Went to a park with my niece

@Anonymous813 It’s gonna be so hard at first. I remember even the sound of kids playing outside gave me anxiety and groinal responses. It is possible to recover and feel normal again! Make sure you don’t run from them and avoid compulsions. Absolutely no checking! When you check you trick your mind into thinking there is something there and then it leads to groinal responses which are sooo awful.

@Buttercupz - How long did it take you to recover because It’s been like a month for me. at first it was harm ocd and then it came to this. how did you cope?

@Anonymous813 I have struggled with this theme for 7-8 years, so it has been with me for a while. I was diagnosed 4 years ago, and I started treatment this month. Very long journey because I didn’t seek help immediately due to the taboo nature of this theme.

@Anonymous813 I coped by trying to ignore it and tell myself I’m not my thoughts. I had some assistance from others who also have OCD. I have been doing exposures without me knowing. I also have a niece whom I live with, so the exposure has been strong.

@Buttercupz Hi! I was wondering your help with the gronial and your responses when you get such intense gronial and feels of attraction because oh my life it’s so upsetting. My pocd has been dominant for a year and it’s back - whoop whoop

@Jojo. Hi Jojo! Groinal responses have been the worst thing to even come from POCD because they can be so convincing. I remember when my anxiety was at its peak I would check myself every 15 minutes and I was always focusing on my private area. I got used to checking so much that my mind automatically went there when I was triggered. Becoming familiar with what it is, and why it truly happens. Remember the intrusive thoughts are sexual, so your brain says “oh sexual thought” and then you have a sexual reaction to said thoughts. This doesn’t mean you’re attracted to children, this is your body’s response to your anxiety. The more you check, the more you’ll experience these. No, this doesn’t mean you’ll suddenly become attracted to children either, it’s not how it works. When you struggle with OCD, you also tend to lose your sense of self. You fear of becoming and being the worst possible human on this planet and you cannot see or feel anything positive towards yourself. This also sends you down a spiral and self hatred. This fuels the OCD. So, I’ve noticed it has gotten better with time by regaining my sense of self and ignoring the groinal response when I check. You’ll notice sometimes the groinal remain even after you have no thoughts at all or are exposed to anything or anyone. I think this is just from you focusing so much on this area your mind automatically keeps doing it. The less you engage, the less it will happen and with time you’ll regain your sense of self and these will occur less and less. I am still recovering, but I know how awful it can be. I hope you feel better soon💗

@Buttercupz It feels so so real. Like I genuinely in my head feel like I like and want the thoughts, it feels like for a second before rumination that I truly like these thoughts…

@Buttercupz - Did you also struggle with intrusive images?

@Anonymous813 Intrusive images, intrusive dreams, intrusive scenarios. Made me feel so disgusting and they wouldn’t stop.

@Jojo. You have to sit with that feeling. Observe them and truly let them pass. Make sure you’re also eating and sleeping well