OCD

thank you

have you also had these type of thoughts? and if so, how did you deal with them?

@hopefully To be honest, I found it really difficult to deal with at first, it took me a long time to realise that we actually know nothing for sure, and basically the best coping mechanism is to try and realise when you’re starting to go down a rabbit hole, and take a step back. As my therapist said, to get out of the hole, stop digging

@Lost- - so do you just stop thinking? like- what if you feel like if you don't understand it and get through it, like you can't move on, like idk how to describe it, but it overwhelms me and it's like this confusing thought comes into my mind and makes me think that like I can't move on with life and like even if I understand it, it's like what if there's really no way and it makes feel like I'm at a dead end road and suddenly makes me feel like I just can't move on, idk, I never knew I'd be in a situation like this because I was always like hopeful and now that I'm affected by ocd, I'm stuck in hopeless situations where it makes me think that I can't do anything and it's like just so hopeless...

@hopefully To be totally honest, I don’t have a perfect answer. It’s something I still really struggle with because I have overthought everything for most of my life. I just know, that I might go days or weeks or months believing in this idea or pulling apart some facet of reality to find comfort but inevitably, every time without fail, life proves that I was looking at it the wrong way and I’m set free for a brief moment before I start overthinking again. I think in any attempt to understand, we have to simplify, life just isn’t that, it’s bigger than us. And whenever you feel like you can’t move on, that’s a tough one because I used to be able to push through but eventually had a break down from months of insomnia, tbh, you might need to say it out loud to someone who can either prove you wrong or accept that you’re right and move on with their life without worry. Sleep, eat healthy or at least enough, it’s really important to feed your brain esp if it’s working on overdrive, and maintain routine for certain parts of your day. Try and follow in the footsteps of people who dedicate their thinking to tangible things. The more you stop to think, the harder it is to start moving again so I would recommend keeping as active as you can, and expressing whatever is inside of you somehow, journalling, chatting, art etc. Sorry if this isn’t helpful, I really hope you can find a way to get on top of it asap. Some of this sounds like the advice every gives, “go drink some water!” But fr, sleep, and sleep regularity is so fucking important.

@Lost- If there’s any way I can be more helpful please let me know because I went through my own hell with this a while back and know how shit it is

@Lost- - honestly I agree with that. Idk I just feel like ocd is like a scam that in the moment, it makes me feel so miserable and hopeless and it feels SO REAL. which is why I feel like I have to solve it and do something about it. but once it passes and im free from the thought I realize how yk like, that thought was merely just a thought and it can’t really take over my life yet at the same time bc it felt so real in the moment, I let it take over me and made myself just fall into it….. and It’s just a cycle of that… I think that’s what makes ocd so hard to deal with. And i do feel like simplifying stuff and not overthinking too much is def important because I feel like I tend to overthink over the smallest things and constantly ruminate which literally drives me crazy… I will definitely take your advice into account and try my best to overcome this. You have definitely helped me, and I appreciate it a lot. Thank you so much and I hope that you will find peace and freedom from ocd I believe we both can get through this even if it may be difficult. Thanks.

@Lost- - uh perhaps like how you personally cope with it? if you'd let me know that'd be great. I also would like to know what type of therapy you have received, whether it's like ERP or CBT or whatever and it would be nice if you shared some insights about it and what your therapist told you that helped you.

@hopefully I actually haven’t received specialist treatment for OCD, I just saw a psychologist regularly for a while (until last week), it was crucial help for the depression side of things because we unpacked all of my trauma and he helped me have a platform to verbally organise my brain after having my existential worldview pulled apart as a survival mechanism. But.. I never talked about OCD with him because I’m just too ashamed of some of my themes. I’m looking into more specialised treatment now, but in regards to the existential stuff, what really helped me the most was recognising exactly when my brain was going somewhere I knew was leading to a rabbit hole, and course correcting to divert somewhere else. I also realised that I just have to accept some things that I don’t understand because what other choice do we have? We are alive after all, furthermore that we have the ability to love and cherish, I think it’s more important accepting that we exist, the only rules we should care about is how to be good, honest and grateful. I just try and bring it back to that as soon as my thoughts start pulling shit apart. I know it’s much more complex than that but if I could boil down key takeaways- - recognise when you’re spiralling, - reframe that nothing has to change your reality if you don’t want it to - not everything needs an answer - being peaceful and good person is more important than being right. - we have the divine ability to create our own path and interpret things how we see fit, as long as we don’t impose them on others unwillingly I’m again sorry if this isn’t helpful, I really can’t think properly atm but just wanted to give some sort of response.

@Lost- One quick addition, It’s a conscious process to course correct. You have to remember that your brain is like a muscle and you have to train it, so recognise when you’re spiralling, and remind yourself to ground yourself in the present. Remind yourself that as long as you live in your head, which is an imperfect representation of reality, you can’t interact with reality properly. Our job is not to understand everything, it’s not to construct an idea of reality that we can live with, but instead to believe in one. Because legit we’re not gods, we will never actually know anything for certain, and in the crosshairs of that infinite ineptitude of knowing, belief is all we have. (I am yapping) But legit, we should all strive to be humble in the sense that the smartest human beings alive are still oblivious, and so the nature or knowing things should be for novelty or survival, if it’s not helping you thrive, cast it away.

@Lost- ONE FINAL ADDITION, IF ANYTHING I SAID ISNT HELPFUL IGNORE MY BULLSHIT PLS AND SORRY, I don’t have all the answers, I’m just sharing what helped me and my beliefs are not necessarily correct or helpful for everyone, wishing u the best. 🤙

@Lost- - Thank you so much. Wish you the best too.