✋?TRIGGER WARNING!!! TRIGGER FOR HOCD!!! Today I my HOCD made me read some articles about the „coming out“ process and they said that the first step is the „confusion“ step, where you are confused and in denial and that this stage starts with the question „Am I really straight?“ and in one article they REALLY WROTE „it takes some people years to answer that question“ I‘m just freaking out!! I don‘t know what to do anymore! In that article they wrote that some people are shocked and scared to think that they are not gay and deny that they might be... I‘m almost crying, I feel so lost!!! ?

Well the answer is in the question they are confused not obsessed and there is no inner conflict. I know its hard but dont reassure yourself as its gonna increase the problem

Yeah. I agree with all of these people. If you were lgbtq, you would know. I had crushes on boys since I was little and ocd can’t really argue with that. My sexuality can’t just switch over night. Most people that are in the “confusion” stage are not living with debilitating anxiety. They know something’s different with them and they’ve known for a long time. If they grew up in an environment that shamed homosexuality it makes sense that they would be confused when everyone around them is straight and they just don’t want that. Trying to prove your straightness is not denying a true hidden self. It’s not. Your sexuality can’t change overnight and it’s not so black and white. The labels make it seem black and white, but it’s not. Stop looking things up. Stop doing compulsions and trust yourself.

If you were a gay person, you would have known this forever, you cannot become overnight. I speak from personal experience

Very good advice ^

My therapist made me read similar articles for my HOCD as a form of exposure. Reading these articles is a way for you to look for reassurance, so the BEST and HARDEST thing you can do for your HOCD is not read articles for reassurance. It never ends well. It should only be for exposure, which you cannot do rituals during. This is why it ended like that. I’ve had a very similar experience.

how old are you?

@HOCDiagnosed I know but HOCD makes it so hard to believe and to accept

@shiv00 that‘s true. Thank you that calmed me down, after I started panicking

It‘s just when I read they awareness of their sexuality starts with questions like „who am I?“ I start literally shaking because of anxiety

@mamabird17 thank you, good to know I‘m not alone with these experiences

I’m glad I’m not alone either! This thing is seriously demonic and it sucks.

I know the last days were so good but after that urge for reassurance kicked in and now I feel terrible! ?

I‘m 19teen

Thank you for these useful advices! Googling is just the worst thing to do and I blame myself for doing it...