- Date posted
- 5y
- Date posted
- 5y
I was just going to say what Ramblin'Guy said, that it is very much a doubting disease. I've also read that it attacks or zeros in what you care and love the most in your life and makes you work hard overtime to protect that. So, say you're scared that you may have a STD and may pass it on to a loved one. The OCD zeros on to this and makes you believe that you haven't done enough, that there are more tests to be done to confirm. Falling into this trap, you avoid all intimacy with your partner because of this. Taking a STD test is being proactive and smart, but having to go to the OB/GYNE several times a month just to have tangible proof is OCD (here I'm just listing an example, not saying you've done such a thing, I don't want to offend you).
- Date posted
- 5y
Can we ever be 100% certain of everything in life? It drives me bonkers at work because they keep emphasizing they want 200% reliability out of everything we do. No joke! I just have to laugh at that one.
- Date posted
- 5y
So, you know if I answer your questions it will give you reassurance, which is counterproductive. I'm so sorry you're feeling this way right now. Do you have a therapist you can reach out to? The "what if", and the "buts" sound like OCD.
- Date posted
- 5y
If you're still on the train and feeling anxious, it helps to take slow deep breaths. I hope you seek help from a mental health provider ot therapist. There are some really good ones out there. There is also a number on the Nocd app that can help you find a provider.
- Date posted
- 5y
Ahahah, crikey this OCD really does make us think silly things ? Also - advice for next time. Possibly, rather than calling a sexual health helpline, call a mental health helpline instead. The issue here is your OCD not your sexual health, and it sounds like you've been using the helpline unnecessarily as a compulsion. If you use a mental health helpline instead, and tell them you have OCD, it might help you cope with the anxiety in a more helpful and healthy way ?
- Date posted
- 5y
It could be classed as a checking compulsion. If you're doing something "just to make sure" when you're feeling anxious, then it's likely to be a compulsion. You just have to stop looking for the reassurance
- Date posted
- 5y
I mean, obviously if it was that simple none of us would be here. I’ve struggled with Harm ocd, rocd, HOCD, contamination which included STDs. Yet when I get caught in a moment I still can’t see this for what it is. I mean I’m dealing with HOCD right now and I clearly cannot accept this or see it.
- Date posted
- 5y
It sounds like a health anxiety OCD thing to, if you've taken so many tests to confirm that you are STD-free, but need more tangible proof. I want to use caution here because I'm not a professional, but I do share your anxiety about having or needing 100% certainty in order to get on with life.
- Date posted
- 5y
Please stay strong! You're not alone!?
- Date posted
- 5y
Thankyou guys I had to sit with it because I was on the train I did call a sexual health helpline and they said it was unlikely but get tested if I’m THAT worried, but something in me said nah fuck that I’m sick of testing I told my partner when he picked me up too and he asked “was the blood on your hand fresh?” I said yes and he said “well then it’s yours then isn’t it” Logically speaking if my hand was bleeding and I touched a seat and there’s blood there it probably WAS mine...can’t believe I need these things literally spelled out sometimes ?
- Date posted
- 5y
It’s because it’s the doubting disease unfortunately.
- Date posted
- 5y
Is it literally that simple?
- Date posted
- 5y
I actually have done exactly that I’ve had 13 negative tests in my life (never been told I have one) and I’ve had four negative tests in the last two months
- Date posted
- 5y
When I was diagnosed with OCD, I was devastated. I'm the person who is used to getting a clean bill of health everytime I visit the doctor. I'm in and out of the office in less than 10 min. But with this thing that I have now, I don't know how long it will take to get better. I've learned to accept it, adopt ways to manage it, and get on with life. So if I had a fear of contracting a STD and the worst case scenario did happen to become true, what are my options? I would seek medical advice, get treatment, use protection. OCD would tell me to withdraw from the world, avoid having any relationships with people, etc.
- Date posted
- 5y
Well they said that it’s silly to get tested again now on the sexual health helpline unless I had sex with someone other than my partner (which I haven’t)
- Date posted
- 5y
I have washed my hands so much all my skin is cracked and bleeding. I just got on the train and I’m pretty sure I touched the plastic seat head rest thing because there’s what looks like blood there now. What if it’s someone else’s though? And it got in my cut? Will I be infected now?
- Date posted
- 5y
Oh I never thought it was a compulsion ?
- Date posted
- 5y
I called the clinic I visited previously twice yesterday too to make sure I DEFINITELY had a rectal swab because my brain couldn’t remember if I had or not!!...I called my friend too and she was like “yeah I’m sure you would have, the amount you worry of course you would have had it all done” I’m just really scared to relax. Relaxing feelings negligent now
Related posts
- Date posted
- 6w
My ocd has been at an extreme all time high the past 2 weeks and I am in dire need of some relief. I’m not sleeping right anymore. for context: I live in the south and found a springtail on my sheets about 2 weeks ago. This was like 2 days before our bug guy came and sprayed (it’s a normal maintenance thing here) so it’s a common bug down here and I’ve found them all over different areas of the house before. Finding it in my bed sent me on a bit of a spiral bc I started to doubt if it even was a springtail and that i was wrong and that it was a bed bug, not trusting my brain. It was a bad, sleepless night and carried over continuing feelings. Typical ocd stuff. Well two days later, I’m a nurse and I had a patient that actually had bed bugs. This wasn’t the first day they were here and I did not see any myself but it still freaked me out. There had one 2 founds after visitors came the day before. Of course I wore PPE in the room (coveralls shoe covers and hair net) going in and took everything off before exiting the room. When I came home I stripped in my garage and bagged everything down to my shoes. Threw everything in the wash and did multiple cycles. There were no other steps I could take but I still had a terrible night. Hours of ruminating and going back and forth about tracing my tracks, thinking of new ways I could’ve taken one home with me. Just checking everything. I was already on a spiral from the springtail. Having two such back to back triggering events for me so closely related has made me deteriorate significantly. I was already doing bad with my normal OCD and starting therapy here. I obsess over the thought of having bedbugs constantly and haven’t been able to sleep. I am constantly checking my bed while in it and can’t settle down. My bed is heavy too and I keep hurting myself lifting my mattress to check. But I need to check. I’ve become obsessed. I check everything and go down Reddit rabbit holes looking for new things. And of course, I talk myself into it every time. I can’t take it anymore, it’s bleeding off into other parts of my life like friendship and marriage because I am so high anxiety right now. I need relief so bad. I’ve never felt this unstable to be honest. I feel like even someone without ocd would be really struggling with this topic, nevermind me, with ocd to a point where I just started treatment. These aren’t even my normal intrusive thoughts and compulsive acts. It’s just taken on a life in the last week and I can’t find any sign that it’s going to slow down. when I think rationally I know I did everything right to prevent but I can’t shake it. 💔
- Date posted
- 6w
I’ve recovered from HOCD before and got my attraction and my usual actual identity back. I was recovered from end 2022- start 2025 until I got triggered UGHHH😭 My HOCD is REALLY trying to convince me and it’s SO annoying cause I genuinely don’t want these thoughts. I know I naturally like men and always have done so. I can’t wait for my first therapy session in two days Omg! I need your advice, not necessarily reassurance, but more advice? My HOCD is throwing random “proof” I did/ saw as a child in my face, which back then had no meaning in my life and I continued to live a perfectly heterosexual life. I’ve educated myself about arousal non concordance / child’s play, but it still doesn’t remove the HOCD. I’ve read therapists great explanations on how it’s not a sexuality issue, BUT ITS AN OCD BRAIN ISSUE. So basically I’ve been straight and i will die as straight. But my ocd is still continuing with the intrusive thoughts/flashbacks. I’ve had some moments where I haven’t done as many compulsions and had less anxiety but still had those damn thoughts and I DO NOT want those damn thoughts. I have so much proof and factual/logical explanations but HOCD is still continuing to thrive. I absolutely hate this and I feel so alone. I wish there was a reset button cause I don’t want these thoughts to happen. I want a man and I stand by that. How do y’all deal with these situations? Cause sitting with the thoughts is clearly not helping.
- Students with OCD
- Young adults with OCD
- Mid-life adults with OCD
- Sexual Orientation OCD
- Older adults with OCD
- Date posted
- 5w
I've recently decided to get tested for HSV because I have kissed someone with HSV-1. I tested negative several months ago, but I want to be sure. Today I started feeling a tingling sensation and when I pressed my lips together I felt a bump there. So ever since, I've been trying to confirm if there is or is not a bump, where it is, if it's an early HSV breakout or an early pimple. The web searches say that tingle sensations usually means cold sore, but I know that as of a few months ago I tested negative and I have in fact had this tingle happen for zits along my lip line. So I'm super confused and dying to have an answer. I'm planning on heading in to a clinic for a test first thing tomorrow morning but if I can get any advice or knowledge I would so appreciate it, even if that advice and knowledge is helping me break from my compulsion to fidget with my lip or search up information.
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