Is this app feeding my OCD and triggering unhealthy compulsive behaviors?

Think I need to delete this app, it’s a compulsion

This app is feeding my obsessions. I find some stories relatable and reassuring, but it’s only short-lived. I also find some stories are relatable, but triggering and they cause me to spiral. I also search and search and search different questions, spending hours reading other people’s posts. I deleted my Facebook app as I was spending so much time on my OCD forums, and I also thought it was sending me signs from the universe, but now I’m on here constantly. It’s feeding the OCD because I’m reading and comparing stories constantly, but half the old posts I read are written by people who don’t have a conclusion to their stories, so I’m like did they get better from SO OCD or were they in denial all along, creating more ‘what ifs’. This feeds OCD so bad and gives it more power.

Username: ocdsufferer101ocdsufferer101

Date posted: 48w ago

I’ve been finding that too, but everyday now I try to read them with an open mind

Username: JoyasJoyas

Date posted: 48w ago

I think that yes reading other’s stories help us to have hope but our story it’s us who create it, i mean u can be someone who will recover and then other’s take your story as an example, don’t wait for other ppl, look on what is good in ur life, u are living for what ? Im sure that there is something behind ur resistance, u live till now for a reason! and im sure that u deserve to live like normal ppl, hope u find ur way and may God help u and me too❤️‍🩹🫶🏻

Username: Lizzie Lizzie

Date posted: 48w ago

@ocdsufferer101 Do you type in questions on the search bar and then end up trawling through tons of old posts relating to that topic. I have done that so much, and then i find it worrying if the same people keep coming up again and again, as I think - ‘what if those people were in denial all along, and now they have disappeared off the app because it wasn’t OCD after all and the thoughts they were having were true all along’. I have had several subsets of OCD, but I’m currently stuck on SO OCD and it’s the absolute worst. I’m in such a mental muddle and exhausted. My brother died suddenly 6 weeks ago too, and I feel I haven’t been able to grieve because my head is governed by these non-stop thoughts. It makes me so sad. Thank you for your help. I hope you reach a more peaceful place 🙏

Username: yessyessyessyess

Date posted: 48w ago

@Lizzie I’ve been experiencing SO-OCD for the last 12 years. After getting ERP therapy and take sertraline I was able to get a glimpse of a normal life. The fear of being a lesbian or bisexual was gone, would still show up in the back of my head but was able to go on dates with guys again. I even went a good year without using NOCD. This theme came back so strong it brought me to a deep confusion and loss of identity due to traumatic life experiences such as graduating college at a later age. SO-OCD is such a weird theme, it feels so real and sometimes makes you feel like you’re the only one and generates “unique” thoughts. Being able to be here the last week and know I’m not alone has helped. I’m so sorry about the death of your brother. I can’t imagine how challenging it can be for you experiencing OCD and not being able to grieve your brother. Give yourself some compassion. Grief is not linear the way our path to getting better and coping OCD is not linear.

Username: Lizzie Lizzie

Date posted: 48w ago

@yessyess Thank you for your kind words, I really appreciate them. I wasn’t mentally present when I saw his body, went to his funeral, and to the crematorium, so I don’t feel I’ve been able to say goodbye. It’s heartbreaking. The thoughts and constant questions are relentless. I am so sorry you are dealing with this shit too. I’m glad you got to a better place before, and I’m sure you will again with the right tools. Although all OCD is absolutely awful, and I don’t want to undermine that, but I feel SO OCD and ROCD subsets are almost the most convincing in some ways, as sexuality and relationship doubts are common and more plausible than say someone thinking if they don’t check the cooker 100 times the world will end, or if they touch a door handle they’ll die etc etc. I know those thoughts are convincing too and dreadful for the sufferers, but I feel they may be easier to disregard in some respects, than a subset like SO OCD, which is more subjective. I hope you reach a more peaceful place xx

Username: MariaMaria

Date posted: 48w ago

Me too! 😮‍💨 I've deleted the Facebook app and now I'm here 🫠

Username: Lizzie Lizzie

Date posted: 48w ago

@Maria Yeh, it’s just as addictive as Facebook, as far as I can tell. On one of my OCD groups on FB, the life coach who ran it, would screen all posts before they were allowed to be posted, and if they were reassurance posts, she would turn off the comment function, so others couldn’t keep reassuring you and feeding the OCD. This app doesn’t seem to be moderated very well, and it’s weird there is a ‘like’ option like Facebook. It’s like it’s almost designed to be addictive, not entirely sure it’s got the user’s best interest at heart. It’s pretty commercial.

Username: MariaMaria

Date posted: 48w ago

@Lizzie Yes, I totally agree.

Username: Cat_attack

Date posted: 5y ago

Is there anyone else on here that gave into one of their obsessions? I feel disgusting. I feel like if this app would have been a thing years ago I wouldn’t have. But I’m always with the what if or this would have/could have happened. It makes me question if I even have ocd and maybe I’m just a sociopath (although my previous therapist had told me I definitely do have ocd) being on this app sometimes makes me feel worse like I was such a weak person I let it eat me away until I was going to commit suicide and then decided no maybe I’m just a sociopath let me see. I’m struggling with suicidal thoughts because of it and have been for years. NOTE: please don’t flag this, I am not going to commit suicide. Suicidal thoughts don’t necessarily mean you are premeditating and in my case, I am not. Also I am TERRIBLY sorry if this makes anyones ocd reading this worse and you start to think “maybe I will do something” you most likely WON’T. I’m writing this because I have NEVER seen this side (where you gave in) of OCD written on here by anyone!

Username: Jay Bird

Date posted: 2y ago

This app has become overwhelming

There are so many posts on here now that it’s become quite overwhelming. Some days I can use the app appropriately and get actually helpful information out of it or attempt to offer insight to people struggling. However, lately I’ve found I’ve been using it as a bit of a compulsion to see other people struggling like me to “reassure” myself it’s OCD. But I’ve also been triggered by a lot of people offering others really bad advice that isn’t good for OCD. There are way too many reassurance seeking posts (I know it’s hard, I’ve been guilty of it too). I think I’m going to take a break from the app. My advice to you, stop seeking constant reassurance. Stop obsessively reading stuff related to your intrusive thoughts/worries.

Username: Joe87

Date posted: 44w ago

Is it everyone's aim to get off this app

Eventually? Can anyone relate to this I mean it in the nicest way possible because I think this community is fantastic and very helpful but I have also realised that a big part of my OCD is reassurance and craving certainty as I'm sure it is with most if not all OCD sufferers and the irony in that is whilst a lot of the questions and answers we all give can be very helpful and educational at the same time some of it could be deemed as OCD itself as in reassurance seeking and reassurance giving Therefore I ask myself this. When am I going to be content within myself that I have asked all of the questions and got all of the help and knowledge thay i feel i need to strt moving forward with my life and i no longer feel the need to ask anymore questions regarding ocd because whilst it has been helpful it came also serve to keep you stuck.

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Is this app feeding my OCD and triggering unhealthy compulsive behaviors?

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