- Date posted
- 1y
Q&A About OCD w/ Me!
I haven’t done a Q&A in a long time, but I finally have a few hours of free time! Please ask any and all questions about OCD and I’ll do my best to answer ❤️
I haven’t done a Q&A in a long time, but I finally have a few hours of free time! Please ask any and all questions about OCD and I’ll do my best to answer ❤️
Not a q but wanted to say I remember you from the day I joined this app and it warms my heart to see ur here i appreciate all you’ve done🥹♥️ your posts always brought me comfort ♥️
@CurlyHairedPoodle Aww thank you! ❤️🌸
I had another question. Not sure if you’ll see it. Back in August I went to the concert of my LIFETIME favorite artist. It was when I was still drinking and I got way too drunk. To the point I don’t remember the last hour of the night. Of course I woke up the next day thinking I must have assaulted someone in the bathroom. Well since the concert, I can no longer listen to this artist and I used to listen to him every day. I love his music but listening to him makes me feel immense guilt. Do you have any recommendations on what to do?
@Catlove9 Listen to the artist for self ERP.
@Nica Okay. Thank you, again. And thank you for all you do on here to help others. It’s very meaningful to people like me.
@Catlove9 You’re welcome ☺️
Are you one of the therapists on NOCD? Or just a really experienced patient? Or both? 😊 As always, your insight and inspiration is always appreciated.
@Joey_867 I’m not a therapist anywhere; I just do volunteer advocacy work on here and also in person. I am an ongoing patient though I have been subclinical for 4 years now after 6 years of intense therapy for OCD and PTSD specifically. Then I tackled GAD and depression.
@Nica Thank you for sharing. I was diagnosed with GAD and depression 13 years ago - it was blatantly health OCD (in hindsight). Shockingly a psychiatrist missed it. It amazes me how many of us go undiagnosed. Thankfully, it was caught this time around after 10 years of remission. Best 10 years of my life. Everyone listen to Nica!
@Joey_867 I’ve been missing too! Though it was bipolar and schizophrenia 😆 oopsy… it was PTSD from childhood trauma though.
@Nica Misdiagnosed* bad typo
How old are you if you don’t mind me asking? And when would you say your OCD was at its worst?
@Catlove9 I’m in my early 30s. It was bad from 2012-2016. And I had started therapy in 2013 for my issues, so it didn’t take for a while because I was fighting back a lot.
@Nica That’s awesome. I’m 36 and I wish I would have gotten treatment earlier because it’s the worst it’s ever been for me. I appreciate your answer.
@Catlove9 It’s better to seek out treatment now instead of waiting longer! Even if you feel that you waited too long, it’s better than never getting to it.
@Nica Thank you ❤️
Do you have any advice on where to seek therapy if someone doesn't have a lot of money? That would be really helpful:)
@Solar eclipse Nathan Peterson’s OCD course which is a one time fee.
I have no access to any specialists in OCD, as my state unfortunately sucks with accepting/offering free mental healthcare. I'm unsure if I have OCD because I've only just started looking into it, and I don't want to end up falling down a hole of hours and hours of 'research'. But I also feel scared to try coping mechanisms for a label that isn't tied to me because, in my head that makes me a bad person. Even if I'm the only one that knows. (I know that makes no sense 😔) Do you have any advice for for someone trying to tell if they may or may not be experiencing longterm compulsions/rituals that just seem 'normal' now?
@CatWhiskers I suggest looking into Nathan Peterson’s online OCD course so you can get the help you need. It’s a one-time fee and I’ve heard he can help with payment plans. Because you’re so deep in the compulsions and can’t easily differentiate between what is and is t one, I think jumping into a program is the best way to go even if it’s not 1:1 therapy.
@Nica Oh! I'll definitely look into that. I agree, I'm looking for anything that could help me because I am genuinely struggling. Thank you very much for your care and time!
@CatWhiskers No worries! 🤘🏻❤️ you got this!
Have you experienced SO-OCD?
@missbluesky Yes, I have
@Nica My problem is this: I’ve suffered from SOOCD since I was 12. I’m 22 now. It comes and goes in waves, but when it “goes” it’s still in the back of my mind; I just don’t do very noticeable compulsions like come on here or google or scroll on Reddit for hours. I still notice women, I still think about if maybe I am actually a lesbian or actually bisexual, but I don’t have as much anxiety around it. It still bothers me, but it isn’t as bad as it gets when I have a flare up, like I’m having now. These flare ups happen 2 times a year usually and last up to 3 months. I have never done ERP in a committed way— if I do ERP, do you think that will help? Or am I simply too far gone?
@missbluesky Yes, you should absolutely do ERP. You’re not too far gone at all.
@Nica Thank you for your reply. Also, do you think that’s a “normal” OCD cycle?
@Nica Like the periods where it’s not so bad but it’s still there in my mind ?
@missbluesky Intrusive thoughts will always be present; it’s a human thing. You need to learn not to give it any energy. No energy, it doesn’t become an issue.
Should I start therapy? What if I say something that they think is odd, strange, illegal, etc.? What if they tell me it is not OCD? These are just a small handful of the things that I have heard from people who are worried about starting therapy. And, it is unfortunate that these types of questions, and the fear of their answers, keep people suffering. If you have these questions, I want to know about them. I hope that you will gain some insight and inspiration to take that step and try out NOCD ERP for your OCD. So, let me hear from you and let's overcome these fears together. Ask me Anything in the comments below.
Hi everyone! My name is Tara, I’m a therapist here at NOCD. Before becoming a therapist, I worked various jobs in arts, textiles, prop styling, I worked in restaurants... I basically did what I could do with an undergrad in art living in Brooklyn, with a secret hope that I might someday pursue a career in mental health. Fun fact, I held onto that hope for 10 whole years before I decided to take a risk and apply to grad school! I wanted to become a therapist because I just knew that this was a field where my mind could work at its best and do the most good. Anyone else here with ADHD may understand. I simply cannot retain long term focus on something if I don’t absolutely love it, and I absolutely love this work. Having a job where my sole purpose is to connect with others and help them tap into their inner strength is an actual dream come true. I specifically love working with Exposure and Response Prevention and treating OCD, since the whole point of ERP is to show you you’re braver than you think you are. And it works so, so well. If you have a fear, and you think you “can’t” approach it, know that you most likely can. It might take some time to prove that to yourself, but with time and a steady dose of discomfort, you’ll get there. I’m sure that “discomfort” part didn’t sound appealing but let me ask you this - does OCD make you feel uncomfortable? Why not put some of that discomfort to work, in your favor? If you’re struggling with OCD, or you think you might be, know that you probably already have what it takes to thrive in ERP. You’re here. You recognized that you were struggling, you decided to find help, you downloaded the app, and you started reading through posts. I’m sure somewhere along the line, you felt at least a little uncomfortable, and you decided to take the next step anyway. That’s ERP in a nutshell :) Please ask me anything about OCD, your current symptoms or ERP. I’ll be responding over the next 2 days to questions.
Have you ever had a thought so unsettling it stopped you in your tracks? That’s how postpartum OCD started for me, triggered by my grandfather’s passing. After he died, a terrifying question popped into my head—What if I’m not a good person? From that moment, I became afraid of my own thoughts. When I had my daughter, a new fear took over: What if I could hurt her? I avoided being alone with her and constantly sought reassurance, but nothing eased the panic—until I found NOCD and realized I had OCD. Therapy was terrifying, but learning to face my fears instead of running from them changed everything. One day, when I was alone with my daughter, the thoughts came, and I simply responded, Maybe I could. Maybe I couldn’t, and moved on. That’s when I knew I was getting better. OCD no longer controls my life—and if you’re struggling, know that recovery is possible. I’ll be live on the app around 6:00 PM CT answering any questions, so ask away!"
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