Do you feel compelled to document everything due to OCD and fear of false memories?

@Partype Thank you for sharing this! It made me feel seen and encouraged. We got this!

@lizziewhelton55 Thank you! Yes I’ve read some posts about the key being to just let the thoughts pass through or sit with being uncomfortable. I know it’ll be a challenge since I’ve had all these props helping me to document. I’ve been recently trying to slowly (very slowly) but surely start recording less, or instead of recording just taking pictures. You are so right though, the more I do the compulsions and document the more intense the need to do it gets.

@SpiceyPisces - Its extremely difficult I know what you mean by just sitting with the thoughts.. but maybe of looking at the thoughts as such a bad thing maybe just laugh about them or have an attitude of not caring so much for the thought of not knowing for sure... thats definitely helping me because you wont be feeding into it so much.

@lizziewhelton55 That helps somewhat for me too! Some thoughts are more disturbing than others which makes it harder to let go but other thoughts I can now easily let it fall off my shoulders. Do you have any other tips or tricks you do that help with this?

@SpiceyPisces - I know what you mean by some thoughts are more difficult than others. Like some thoughts I have like one or two of them Im like how can I even accept this type of thing like what if that did happen and my mind will trick me into think I am an horrible person. But yes there are some thoughts where I laugh about them and they don't even make any sense after a while, those are the thoughts that are definitely easier to get off your shoulders. Some tips that have been helping me a little bit have been definetley writing down all of the thoughts that I am thinking about and asking myself are they actually logical, I have also wrote step by step what I was doing that day my emotions of it all, was I feeling sad or off that day, this all helps me a lot to see why I was thinking this thought. Another would be to talk to someone who deals with these intrusive thoughts or someone who understands because you can relate to them and you wont feel like your going crazy or that these thoughts really define you, people deal with these things all the time. Lastly I would say take the thought and yes accept them but say to yourself im gonna save this thought for later and try to distract your self with something positive instead, because I promise you these false memory thoughts do not define you nor are they true what so ever. Like I said before if you really did something you would truly know, in your case yours is if what if I act on something horrible. Your body isn't going to allow you to do something bad because you have morals, the ocd or false memories want to play the illusion in our head that something bad can happen, just play along with it laugh about it(: I hope this helps somewhat!

@lizziewhelton55 Tremendously helped and gave me a confidence boost! Lol thank you. It helps to hear that, because it is like OCD attacks my true self into thinking I would do something horrible or bad and that I wouldn’t remember. I think deep down I know the truth of the matter but it’s the lack of trust in myself to be like “hey that didn’t happen” but I will try to be logical and challenge these thoughts going forward. I think that sounds helpful, to say “is this logical?” Or “I’ve never done nor thought of doing that before why would I now and not know it?” Thanks again :)

@SpiceyPisces No problem!!! Again i’m here if you need to talk!

@lizxx Hi, I just read your conversation and I can relate. I feel a bit the same also constantly worrying „have I done something immoral/bad?“ and constantly seeking external reassurance from family members for example. Good to know that there are others with similar thoughts 😊

@Mariie It definitely comes from a morally correct perspective for me too! Always trying to be good, do good, do the right thing. And terrified if I have the slightest sense that maybe I didn’t or “what if” I didn’t. It is so exhausting but it has gotten surprisingly better for me with medicine and ERP therapy. I never thought it would honestly.

@SpiceyPisces That’s so good to hear!! 😊