Existential OCD (positive comments only please 🙏)

I’ve been experiencing intense existential OCD for a couple months though and has led to a bit of depersonalization. I feel both hyper aware / uncomfortable in my own body (with my own eyesight) and simultaneously detached from it and my surroundings. The thoughts have spiraled so much it’s hard to think about getting out of it and getting back to “normal.” But I have hope bc I know I want to get back to my life and feel love/joy again. Any success stories? Encouragement? Hope everyone gets through their current themes/struggles. We can do this 🩷

Anonymous

Date posted: 33w

I remember times I have been so stuck on a specific theme and felt like I was gonna lose my mind! I try to remember it's not the theme that is the issue but the OCD itself. There was a time I couldn't wear red because it reminded me of blood and then I felt like I somehow had HIV. Now I love to wear red and I'm not even worried about blood or HIV anymore. Or there was a time I was consumed with the thought maybe I had tetanus and now I never worry I have tetanus. (I obviously struggle with contamination OCD lol). When I remember that my themes always change it starts to help me give less value to the value to the current theme I am worried about ( I hope what I'm saying makes sense ) So I just try to remember it's not the OCD theme that is the issue... It's just the OCD. Keep fighting back to your OCD and you will win! It's okay to have OCD thoughts and feelings and that's all they are thoughts and feelings- nothing more. I hope this helps you feel encouraged!! You have totally got this :)

feema

Date posted: 33w

You wont believe i had this theme and im not so sure i got over it or not but my thoughts constantly change i mean when i had existential ocd i used to think about worst possible outcomes you wont even believe and i even thought i am living in a dream everyone is fake and led me to solipsism at some point i was sacred but the intensity decreased eventually my thoughts kept changing like my brain was working against me and kept ma engaged with different thought's to worry literally all the time i got over this and then i saw a post on Instagram and i saw y chromosome is decreasing it could lead to human extinction and all that and it made me worried for 5 days straight i was like no its not ocd its something different and my mind says this eveytime on every thought i get and that thought went aways and then another came i got extreme height dysphoria i used to check my height like every five minute and i didnt even believe what was on my inches tape measurement i used to to constant compulsion and that thought was over and my existential ocd came back i was once again stressed and was like not again and then it changed and latched onto my sexual orientation that am i even attracted to humans and then it converted to am i even attracted to male but i dont even feel attracted to female but i still fear of being gay and my mind gives me proofs like you used to watch woman porn and you get aroused but i know i am not attracted i know its just another ocd thought but its still distresses me so . I used to even think of animals sexually but that doesn't make me attracted to them but it still freaks me out dont judge me but i really dont want whats happening to me so about your existential ocd thought dont worry it will get away .

AnnFon

Date posted: 21w

Existential/Anxiety OCD

This is my first post, so I apologize if the formatting is weird. I experience existential ocd I always struggled as a kid but learned more and more how to manage with school and such forcing me to learn how, now I experience a lot of overwhelming intrusions from when I wake up to when I go to bed (simply because I live and work in the same place it gets cabin feverish) but now more often going out maybe it’s just paranoia, I walk into a place and each person comes with a story immediately, every piece of trash on the floor, every piece of produce, each isle is a brand new way I could get into a life altering situation. I’ve managed well enough but sometimes I just completely lose my original objective and just leave or I’ll wanna leave my house but everything that goes with it and that could happen pops up and I just won’t go. It’s started to become avoidant behavior. Any help or similar stories? I just feel like I’m going crazy but my thoughts are so scattered and immediate it’s hard to break the habit and not spin a story. Thank yall!

user23456789

Date posted: 16w

Existential OCD

Hey guys so I’m new here and just recently started struggling with some health ocd and thinking I had a brain tumor but it’s taken a turn for the worse and become this existential ocd where I’m questioning quite literally everything in my life, the purpose of being here and stuff. I just started meds yesterday, which is scary for me cause I’ve never been on them before. I keep having thoughts like, why does everything feel like a blur, what’s the meaning of this and I wake up every day with just existential dread. I’ve been having very vivid dreams that make dreaming and reality confusing I also am scared cause I’m dealing with some DP/DR as well. I just wish my life could go back to a few months ago before I knew all of this was possible. I guess I’m just writing this too get it off my chest and see if any of you all have gone through something similar and made it out okay?

bcraig

Date posted: 11w

Sitting in the spiral

Hi all, First time posting and it comes in the midst of a big spiral and panic. Currently dealing with what we think is borderline existential OCD where I feel like I’ve come to believe that I’m not real, that this is all a dream, that I’m actually a psychotic person walking down the street imagining all of this. Got very triggered yesterday by seeing someone screaming and yelling at what seemed to be nothing. Had a panic attack this morning and just haven’t been a wreck since worrying that I’m going to end up in psych ward, realize I’m actually crazy, etc. Been in NOCD therapy for almost 4 months now and still struggling to sit with the uncertainty, avoid researching, seeking reassurance, and most of all ruminating. Anyone go through something similar and if so what were key tactics you used during these spirals to calm things down and recenter yourself?

Existential OCD

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Existential OCD (positive comments only please 🙏)

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