- Date posted
- 11w ago
Those who recovered?
People who went from a really bad time with OCD to a better time now. Is it really possible? What was your theme? Did you take medication?
People who went from a really bad time with OCD to a better time now. Is it really possible? What was your theme? Did you take medication?
It’s absolutely possible! OCD took me to some of the darkest times of my life when it was at its worst and especially as I didn’t know what it was, I thought I was just doomed to feel the way I did forever. Intense intrusive thoughts 24/7 and unable to go 30 seconds without doing mental compulsions. Now it’s a completely different story. I can’t remember the last time I did a compulsion or that OCD actually really bothered me or interrupted my day. You can absolutely have that too. I’ve had every common theme that you can think of, so I can safely say none of them are any better than others, BUT none of them are any less treatable than others and they’re all the same. So whatever your theme is, know that you are not alone and it is highly treatable and recovery is totally possible!! :)))
@ScuderiaAlpha So incredible and inspiring, thanks for sharing! Did you have your treatment success here on NOCD?
@km2040 That’s very kind of you! I did yes! I worked with a therapist on here who was absolutely amazing.
It really is so possible. I was diagnosed in my early 20s after years of symptoms, ranging from compulsive repetitive behaviors to Pure Obsessions across various themes. OCD took over my life until I got effective treatment. I am now able to control my symptoms and have a life back. Therapy is critical in learning how to manage this and preventing the obsessive thoughts taking over. Have you done any ERP on NOCD before?
It is Absolutely possible. I mainly struggle with ROCD and Scrupulosity. I take sertraline which helps. NOCD IS HUGE.
What was your ROCD like?
My ROCD focuses around whether my wife is a good fit for me. When I am struggling, I ruminate on real or perceived imperfections that I see in her. My ROCD also attacks my relationship with my parents and brother. It basically tells me that they think my wife is bad for me. An impartial observer would almost certainly tell me that they think she is great for me.
How are you doing? Did you manage to get scheduled with a therapist here?
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?
Hey friends, I hope you all are well. I just wanted to check in and ask people's experiences about being on medication. I have had OCD pretty much my whole life, just got recently diagnosed 4 months ago and my therapist recommended that I get on meds for it so I have a psychiatrist appointment set up. I'm a little apprehensive about getting on them, but I've realized that I do have some sort of chemical imbalance in my brain that plays a part in my OCD and anxiety. I would love to hear anyones experiences or words of encouragement. Thank you, I hope you all are well.
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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