Anyone else struggle with real event type OCD (OCD latches on to a real life situation you’ve experienced)? How can we know the difference between what actually happened and if it’s just my OCD making me feel like a horrible person? Specifically with harm/pedophile OCD. Anyone ever experienced this before?

POCD

Vins

Date posted: 6y

Recalling and analysing (trying to distinguish what happened and what didn't) is actually a compulsion which will only make the OCD worse ....Practice ERP and ignore the OCD theme - ignore and move on !

Chrissy417

Date posted: 6y

Yes I’ve been going through it for almost a year now. It’s just our OCD giving the event more meaning than it needs to have and because we can’t stop thinking about it, we think that what we did was actually terrible. I’ve learned that me replaying the event over and over in my head and getting anxiety from it has made my brain think that there’s a threat so the thought of the event always pops up randomly because my brain is trying to make sure I’m aware of the “danger” but there’s really no danger. OCD sucks.

forestlife00

Date posted: 6y

Have you found any good resources about this theme? I’m trying to better understand it without seeking reassurance— most people though can only talk about the intrusive thoughts which aren’t always real events. My intrusive thoughts are a cause of a real event.. anyways let me know if you’ve found anything helpful for you!

Chrissy417

Date posted: 6y

@forestlife00 Definitely check this webpage out! It made me feel a lot better and helped me realize that my reaction isn’t normal. http://www.ocdspecialists.com/real-event-ocd/ I know it can get discouraging because everyone else seems to deal with thoughts that aren’t about real events like you said, but I think our OCD can absolutely latch onto real events in the past. Most people can just brush off what we’re worried about but our brains can’t let it go and it becomes debilitating (at least for me). I’ve done so much reassurance seeking and everyone has told me that what I’m worrying about is not a big deal, but no matter how much I ask for reassurance and get the answer that I want, my brain still won’t let it go. Not sure if it’s a similar situation for you.

Anonymous

Date posted: 6y

@Chrissy417 YES!!!!! OMG IVE NEVER RELATED SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!

Chrissy417

Date posted: 6y

@thiswillpass I’m glad I could make you feel better and not so alone!! It sucks so much, but there is help out there for this

Chrissy417

Date posted: 6y

@thiswillpass Well I just started seeing an OCD specialist and I’m going to be starting treatment for my real event OCD and ROCD (I’ve been having both) in a few weeks hopefully. I’m having trouble coping at the moment, but when I get the thoughts I just say “oh that’s ocd” and just label the thoughts and try to prevent myself from going through the compulsions. I’m sorry you’ve been suffering, I’m in the same boat :/ have you looked into an ocd specialist? And what is discord?

Anonymous

Date posted: 6y

@Chrissy417 Discord it's like a messaging service

Anonymous

Date posted: 6y

Yes yes yes!!!!!!!!! The worst case scenario feels so fucking real.

Ella___

Date posted: 6y

Oh my goodness I literally thought I was the only one with this problem! I hate it I deal with false memories thinking Ive done something then I’ll ask the person i thought I did something terrible too and they’ll literally let me know that that has never occurred but my ocd will literally take no for an answer and hit me with what ifs and hit me with something innocent turning into the most terrible thing on earth

lyric

Date posted: 6y

Yes that’s exactly what I experience! For me it seems after awhile my brain exhausts one traumatic thing and then moves on to another. Sometimes they’re completely made up and other times my brain will tie together several completely unconnected things, but most commonly my brain will take something I have done that isn’t a big deal but then it will what if until it turns it into something really really bad that I can’t handle and it sucks.

lyric

Date posted: 6y

Yes I’ve definitely experienced this. I’ve struggled with false memories and I’ve also struggled with real event ocd that I then twist into something horrible through “what if’s”. It’s super debilitating for me because it makes me feel like I’ve done some terrible things that I don’t remember doing or would never knowingly do. Specifically I’ll recall a real event that happened, but if it was a long time ago ofcourse I can’t remember every detail, so then I start to twist the story since I can’t remember everything and I’ll turn it into something really bad.

forestlife00

Date posted: 6y

Thank you! I’ve actually come across that article before and have found it pretty helpful.

forestlife00

Date posted: 6y

I feel the same way. It’s as if everything I do can become a traumatic crime that I can never figure out or piece together... OCD is crap

forestlife00

Date posted: 6y

I always feel like my OCD gets worse when I Babysitt— my ocd always makes me feel like I’ve harmed kids after chnanging a diaper, helping the child get dressed or feeding them... I’m always in denial and my mind makes me feel so conivinved that I did something wrong . Anyone else experience this?

@Dee

Date posted: 6y

Yep, you aren’t alone. YouTube: Mark Freeman “ocd and false memories” Super funny guy, very motivating and insightful offer tools and techniques.

Be a part of the largest OCD Community

Share your thoughts so the Community can respond