Will I suffer from OCD forever?

When I first read that OCD is chronic, I panicked. Was I going to suffer from these thoughts forever? Later, I learned that having OCD is not the same as suffering from OCD—with the right treatment, I could learn to manage OCD long-term. By doing exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy with a specialty-trained therapist and working to accept uncertainty, I changed my life. Today, I live even better than I did before OCD struck. Read more about my discovery that while OCD may be chronic, you don’t have to suffer from it forever.

LK-4D4

Date posted: 1y

There's something about OCD therapy that just doesn't sit well with me. OCD is a chronic condition that requires a pretty expensive treatment but the idea that obsessions may never dwindle away is just so heartbreaking. I know that everyone has intrusive thoughts, but I can't imagine spending thousands of dollars on treatment and then spending another decade obsessing over my themes because there's no cure for this illness. What is the actual point of treatment?

Amara

Date posted: 1y

Respectfully you think wrong it's treatable and there are a lot of people they recoverd and we shouldn't label it as a disease it's just disorder. And spend money for therapy or some programs isn't waste money it's investment on ourself,we buy something that if we want do by self ,takes decades, and specialists give us all their knowledge.

ilovepurplea...

Date posted: 1y

I’m really glad you shared this because this has been worrying me for a while

Anonymous

Date posted: 1y

I think the point is gaining comfort in it. I was really deep in OCD a few years ago and ERP has got me to being able to essentially forget it. It's like the point is to make you relaxed no matter what happens, as opposed to require a certain situation to be relaxed.

Haley A

User type: OCD Conqueror

Date posted: 1y

@Anonymous Do you mind sharing how long it took you to get from “deep in OCD” to forgetting it? I have made a ton of progress, 4 months in. But a particular obsession is still very strong and I’m feeling discouraged that I’ll never overcome it. Trying to remind myself it’s still early and some will take more time…

Anonymous

Date posted: 1y

@Haley A I think it was a steady decrease over time until I stopped noticing it. And when the thoughts or obsessions resurface the therapy tools help to make sure its very fleeting.

Anonymous

Date posted: 1y

Love this

masteryi

Date posted: 1y

I think it’s easy for me to get discouraged especially if I feel really anxious. Sometimes it hard to feel that sort of hope on hard days.

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