I’ve got one that might stump you guys.

This obsession/theme is very confusing and I haven’t found anybody else who’s described it. Basically I am afraid of… speaking? Not like, a fear of public speaking, but like when I talk (or think about a future situation where I’ll need to talk) I get anxious. It’s become an automatic response. It’s stemming from me being afraid of saying inappropriate things while talking, or saying things that sound like inappropriate things while I’m speaking. I had really good therapy today, where I learned to not answer/engage with the OCD questions at all. However, I still am getting pretty anxious whenever I am speaking (basically tip-toeing around my words, constantly scanning and reviewing the words to make sure they didn’t sound like anything inappropriate). And if I’m not speaking, I’m thinking about how unusual this theme is and how stuck I feel, or I’m mentally reviewing past things I said to try and make sure they weren’t inappropriate. Does anybody have any sort of input on this? It’s puzzling me deeply, and it’s really inhibiting my ability to just speak. Instead of just talking, I am constantly thinking about talking, and trying to do it correctly. Thank you for reading. This disorder sucks.

Username: ajr824ajr824

Date posted: 1y ago

Yep I’ve had this too. It’s so rough. For me it was just a phase and I got over it quick. I hope the same happens for you

Username: TakeBackYourLifeTakeBackYour...

Date posted: 1y ago

@ajrowley Thank you so much for replying and helping me not feel so alone.

Username: hannahb2023hannahb2023

Date posted: 1y ago

not stumped at all! me and my best friend talk about this and she struggles with it too and doesn’t even have ocd! it all comes down to anxiety and ocd 🙃the more we focus on talking and worrying about saying the wrong thing, the more heightened that anxiety gets. What helps me is this mindset of “screw it” if I say the wrong thing, I say the wrong thing. if I blurt something out, then I blurt something out. it’s about accepting those thoughts and feelings and not shaming yourself or telling yourself you shouldn’t be having them. everyone experiences this, ocders spiral over it. that’s the only difference! you got this. hope this helps 💕

Username: TakeBackYourLifeTakeBackYour...

Date posted: 1y ago

@hannahb2023 Thank you so much. You’re absolutely right. Just takes practice 😅😅😅

Username: hannahb2023hannahb2023

Date posted: 1y ago

@TakeBackYourLife the practice can be harder than the ocd too 😂 because it’s so much easier to just fall back into what we know. I’m in that process now. Rooting for you!!

Username: TakeBackYourLifeTakeBackYour...

Date posted: 1y ago

@hannahb2023 Yes!!! The constant mental checking feels so much “safer” than just accepting and moving forward and letting go 😭😂

Username: JordTheNordJordTheNord

Date posted: 1y ago

Been there, ruminated that

Username: jenthatsmejenthatsme

Date posted: 1y ago

Though I don’t have input, I hear you and I can relate. I have had this too. It seems to happen more when I am feeling anxious already

Username: JenniesOCDBrainJenniesOCDBrain

Date posted: 1y ago

hey there, i just wanted to say i really feel for you. i have my own tangle with pure o, different obsessions, but man, the struggle resonates. it sounds super exhausting to be in a constant state of alert over your words, like you're walking through a minefield every time you open your mouth. i'm glad to hear therapy was good, though, that's a solid step. just remember, you're not alone in this, and i'm here to listen if you need to vent or just talk it out. 🌟 i've been using this free ai tool called "unstuck" (find it at www.AIOCDtool.com), and it feels like it could click with what you're going through. since your ocd is making you hyper-aware of your speech, this tool might help you step back when things get intense. it's like having a pocket-sized ocd therapist. you tell it what's bugging you, and it guides you through, step-by-step, using AI and ERP principles. it's been a game-changer for me when i'm spiraling. no pressure, but check it out if it feels right for you. happy to chat more if you've got questions about it. stay strong! 💪

Username: Lilly2442!Lilly2442!

Date posted: 20w ago

How are you now ?

Username: Mm

Date posted: 6y ago

It’s funny and frustrating how I am not able to talk to my therapist when I go for my sessions (only few words). Can this somehow be a symptom of OCD?

Username: canigetawitness

Date posted: 3y ago

Is there anyone with Racism themed OCD? I've been really struggling with this taboo theme & I'm finding it hard to function/find myself avoiding people out of fear of being perceived as racist. I constantly worry that I'm being perceived as racist. I'm white, I consider myself to be an ally of BIPOC and to work on being anti-racist. Lately though, I get hit with a ton of intrusive thoughts about coming across as racist when I speak to a BIPOC, which causes anxiety, which my anxiety probably then appears racist to the other person. I can't imagine what BIPOC have to endure on a daily basis just because of their skin color, so I'm not trying to make this about me. I'm just wondering if I'm alone in this or if other people struggle with this OCD theme. To be honest, it's pretty severe and it's attacking my core, because this "theme" feels opposite to what I value (being an ally, fighting to be anti-racist & dismantle racism) & who I am. I can tell that other people notice I'm anxious, and I just hate that I'm displaying nervousness because I'm sure it makes the other person uncomfortable. I know I'm coming off as anxious to other people. I know it because I'm trying so hard not to be perceived as racist, to get the interaction "right", that interactions just get weird, anxiety filled & awkward & I'm sure the other person is like wtf, this person is a racist. I don't know how to stop getting so lost in my head. I've tried to tell myself "Maybe I am a sick, racist human being, oh well", but that doesn't help because I don't agree with that statement.

Username: Ebby7

Date posted: 2y ago

Kind of at my end.

I am adding a trigger warning, but I’ll still be mindful to censor. So I guess I would say I’m in a relapse. I was doing well (I think). I wasn’t having intrusive thoughts and I overcame a really hard theme. So for a few months I was doing pretty okay. My living situation and relationship took a huge hit and I guess I couldn’t handle the pressure idk. Anyway, one day I was trying to sleep and I got this intrusive thought about losing my mind I guess. Not being able to identify anything, speak, ect. Just being a blank mind or something. (I know, doesn’t my one ounce of sense to me either) Anyway, this really scared me, triggered me so badly that one of my old themes that I truly thought I had overcame came back. Not only did it come back, it sent me spiraling ( still am). It feels so much worse this time. And I’m struggling to overcome it. This thought: “how do we understand words?” And then it’s spirals into other thoughts related to this, but I’ll leave it at this. I can’t cope, my mind is hyper fixated on every word, not just mine. I can no longer watch tv comfortably, listen to conversations, or even speak myself. It’s making me feel like “unaliving” myself. I feel extremely alone in this. Like as if I’m the only person in the world to ever think this or struggle with this kind of theme. Getting some feedback would be great, but I won’t hold my breath.

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