled it and learned that squirrels could carry rabies, which spiraled me into a deep fear of rabies. I became consumed with the thought I received a bite from a squirrel, raccoon, or bat any time I’m in areas that trigger me. It started off only being inside then transferred to even being in my own home. This made me obsess over every physical sensation in my body, compulsively checking to make sure nothing was wrong. One compulsion that I hated the most would to be putting rubbing alcohol on me to make sure that I had no open wounds. Every day feels like I’m walking around in a fog of anxiety, constantly worrying that I won’t even make it to old age. Sometimes, it gets so overwhelming that I just want it all to end. It stresses me so bad at times to where my brain feels like I’ve been studying all day.
This list by ai gives a good summary of my symptoms. Does it resemble OCD or is it something else? 1. Compulsions (OCD-specific behaviors): • Feeling the need to flex or contract muscles an even number of times, equally on both sides of your body. • Needing to reverse actions (for example, if you roll your eyes or trace a line with your finger, you feel compelled to do it again in the exact opposite way). 2. Intrusive Thoughts (OCD-specific ruminations): • Daydreaming about people you care about getting hurt (e.g., school shooting, injury, or kidnapping). • Sometimes feeling like you might want something bad to happen to someone you find attractive—possibly because of a desire to help or save them, though it’s confusing. • These thoughts can sometimes provide a twisted sense of relief while remaining distressing and confusing. 3. Sexual Orientation OCD: • Experiencing confusion or doubt about your sexual orientation. 4. Contamination Thoughts: • Feeling like things are contaminated, especially after touching something gross. 5. Sensory Compulsions: • Feeling the need to smell your hand after touching areas like your ear or hair. 6. ADHD-like Symptoms / Additional Observations: • Fidgeting or moving your legs when standing or sitting.
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