Desensitization
Do you guys have the feeling that you are desensitized? I'm afraid of losing my values and acting like my thoughts. I still know what's right and wrong, but I'm no longer shocked or anxious about some things I see (like bad news or cases where there are a lot of differing opinions)...
It’s pretty much impossible to avoid being desensitised when your brain is playing these things on loop constantly, but when you are able to finally take a step back and have some respite I guarantee you, you’ll start to see things clearly again. I’ve experienced coming out of severe OCD episodes and basically realising I was staring at a tiny square on a wall and convincing myself it was the whole picture. It’s just part of OCD and you are not your thoughts. I think OCD attempts to convince us that if we try hard enough to reach every corner of our brain that we could understand or know exactly what’s going on in our mind but that’s so unrealistic, and trying to shrink ourselves into the box of what we can quantify also helps deceive us into thinking we’re at risk of losing control or losing our ability to think properly if all of our cognition and awareness isn’t present at this immediate moment. I have sort of started rambling soz, but to summarise, that’s a common experience with OCD and I have also felt exactly like you have described and then realised from the outside how much of a self-constructed threat that fear really was. Just worry about taking care of yourself and goin easy on yourself and not giving into compulsions and you’ll start gaining more and more clarity. Hopes this helps, wish u all the best
Your text really helped me a lot. You are very kind to take the time to write it. I deal with compulsions: I think a lot, I'm scared of groinal responses, I search on the internet... I can't control myself about it. My anxiety decreases, but in the next day it increases exponentially 😢
@Lizzie Scheav Yeah it’s really hard not to keep looking for answers, but unfortunately as long as you look for certainty you will keep needing more proof because OCD just wants more. That next day increase is super typical after seeking reassurance. I will say, I have had (still have 🥲) several themes, and they were all pretty debilitating but I have never experienced pure shame, self-disgust and guilt like I did when I first started experiencing groinals. At first it was just in response to sexually intrusive thoughts, but then literally just started happening every time I experienced any sort of anxiety spike. I just want to let you know you’re not alone, and it does go away when you’re not on panic mode and your brain isn’t immediately scanning every environment for things that could trigger you and then hyper-fixating on them to try and solve it or avoid it. U got this!!!
@Lost- Omg, I can relate to that!!! What destroys me the most is the groinal responses. I feel gr when my anxiety increase. I even have experienced this when I heard drips lol. Another thing that hurts me are dreams. Dreams ruin my day and week. They are usually the ones that make me enter into crisis. I am getting better. I'm saving money to go to a specialist, because where I live there aren't many therapists specialized in OCD 🥹
same :( ur not alone … feels like im accepting im bisexual not straight
I'm so sorry! I also go through hocd, but my main theme is pocd... This has been so hard
it’s common to humans to feel desensitized. bodies and minds have plenty of tools to respond to what happens to us and dissociating of sensations and emotions is a primary response — and when there’s been a distressing event happening constantly, it’s quite common to experience it. you’re overwhelmed.
Yes, I think it's a form of body defense. I was very anxious about bad news. Now I'm neutral
yeah like a numb feeling it sucks
I hate it so much
hey, i totally get where you're coming from - the whole feeling numb thing can be really confusing and unsettling, especially when it feels like it's messing with your values. 😕 have you heard about "unstuck"? it's this ai tool that's designed for ocd and it's actually been super helpful for me lately. someone here mentioned it not too long ago and man, i really wish i'd known about it sooner!
Oh, really? I tried once. I'll try it again. Thanks for your words 🥰🙏
does anyone feel like ocd can numb you and desensitize you? i feel like that’s been happening
Ironically. Becoming desensitized to my intrusive thoughts sometimes frightens me. The security of knowing I had such intense anxiety when I had violent/bad/scary intrusive thoughts comforted me because it made me realize I didn’t want them and found them bad. If I’m not reacting to them, I’ve convinced myself that I think it’s okay and maybe deep down I am a bad person? Does anyone else relate to this? My anxiety has felt better lately toward my intrusive thoughts as I am trying to give them no value (that and probably my lexapro lol) but is what I’m feeling normal at all or can anyone relate?
Is it normal to go numb to thoughts? I’ve been struggling for 3 months with intense fear and all of a sudden I am not anymore. While this may seem like healing, I’m incredibly worried I’m not scared anymore. I know that’s crazy. It’s causing me to be scared that the thoughts are mine because I’m not reacting to them.
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