Dear Dr. Patrick McGrath…

I’ve been watching a lot of NOCD content and you’re like the face of NOCD. So… you have been treating OCD for 25 years, but you don’t have OCD, but you can think like somebody who has OCD. How do you not get worried about unsettling thoughts across probably a lot of subtypes if they’re there in your head? Are there really people who can think obsessive thoughts and just let them go? Do you really not have OCD? Are you sure?

djflorio

User type: OCD Conqueror

Date posted: 30w

Yes there are people who can let obsessive/intrusive thoughts go. Every person alive experiences intrusive thoughts to some degree. OCD isn't the presence of intrusive thoughts, it's the tendency to get stuck on them. Here's a quote from "White Bears and Other Unwanted Thoughts" by Daniel Wegner: "Most people report having at least one thought that won't go away. In a study conducted early in this century, one psychologist found that many of the students in his classes admitted to having "fixed ideas" that could not be eliminated. In a San Antonio study, when 180 people were asked to write down an unwanted thought, almost every person had one or more to mention. They reported that their thought was distressing, and occured from once a day to every few minutes." This book, written in the late 80's, isn't about OCD, it's about unwanted thoughts in general. There are also several Buddhist teachings from 2500 years ago that mention intrusive thoughts, the universality of them, and how to deal with them. Those of us with OCD like to think that we have the "worst" thoughts that no one else has, but that's a misunderstanding of what OCD is. It's not the thoughts themselves, it's the extremely sensitive alarm system that makes us feel like the thoughts are dangerous. The more we try to get rid of them, the more often they return due to the Ironic Process.

Nica

Date posted: 25w

Q&A About OCD w/ Someone’s Who’s Subclinical

I haven’t done a Q&A in over a year (my bad) but I used to do these at least once a month. Work is slow today, so please send me any questions you have about OCD and I’ll answer them as best as I can. A little about me: I’ve been subclinical/recovered for going on 5 years and I’ve been on this app volunteering since 2019 in an unofficial capacity—I’m not connected to the NOCD team, so I don’t have any badges. I did ERP treatment with my therapist in-person while I was also being treated for PTSD. I have OCD, PTSD, ADHD, depression, GAD, social anxiety, driving anxiety, and a few speech impediments.

K1790

Date posted: 24w

Unsure if OCD sometimes

I was diagnosed with OCD around the age of 6, subtype- contamination primarily. It calmed down as I got older and I assumed it had gone away, but also didn’t realize it can show up in other ways, and it still had been effecting me which I know now. I’m not 31 and I’ve been in therapy for a year and it’s helped a lot, although I sometimes get thoughts that what if some of the stuff I’m dealing with isn’t ocd and I’m exaggerating. I feel like thoughts will feel sticky and I’ll do certain compulsions but then the thought eventually vanishes if I do it a few times which makes me think maybe it’s not OCD since other people/friends I know would probably do the exact same thing. Not sure if I’m making sense, but I guess my question is if that thought comes up with anyone else? Just being unsure if something you’re doing actually is ocd or not.

Sunshine_09

Date posted: 22w

I have some questions

Hey all, as an OCD newbie, i have some questions. These might be obvious or stupid, but idk, i just need some answers. 1. Is it hard for anyone else to watch movies and not get triggered? 2. Does anyone else get OCD about their OCD? 3. Is it possible/normal to have a lot of subtypes? And i mean like 6 or 7. 4. Do people usually misunderstand us and assume that our intrusive thoughts are actually what we want to do?

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