- Date posted
- 21w ago
Genuine question
Has anyone actually “conquered” OCD? I feel like I’ve never heard a story of someone actually overcoming it or living with it?
Has anyone actually “conquered” OCD? I feel like I’ve never heard a story of someone actually overcoming it or living with it?
I have my ups and downs like anyone else, but for the most part I feel like I've made enough progress to the point where the idea of me "having OCD" barely crosses my mind on most days. In other words, I don't feel debilitated by it like I have in the past, and it isn't preventing me from living my life and doing the things I want to do. The tendency to slip into the obsession/compulsion loop is still there, but I'm able to spot it much earlier, and utilize the tools I've learned to prevent any sort of spiral. As a plus, I feel that I'm better equipped to detect compulsive behavior than those that have never had issues with OCD (everyone compulsively tries to avoid feeling or thinking certain things to some degree, not just those with OCD).
Hey there! This might not be the answer you’re hoping for, but yes! The thing is, to conquer OCD doesn’t mean that this chronic illness will never rear its ugly head ever again in your life, but rather to conquer it means to have that damn disease on a leash, knowing that though it can be a scary animal to live with, it knows that you’re the boss and YOU now know that you can live with life’s uncertainties, you are no longer afraid of it and will no longer be a slave to what it demands of you. That isn’t to say that it is gone for good, but rather that your brain is strong enough to the point where even when OCD shows up, you beat it every time. This is my understanding after years of battling, but I hope it’s helpful!
Yes, I saw posts from many. The problem is once they feel better, they don't want to come back
I believe i have. That is not to say it wont re-group and try another attack in weeks/months/ or even years, but I know how to beat it then just as I have beaten it now. I am very happy
I am wanting to go to therapy to hopefully lower my OCD symptoms but I am terrified to tell anyone else, like a therapist, about my intrusive thoughts. Has anyone else had this experience and if so how did you get over it?
Those of you who have overcome at least a bit, if not all, of your OCD. When you went through the CBT and ERP, did it feel like the end of the world? And how did you face the fact that your fears and uncertainties might actually come to life?
December 14, 2024, marked two years since my first ERP therapy session with my NOCD therapist, Mixi. And October 2024 marked a year of being free from OCD. It was not an easy journey, confronting my fears face to face. Exposing myself to the images and thoughts my brain kept throwing at me, accepting that I might be the worst mother, that my daughter wouldn’t love me, and that I deserved to be considered a bad person. It was challenging having to say, “Yes, I am those things,” feeling the desire to run, but realizing the thoughts followed me. At the start of my therapy, I remember feeling like I couldn’t do this anymore. Life felt unbearable, and I felt so weak. I longed for a time before the OCD, before the flare-ups, before the anxiety, the daily panic attacks. I thought I’d never be myself again. But I now know that ERP saved my life. The first couple of sessions were tough. I wasn’t fully present. I lied to my therapist about what my actual thoughts were, fearing judgment. I pretended that the exposures were working, but when the sessions ended, I went back to not sleeping, constantly overwhelmed by fear and anxiety. But my therapist never judged me. She made me feel safe to be honest with her. She understood OCD and never faltered in supporting me, even when I admitted I had been lying and still continued my compulsions. My biggest milestone in therapy was being 100% transparent with my therapist. That was when real change began. At first, I started small—simply reading the words that terrified me: "bad mom," "hated," "unloved." Then, I worked on listening to those words while doing dishes—not completely stopping my rumination, but noticing it. Just 15 minutes, my therapist said. It wasn’t easy. At one point, I found myself thinking, “Will I ever feel like myself again?” But I kept pushing through. Slowly, I built tolerance and moved to face-to-face exposures—sitting alone with my daughter, leaning into the thought that my siblings might die, reading articles about my worst fears, and calling myself the things I feared. Each session was challenging, but with time, the thoughts started to lose their grip. By my eleventh session, I started to realize: OCD was here, and it wasn’t going away, but I could keep living my life despite it. I didn’t need to wait for it to be quiet or go away to move on. Slowly, it began to quiet down, and I started to feel like myself again. In fact, I am not my old self anymore—I’m a better version. OCD hasn’t completely disappeared, but it’s quieter now. Most of the time, it doesn’t speak, and when it does, I know how to handle it. The last session with my therapist was emotional. I cried because I was finishing therapy. I remember how, in the beginning, I cried because I thought it was just starting—because I was overwhelmed and terrified. But at the end, I cried because I was sad it was ending. It felt like I had come so far, and part of me wasn’t ready to say goodbye, even though I had already learned so much. It was a bittersweet moment, but I knew I was walking away stronger, equipped with the tools to handle OCD on my own. If I could change anything about my journey, it would be being open and honest from the beginning. It was the key to finding true healing. The transparency, the honesty—it opened the door to lasting change. I’m no longer that person who was stuck in constant panic. I’m someone who has fought and survived, and while OCD still appears from time to time, I know it doesn’t define me. I'd love to hear your thoughts and comments. Have you started therapy, is something holding you back? Is there something you want to know about ERP therapy? I'll be live in the app answering each and every one today from 6-7pm EST. Please drop them below!
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