Username: Lalala321

Date posted: 44w ago

OCD FLARE - period related

I never thought I’d get to this point but generally I would say I’m about 80% recovered from OCD. Which is amazing!! But every time of the month I get really bad intrusive thoughts and it all just feels so real again. Any tips on how to deal with OCD around your period - due to all the hormones and emotions it just makes me feel hopeless again, like every month I’m going to have a huge setback… makes me feel like I won’t ever 100% feel like myself again :(

Username: JaxCJaxC

Date posted: 44w ago

SAME THING HAPPENS TO ME. It’s like a dang roller coaster.

Username: Lalala321Lalala321

Date posted: 44w ago

@JaxC Trust me it’s like can I liveeee. 🤦🏻‍♀️

Username: JaxCJaxC

Date posted: 44w ago

@Lalala321 Literally so aggravating and then you get a min of a break from it and it pops back in like “HEY GURL”

Username: Lalala321Lalala321

Date posted: 44w ago

@JaxC Feel like the only thing that slightly helps is just accepting the week leading to my period is gonna be harder. But I just wanna cry and be sad about normal things like I used to not weird thoughts 😂

Username: ListenToTheWindListenToTheWind

User type: OCD Conqueror

Date posted: 44w ago

Don’t ‘watch that box’ anymore. Dont track when it’s coming don’t read about period hormones. Just if you see blood, get a tampon. If you take meds, take them. Do nothing else. It’s not different than your other themes. You got this.

Username: peaks&valleys peaks&valleys

User type: OCD Conqueror

Date posted: 43w ago

Im in the same boat! Honestly, what made it better for me was just accepting that once a month, I will feel more tender and ocd intrusive thoughts will be louder. Be gentle with yourself. I try and plan gentle cozy activities to do (yoga, knitting, reading). I have the most amount of energy in the first two weeks of my cycle after my period, so I try and do super social things and do more intense workouts (cardio). It doesn’t always work out that way (life is not perfect) but accepting that you’ll have these ebbs and flows can make things easier. Try not to get lost in ruminating on the “why am I in a valley” and the “will I ever get better” because that’s just doing mental compulsions. Do your ERP and accept that life with OCD and periods will have ups and downs. It’s about getting out of the downs quicker.

Username: Lalala321Lalala321

Date posted: 43w ago

@peaks&valleys Yeah I think you’re right just like Intrusive thoughts. The more you try fight against it being a more difficult time the more difficult it becomes 😩

Username: umginadumginad

Date posted: 43w ago

I have found that it has improved for me after starting continuous birth control, as I was experiencing PMDD and it exacerbated symptoms, but I know that medication is a personal issue between an individual and their doctors.

Username: Lalala321Lalala321

Date posted: 43w ago

@umginad So glad you found something that helps !

Username: Ashleyx0xAshleyx0x

Date posted: 43w ago

Omg SAME!!! My period ruins my life ! OCD gets soooooo bad… my dr suggested birth control but I’m scared of taking medication (maybe that’s ocd too?)

Username: AnonymousAnonymous

User type: OCD Conqueror

Date posted: 43w ago

Same thing happens to me especially the week before my period ocd is LOUD. Just know it will pass as it has before. And try to be more gentle to yourself it’s okay to have setbacks

Username: rustypotatorustypotato

User type: OCD Conqueror

Date posted: 43w ago

Im currently going through the same thing :(

Username: Mon7Mon7

User type: OCD Conqueror

Date posted: 43w ago

Same for me!!!!! I noticed it before I even started treatment. One of my compulsions is hand washing and I noticed how much worse it got and how much more I washed them before my period!

Username: Puddles321Puddles321

Date posted: 42w ago

I experience this as well. I had a difficult time accepting it in the beginning, and feared every time I knew my period was coming. Over time when I started to realize it will pass, if I started freaking out that I was having a spike I would just remember “it’s just because of your period” and it would pass pretty quickly if I tried my best not to pay too much attention to it. You got this!!!

Username: AnonymousPossum

User type: OCD Conqueror

Date posted: 1y ago

Tips for managing period anxiety spikes

Hey everyone! Hope the new year is going well for everyone so far. I'm seeking some advice for managing anxiety spikes related to a menstrual cycle. I completed NOCD therapy a bit ago (whoop-whoop!) and feel like I'm fairly successful managing my OCD most of the time. But I've noticed a very distressing pattern lately. About a week before my period starts, my OCD becomes very hard to manage. I get terrified, frozen to do anything, and get triggered super easily by things I can normally brush off. This lasts until a couple days after my period starts, which is normally when the anxiety wave "breaks" and I feel back to my "normal self". In total, I can spend 10-12 days in this awful anxiety funk, which has been hard because I feel like I've made so much overall progress in my recovery. I really try to prepare for this each month and be extra strong, but I feel like I have to break down into tears at some time and can't get through my cycle without at least one big breakdown. I also feel extra isolated during this time, as my bf (who's been super supportive of my OCD experience and am truly grateful for him) does not have the most sympathy when it comes to my period. I don't think he understands how much this affects me. I would love any tips/strategies for how people manage this time, so it's not as disruptive. I know it won't be perfect, but I think I could be doing more to manage this time better. Thanks! :)

Username: Lina2308

Date posted: 47w ago

OCD flare ups during the PMS time

Does anyone have any tips or advice for handling the OCD flare up during the pre-period time? I have PCOS too and the hormonal changes can rlly make OCD ramp it up in the time before my period. Anyone experiencing a similar thing found ways to improve that?

Username: Andi7

Date posted: 24w ago

OCD and period

Hi friends, Everytime my period comes around my ocd tends to get worse. Just curious if anyone else deals with this and if you have any tools/tips on how to deal?

Be a part of the largest OCD Community

Share your thoughts so the Community can respond

OCD FLARE - period related

Related posts

Be a part of the largest OCD Community

Be a part of the largest OCD Community