- 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 š
@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 š. 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 meā¦
@Bee. I fully relate to this. Had 2 episodes the past two days and they were horrible. Hope you feel better ā¤ļøāš©¹
@v333 Thank you so much, Iām sorry you experienced that too - OCD episodes are the worst⦠Hope you also feel better ā¤ļø
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I asked this question cuz I wasnāt 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.
Iām having a big OCD relapse and would like to hear anyoneās tips on how to be present and healthily deal with these intrusive thoughts and the āneedā to preform compulsions. Thank you!!
Looking back, I realize Iāve had OCD since I was 7. though I wasnāt diagnosed until I was 30. As a kid, I was consumed by fears I couldnāt explain: "What if God isnāt real? What happens when we die? How do I know Iām real?" These existential thoughts terrified me, and while everyone has them from time to time, I felt like they were consuming my life. By 12, I was having daily panic attacks about death and war, feeling untethered from reality as depersonalization and derealization set in. At 15, I turned to drinking, spending the next 15 years drunk, trying to escape my mind. I hated myself, struggled with my body, and my intrusive thoughts. Sobriety forced me to face it all head-on. In May 2022, I finally learned I had OCD. I remember the exact date: May 10th. Reading about it, I thought, "Oh my God, this is it. This explains everything." My main themes were existential OCD and self-harm intrusive thoughts. The self-harm fears were the hardest: "What if I kill myself? What if I lose control?" These thoughts terrified me because I didnāt want to die. ERP changed everything. At first, I thought, "You want me to confront my worst fears? Are you kidding me?" But ERP is gradual and done at your pace. My therapist taught me to lean into uncertainty instead of fighting it. Sheād say, "Maybe youāll kill yourselfāwho knows?" At first, it felt scary, but for OCD, it was freeing. Slowly, I realized my thoughts were just thoughts. ERP gave me my life back. Iām working again, Iām sober, and for the first time, I can imagine a future. If youāre scared to try ERP, I get it. But if youāre already living in fear, why not try a set of tools that can give you hope?
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 attractiveāpossibly because of a desire to help or save them, though itās 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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