Did I force this on myself?

I bought some books on OCD because I like education and would like to know a little more behind why I feel or think this way. I opened up to my mom about this and she keeps saying I’m obsessed with having OCD, she doesn’t actually believe I have it, and that I forced myself to have those thoughts. She then told me she’s going to ask her mental health provider (she’s a nurse) if you can give yourself a mental illness because she said there’s no way someone could spiral out of control within a few days the way I did.

Anonymous

Date posted: 20d ago

You did not "put this on yourself." OCD is a mental illness... You don't just catch it from reading about it. And even if you did "put" it on yourself (you didn't), it wouldn't matter-- If what you are experiencing is synonymous with OCD, then you deserve treatment & support no matter what 🫶🏼 Educating those you love about this mental illness can be hard. Personally, I waited until I did enough therapy and work to feel confident in my diagnosis before sharing with others. Your OCD can tell you you don't have OCD, especially when you first get your diagnosis.

xoxorm

Date posted: 21d ago

When did you start thinking you had ocd? Are u saying your symptoms came out of nowhere

anonymous00981

Date posted: 20d ago

@xoxorm No, I was having intrusive thoughts and feeling so I went researching and came across OCD. I then started finding validation that others went through the same thing and decided to get diagnosed after a really bad burnout. Now I’m questioning if I put myself in this state.

issphra 🫶🏻

Date posted: 20d ago

You cannot give yourself a mental illness. OCD might have already been there, like a tiny spark just waiting. Eventually it lights for a lot of us. It is honestly really subtle because so many of us feel like we were completely normal until boom, something flipped a switch and suddenly we are drowning in OCD. But then we start looking back and realizing that stuff from our childhood or even just a few years ago makes way too much sense now. Like oh… yeah, that was definitely OCD. For me, since getting diagnosed about six months ago, I have realized that most of my personality has literally just been OCD this whole time. I thought that was just who I was, but now I do not even fully know where I end and where OCD begins. It is super weird. And something kind of ironic is that you can actually have OCD about having OCD. It is called meta OCD. Half the time, people spiral after getting diagnosed because they become obsessed with the diagnosis itself. Like they question if they really have it, or they obsess over their compulsions or possible new obsessions. And sometimes, people get stuck before getting diagnosed, obsessing over whether or not they have OCD. Basically, OCD can make you obsess about literally anything. Nothing is off-limits. Yes, intrusive thoughts can feel like you created them, but they can also just pop in out of nowhere. Either way, they are unwanted, they are distressing, and they are really scary. But intrusive thoughts are actually normal. Everyone has them. What makes it OCD is how you respond to them. The compulsions, the fear, the need to neutralize or figure them out. And it really can spiral fast. For me, it was October 11. I am pretty sure it was a Friday around 10 PM and it just hit me out of nowhere. Like a dam I did not know existed completely broke. And it has been flooding ever since. My boyfriend was shocked because I basically became a completely different person in an hour and that version of me has not gone away for months. So yes, stuff like this can absolutely unravel in days, weeks, months, or even years. I am so sorry your mom is being ignorant. Even if you do not have OCD, you still deserve to be evaluated and listened to. Your experience is valid no matter what.

lydiasue

Date posted: 23w ago

Food OCD

Hey guys! So I struggle with OCD, especially harm, relationship and moral stuff and I am somewhat recovered now. However, my current girlfriend has started showing signs of OCD but it’s abou5 something I don’t know much about so I wanted to see if anyone on here had thoughts about it. She is constantly thinking about food (when to eat it, what is healthy, what is too much, what is too little) and controls the thoughts by giving in and controlling her entire day around food. She don’t really know the feeling of being full. She never starved herself and always eats, but then she feels extremely guilty afterwards. Her thoughts do have to do a lot with her body image and not gaining weight but also not losing any either. Does this sound like ocd or an eating disorder?

Cayla Davis

User type: OCD Conqueror

Date posted: 14w ago

AMA for Parents: Supporting a child with OCD while managing my own—Ask me anything!

Hi everyone, I’m Cayla. I’m a mom that’s lived with OCD since childhood, but my breaking point came more recently after having my son. I was consumed by terrifying thoughts—What if I hurt him? What if I did something awful without realizing it? I was so afraid of my own mind that I couldn’t be alone with him. The shame and exhaustion were unbearable, and I convinced myself I was broken. In 2024, I finally sought help. ERP therapy at NOCD was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, but it saved my life. Even now, I have tough days, but I know I don’t have to be ruled by OCD. When my 12 year old daughter began showing signs of OCD, I felt overwhelmed with guilt. I never wanted her to go through what I had, but I knew what to do. I told her that I have OCD too and made sure she knew it wasn’t her fault—and that she wasn’t alone. One of the hardest parts of this journey was trusting someone else with my daughter’s OCD. I knew how vulnerable it feels to share intrusive thoughts, and I wanted her to feel safe. Her NOCD therapist was able to establish trust and genuine empathy from the start, and that relationship gave her the confidence to face ERP head-on. Seeing her build that trust made me certain she was in the right hands. ERP has helped both of us reclaim our lives, and it is beautiful to see my daughter managing her condition and making visible progress. Parenting with OCD while raising a child with OCD isn’t talked about enough, but I know so many parents are struggling with these same challenges. If you have questions about managing OCD while parenting, helping your child through ERP, or breaking cycles of guilt, drop them below—I’d love to share what I’ve learned. I’ll be answering all of the questions I receive in real-time today 4-5pm ET.

AnonymousAisha

Date posted: 12w ago

Ocd thoughts as a newbie

Hi I am Aisha and I am not sure if I have ocd or not but I struggle with thoughts which I don't even know if they r intrusive or if I am thinking about them and they are usually about my family or friends. This time it was about my mom more specifically a sexual thought about my mom and my mind was thinking that this is what I want and when I was analyzing the thought I wasn't sure about my intention which made me feel really bad

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