Is anyone experiencing existential OCD as well?

the absolute dread of it is the worst for me. My stomach drops every time I get an intrusive thought and it’s gotten to the point where i have to isolate myself and wait the panic out. have you had any panic alongside that? i’ve been having a mix of panic and depression that also does not help. i know exactly what you mean about contemplating someone else’s mortality, im 16 so obviously not on the scale of love and concern for a child as i don’t have one, but my childhood dog is 14 and i often completely freak out about him dying (like once a week). ugh. glad i’m not alone in this though!

Yes!!!! For the past 3 weeks!!!!!!!!! It's how I found out I have OCD!

Me!!!! This is the third time in my life I have had a terrible episode like this. It’s horrible. I have a 4.5 month old baby and I am struggling to enjoy her. I just sit there and contemplate her mortality. (Literally even writing/reading that it sounds so ridiculous, but this condition makes it feel so rational.) The last time this happened therapy didn’t really work, but I’m trying CBT this time and am a little more hopeful (starting Wednesday). I was so happy with my new baby just a few weeks ago. This is really just an awful thing to have. It’s so hard to talk yourself out of the existential things!!! It makes me feel a little better knowing I’m not alone!

Yep. And meanwhile you wonder how anyone thinks about anything else! Ugh!! It will pass!! I really think something just goes wrong in the brain and it eventually fixes itself! Good luck!

Oh my god, yeah, I was doing the dishes and was suddenly like "I'm gonna die one day" and then suddenly, BAM, 24/7 intrusive thoughts about it. And when I try to do stuff i like? "This is pointless, you're wasting your time" like UGH. I couldn't enjoy visiting my partner's extended family two weeks ago because I was just so wrapped up in my own mind and like, it's so paradoxical!!!! Hopefully CBT works, I have an appointment with someone soon too so hopefully we can all get to a better place emotionally.

The first time it happened to me I was 15. Then 26. Now 41. And my dad, oddly, just went through it for the first time a few months ago. He ended up hospitalized. Yes, so much panic. You feel scared, like you are trapped in this life thing and can’t do anything to escape this terrifying death thing. This is the first time I have ever talked to anyone who has gone through the other than my dad. The only good thing is that I know I got through it twice before, and somehow my thoughts went back to normal. It’s exhausting, and takes away from enjoying the life we have! (The depression kicks in when it feels like this is something which can’t possibly go away!)

Luckily, my partner and his family were understanding when I told them what was going on (they just had a death in the family and theyre jewish so they sort of know suffering :( ) but honestly yes having someone to talk to is so much better for your mental state. Plus, it seems like even non-OCD people tend to worry about this around in their teens/earlyish 20s because of life changes and all that. If only we as a society could talk more openly about this stuff and learn to embrace it! Maybe then so many people would fear it less

Yea, I'm starting school on monday and I already know having something purposeful to do will at least minimize most of the lingering anxiety and intrusive thoughts. But I'm also glad I had this because I forced myself to learn about what happens to people when/after they die and I actually found out some really cool (but also terrifying) information! So if i can come mostly to terms with this stuff before i turn 25 (im 20), i think I'll count this one as a big ol' win

These comments have helped me understand my OCD even more! I knew I had this theme time to time (Saying suffered makes me anxious) I’ve had thoughts that have thrightend the living daylights out of me and now I know it was this theme

Hey, could someone explain a little how it feels to have this?

that’s exactly it. these past few weeks i’ve felt like i’m going insane and any effort to talk about it with my parents or friends was met with “you just can’t think about that stuff.” it’s so nice to know that i’m not alone.