OCD can turn even the smallest choices into towering dilemmas, leaving you trapped in a cycle of second-guessing. Everything feels much bigger than it is which can lead to indecision and confusuon! How has this shown up for you?
One of the biggest things I second guess is actually having ocd. I know that I do but my brain just keeps telling me that I’m bothering all these people around me with my ocd and that I don’t even actually have it so I’m just wasting their time
@morganr10 I get that sometimes
@morganr10 I second guess that too sometimes. Whether it’s OCD or not
I'm in the process of figuring out if I have it. I definitely have obsessions, but I don't believe I have any compulsions? Any suggestions?
I can relate. One example of what I deal with on a daily basis is when I set my cup down and have to move it several times to just the right spot. Sometimes my mind will look at the table I'm trying to set it on as a puzzle, as well. Once I find the right spot, I feel like I can breathe. Sometimes I will get intrusive thoughts telling me that if I don't move the cup to a specific spot, I will have bad luck. I try to ignore it, but I end up stressing about it, because it's such a simple thing to move the cup to prevent possible bad luck. I do find that if I don't listen to the intrusive thought, the day does actually start to go downhill, and in a way that I don't have any control of (like the car breaking down, finding out your babysitter is sick, some natural disaster, etc.) I do it with other random items, too. Anyone else? 😆
When ruminating I often second guess the outcome of my thoughts even if I’m in the clear
I always question what I'm doing and if it's harmful to someone in some way. I worry that my existence itself is harmful. I'm exhausted
@ninjastone me fr. anything i do leads to me questioning if i like made someone feel bad or i made their life more difficult and that i should have done it better
Same. Every day I worry about using too much water or wasting food or causing too much pollution with any task that I do. It builds up and eventually really stresses me out and I feel like there isn't anything I can do to keep from harming the planet or potentially other people. I hate it. I just want my thoughts to chill out.
@Aerylyn Seriously!! I feel guilty abt leaving the light on. I feel like this is a type of ocd people should talk abt more! Like are we good people? Idk
@Jewelsandgems I'm the same way with the lights. >_< I totally get it and agree that it should be talked about more. We ARE good people! It's so stressful thinking that we aren't!
@Aerylyn Yeah one of my exposures is like thinking i am a bad person and i am a bad friend but idk i can get too meta abt the whole thing
I have been through this but managed to cope and stick with my first choices since last year. The best way to do it as I found that choose the first positive choice that makes a positive outcome ❤️❤️
I read too much into things and this makes me think I have to apply rules that don’t really exist to my life. I take meds now so it sort of stays at a level but tbh every now and then it gets overwhelming and restrictive.
Why‘d you just brush your teeth, man???!🤣
That’s kinda my question. All my thoughts feel so realistic and so now I doubt if they are ocd and if I just can’t make my mind up about something and I’m using ocd as an excuse or something idc I feel like this post is word vomit.
This list by ai gives a good summary of my symptoms. Does it resemble OCD or is it something else? 1. Compulsions (OCD-specific behaviors): • Feeling the need to flex or contract muscles an even number of times, equally on both sides of your body. • Needing to reverse actions (for example, if you roll your eyes or trace a line with your finger, you feel compelled to do it again in the exact opposite way). 2. Intrusive Thoughts (OCD-specific ruminations): • Daydreaming about people you care about getting hurt (e.g., school shooting, injury, or kidnapping). • Sometimes feeling like you might want something bad to happen to someone you find attractive—possibly because of a desire to help or save them, though it’s confusing. • These thoughts can sometimes provide a twisted sense of relief while remaining distressing and confusing. 3. Sexual Orientation OCD: • Experiencing confusion or doubt about your sexual orientation. 4. Contamination Thoughts: • Feeling like things are contaminated, especially after touching something gross. 5. Sensory Compulsions: • Feeling the need to smell your hand after touching areas like your ear or hair. 6. ADHD-like Symptoms / Additional Observations: • Fidgeting or moving your legs when standing or sitting.
OCD isn’t just about compulsions—it’s a mental battle that can be completely exhausting. The anxiety, doubt, and pressure to "get it right" can feel unbearable, especially when others don’t understand what’s happening beneath the surface. What’s the hardest part about living with OCD that others don’t see?
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