People who have gone through harm ocd/suicidal ocd is possible for one day not to think about it? I just want one day of not being scared and not thinking about it, I just want to feel normal
I used to have thoughts of harm OCD almost all the time and had frequent meltdowns bc of it. Now I go days and weeks without it popping up, but when it does, it’s rarely an issue. It’s took me a while to get there but it’s possible to overcome it. Don’t lose hope! 🫶🏽
I get you - but you can't just change over night, it's a process of learning to not engage with these thoughts. Step by step you can recover but you have to work on it.
@Estrid I’m doing ERP and upped my medication so I’m trying
@secretlyobsessed2012 Sounds good!! It's hard work really - but so worth it. Hang in there. And yes: I have days when I feel "normal" it's amazing - I have lived with severe OCD and GAD for many years.
I’m going through this same content. I’m also in ERP and it’s challenging but my therapist swears it works
The answer is a resounding yes. I too am proof that it won't be a problem forever. Keep in mind that the goal is to change your reaction to these thoughts, not to get rid of them entirely. Always remember that the thoughts aren't the problem, the compulsions are the problem. This is the hardest thing to learn, but once you get it, you will experience dramatic improvements.
@djflorio Thank you I have mental compulsions so it just makes me worried I don’t actually have ocd I’m just making it all up or I’m crazy or I’m suicidal or whatever cause I don’t have any physical compulsions (other then mental and researching)
@secretlyobsessed2012 - Yes it's very common to worry about "not really having OCD." That's where I think people get too caught up in diagnosis and definitions. Intrusive thoughts happen to everyone. What makes it OCD is the frequency of the thoughts, and how much time you spend doing compulsions to get rid of them. So whether or not you fall under the OCD diagnosis is kind of irrelevant for these thoughts. At the end of the day, they are still intrusive enough to be causing you anxiety. And of course, mental compulsions are still compulsions! I went undiagnosed for almost 20 years because pretty much all of the compulsions I tend to use are mental.
@djflorio Can I ask what kind of mental compulsions you do
@secretlyobsessed2012 - Sure, when it comes to SOCD, I would often mentally review thoughts, imagine what it would "look" like, imagine certain scenarios to check if I would want to do it (like imagining myself near a ledge, holding a gun, knife, etc), try to convince myself that I don't have the typical "warning signs" of suicide. The thought of me doing it would pop up again and again, and I'd imagine what my friends and family would think if it happened (which often made me very sad). And while it's not really a mental compulsion, I also did research (like you said). A LOT of research. I'd google statistics on suicide, what sort of "mental conditions" are common amongst people who do it, what the symptoms of those conditions are, etc.
@djflorio My mental compulsions include telling myself I don’t want to die (which is automatic) and Idk self reassuarance looking for reassurance and researching everything to do with the subject, especially since I’m terrified it’s my anti depressants
@secretlyobsessed2012 - I get that. I was on anti depressants when I was really in the thick of it (I'm not anymore), and I remember being so concerned about the warning labels on them, worried that they would make me do something beyond my control. What helped me was making positive changes in my life, with the goal of eventually not needing the meds anymore. I used them as training wheels. I focused on my diet, getting good exercise, getting into mindfulness and meditation, focusing on hobbies, and forcing myself to be social even if I was freaking out inside. I also learned about how the mind works, and why it does what it does. Eventually I was able to taper off the meds. I've also done ERP, though for other "themes" of OCD. By the time I started talking to specialized OCD therapists, I was pretty much over the suicide stuff. I imagine it would have been super helpful at the time, so definitely keep it up.
@djflorio What kind of diet do you have that helped?
@secretlyobsessed2012 - Nothing that special or different than what most dietitians would recommend. Just limiting packaged foods that are high in sodium or sugar, increasing fruits and vegetables, opting for more whole-grain and high-fiber foods rather than simple carbs. I also don't drink anything caffeinated, and lately I haven't been drinking alcohol. At the end of the day, I think it's less about any specific diet, and more about how you feel about what you're eating. I don't think it has to be that complicated. Foods that make you feel healthier and more energized will make you feel better mentally.
It's one of those days where I can't get out of my head, the anxiety feels so debilitating, all I can do is cry, the intrusive thoughts won't stop and I can't keep myself from my compulsions, I feel so alone, my fear of hallucinating sounds went to fear of hallucinating people or things, to the worst of all fear of becoming delusional, my mind is plagued with "delusions" that I've read online through all the compulsive research I've done, earlier I saw a shadow next to a light pole and my mind immediately went "what if little people are watching you" my grandmother had delusions like that growing up so that's where it comes from I think, no I don't actually believe that little people are watching me but what if I do believe it, what if I am psychotic, what if I start believing people are out to get me, im so terrified I can't shake the fear of this I can't accept it I don't know how, im terrified that my ocd will forever plague my mind and I will never feel better I'll always be fighting this monster and I will never feel peace again, I don't want to be alone in a mental hospital, I don't want to go to the doctor and them tell me I'm crazy or psychotic, I don't want to become a burden to my family, i dont want to scare my family please I just want to feel better 😭😓 I don't want reassurance about the intrusive thoughts I just want someone to tell me it'll get better and I won't feel stuck forever
Yesterday was a very difficult day. And today I woke up as if I had never experienced OCD. I kept asking myself, do I really have it? How come I don't have a single ounce of anxiety in my body today? I don't even have the patience to think about anything else. Is it normal to have days when you just don't care? Because it's not on purpose. I wanted to think about what happened, but it's like I don't want to do it?
Hi guys. Hope everyone is okay I just wanted to ask for some ppl to share how they overcame harm ocd completely so that I can get an idea of how to work towards healing. Thank you :)
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