How can I cope with setbacks in my struggle with event OCD?

Setback:(

How do you deal with setbacks?? I was doing great for a couple of weeks, feeling so empowered. Then, I was watching tv and saw something that triggered all of my thoughts to come back and now I feel like I’m back to where I started. I suffer with real event OCD and it’s with mistakes I know I’ve for sure made. But for a while I was able to just sit with them and realize I’m a human being who has made mistakes and that’s ok. But today I’m back to feeling the need to confess all my past mistakes to my future partner and feeling like I’m a bad, creepy person:(

Username: Chickens_FrogsChickens_Frogs

Date posted: 38w ago

It comes with the OCD. It’s so insidious. You are just human. We all have the flaws that come with it. Try to sit back and sit with that feeling again the works. I know everything is easier said than done.! Good luck!

Username: Makingachange24Makingachange24

Date posted: 38w ago

@Chickens_Frogs Thank you so much for your response! I am working on just sitting with it!

Username: VGHVGH

User type: OCD Conqueror

Date posted: 38w ago

Hey, hang in there! It takes time and practice, keep applying your tools. Make sure you’re not reassuring yourself, sometimes we will comfort ourselves with phrases like, “I’m only human” and although this is true, it acts as reassurance (a compulsion) which will always set the stage for another doubt or “what if”. Try instead, acknowledging you were triggered, then making the choice to not engage in any way with the trigger, let all the thoughts, feelings , sensations be there while you go live your life. The goal isn’t to feel better, the goal is to not engage with the trigger. With time and practice, you will feel better, however, the goal needs to be learning how to deal with intrusive thoughts. Moods and feelings come and go, but living life anyway is the skill we are trying to cultivate.

Username: Makingachange24Makingachange24

Date posted: 38w ago

@VGH Thank you so much for your response! I have really been working on this. Thank you for this reminder!

Username: rachelm89

Date posted: 5y ago

Hi there! Does anyone else experience real event OCD? My days lately are filled with (sometimes) crippling guilt and shame over real things that have happened in the past. These are all things that are relatively minor in the grand scheme of things. I’ve talked to friends/family/therapists about them and I’m reassured they aren’t “that bad” but my mind can’t seem to let them go. Anyone else dealing with this? Any tips for forward progress? Much love to you all. ❤️

"Pure" OCD

Username: Anonymous

Date posted: 2y ago

new obsessions

every time my OCD finds something new to obsess about I feel like it’s the worst one yet. I used to think feeling like i don’t love my partner is the worst but turns out feeling like i cheated on him is so much worse. especially because it’s not cheating OCD but real event OCD. I somewhat entertained things with a friend a couple years ago (assumed he was probably into me and didn’t stop it/ liked the attention??) and even drunkenly fell asleep on his leg once. and i have talked about it with my bf but not the detail about sleeping on his leg (i’ve told him other arguably worse things (no kissing or anything like that)) and we’ve gotten past it. this was someone who i definitely never had feelings for and never wanted anything more out of than attention. but now i feel overcome by guilt and anxiety and i replay the scenarios over and over in my head. i feel the constant need to confess every last detail i remember but i read that confessing can be a compulsion? ugh anyone else dealing with real event OCD have any advice? I can’t see my amazing NOCD therapist anymore due to insurance issues :/

Relationship OCD

Username: Coffeelover11

Date posted: 1y ago

Anyone else experience this?

Does anyone struggle with real event ocd and having to confess to their partner? I have so many regrets on things I’ve either done or thought and feel like I can’t move on or be better until I’ve been forgiven for them. Mostly things that happened a couple years ago and I don’t know why it’s all of a sudden bothering me now but it makes me feel like I’m the worst person ever. I’m even questioning how I thought or felt during that time and I’m confessing to thoughts or things I may or may not have done or thought. It’s so confusing and I feel trapped in my own head. If anyone has any tips I would appreciate it. Thank you for you time

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How can I cope with setbacks in my struggle with event OCD?

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