When recovered from a theme, will the doubt still sort of linger? I don't think I'm anywhere near recovered, but I've been doing a lot better. There's times when I still doubt whether it is or isn't OCD, though, and I'm wondering if that ever goes away? Recently, my thoughts always seem to wander in that direction, and it's bothering me :(
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@Ali$t@ir2021 Awesome!!! That’s exactly it💯
I've been trying to do that or to respond with sarcasm. There's just moments where it'll flip it around on me, like "See? You agreed with it!" and I'll slip up and believe what OCD is telling me... It's ridiculous😭 It does help, though. It'll probably just take me a bit more practicing! :)
@Someonemaybe That’s funny, i don’t know where all those extra symbols and letters came from at the beginning of my reply. Sorry about that lol.
@Ali$t@ir2021 I noticed that after i posted that reply lol, oops. At least it made sense after i noticed because i was like wtf did i do🤣.
Recovery isn't the doubt or the thoughts going way. Recovery is getting to the point where it doesn't bother you any more. Everyone has doubts. Everyone has intrusive thoughts. What separates those with and without OCD is how we react. People without OCD don't feel like it's their life mission to get rid of all of the doubtful thoughts.
That's almost a little scary to hear lol. I'm not sure why it makes me feel that way. Maybe just the uncertainty... Thank you, though. You're right. One day, it'll hopefully just be background noise. Nothing more, nothing less! :)
@nae nae - It's scary to hear because right now it feels like the doubtful thoughts are the problem. The further along your recovery journey you get, the more you'll realize that they aren't. You've got this!
@djflorio Thank you!! 🥹
same here!! im like woah is it ocd? ofc it is and then my brain goes “but maybe not” it is SO HARD. and it is very bothersome. i have no advice on how to make it stop as i am going through the same thing but please know youre not alone. 💜
Thank you 🥹 I'm sorry you're going through the same thing.
@nae nae ofc!! its so difficult but just understand its your ocd and it has nothing to do with you.
I think we just learn to redirect how we think. We can’t change what’s inside us, no matter the diagnosis, but we don’t have to let it dictate our lives. Do when doubt creeps in, use that as a prompt to change where your mind goes. Little by little, i believe it will start to go the way you’ve practiced, rather than down the same path over and over like it wants you to.
Thank you!! I hope so... I'll keep practicing redirecting those thoughts. It's just tough some days 🥲
@nae nae Oh man, is it ever. But good on you for being willing to try. It may help, it may not, but all you can do is give it a shot.
Hey all, I’ve been having some ebbs and flows in recovery, but for the most part I’ve really had a lot of improvements in quality of life since starting treatment in 2023. Something that really trips me up is ruminating on my past and looking for “evidence” or “proof” that the things that I’m obsessed with are real and not OCD. I spend quite a lot of time doing this. I wasn’t fully aware I was doing it until recently. Example: that I’m secretly gay and lying to everyone (I’m bi), that I’m a horrible person deep down, that I’ve never actually loved any person including my family, that I have the “wrong” political or religious beliefs. I look for proof in every corner of my past. It makes some sense that I think this way because with my previous therapist, who I saw for 8 years and did not diagnose me with OCD, we would look for evidence and proof that my obsessions are irrational and I learned to deal with them that way. At the time it was a lot of health concern and contamination themes, but I literally learned to ruminate and search for relief. But I just kept getting sicker and sicker until I got diagnosed with OCD. It’s a frustrating compulsion that keeps showing up for me. What if these scary things are true? What if it’s not OCD at all and I’m in denial? Have I lied my way into thinking I have OCD? It’s so hard. Anyway, I’m curious if anyone else has come across this in recovery? Let me know your thoughts and I hope you’re well. ❤️
To the people who are in therapy and on their recovery journey when the ocd is tending to die down a bit is it normal for the ocd to keep switching themes until it fully dissipates? Has anyone experienced this?
So I’ve noticed that my OCD has calmed down, I’m getting less intrusive thoughts but I feel more uncertain than ever. Is this normal for recovery?
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