Many OCD sufferers report a persistent fear of 'going insane' or 'snapping'. This can become all-consuming and either be your primary OCD theme or a part of other OCD themes. Here are a few ways this specific fear might show up in your life - have you ever experienced this? What else would you add?
This was a major part of my OCD. Spent hours a day doing some or all of these. ERP helped a great deal. Uncertainty is where the freedom is. It took a while to see it and believe it but now I live it.
I would add that OCD and Anxiety sufferers battle with whether the voice in their head is now evidence that they’ve become “schizophrenic”. This thought or voice can often come in the form of a command, something along the lines like kill this or kill that and will cause significant amounts of distress. This isn’t spoken about enough. I’ve dealt with nearly every OCD theme, but this theme has crippled me and many I’ve spoken to over the years.
@Eschmatter25 I have an idea of what you mean. The thoughts sound more like dialogue or conversation with yourself than just thoughts. And then having a meta-thought of, ‘was that thought a thought or am I talking to myself/is my thought separate from me and talking to me”
@Eschmatter25 https://nocd.page.link/YbqwS6X55yW3feoF8
Yes, I thought my OCD meant I could be psycho or possessed.
This explains me to a tea right now
@Anonymous You are not alone. This is a very common fear.
I avoid crime documentaries and violent type content because of these thoughts.
This was me for the longest time, sometimes it still is
@alan87 Likewise. Even hearing specific words/phrases that have some sort of connection to those two things can set me off.
@POC_with_OCD_0813 Right? I can’t watch crime/mystery documentaries anymore because I think, “what if I was capable of this, or if I lost control and was this”, etc etc. My reaction towards people using certain words/language involving that type of content has changed or I say, “you shouldn’t say that” which I’m pretty sure is a compulsion now.
@alan87 This is exactly how I feel.
@alan87 You’re not alone in this. Avoidance is a very sneaky compulsion.
I feel like I have some kind of onset dementia or it's my OCD..
Been there before, not fun! Ocd can really play with your brain
@Anonymous It sure can, but there is so much power in realizing we are stronger than our OCD! 💕
This 100%
@alan87 You’ve got this! 💕
@Mackenzie - NOCD Team Member Thank you for your kind encouragement!
This was perhaps the worst part of my OCD. So scary
It also feels like going insane will force you to do the things you don’t want to do.
Thank you
@Gato0z 💕
What can we do about it?
@Em2134 ERP therapy saved my life!
Terrible fear of dementia
The toughest for me was my partner constantly telling me different from my gut instincts and my rational side. I knew what I needed, but was told otherwise daily. This went on for 3 years and now that I did what I knew I needed, now im on a huge upswing. Listen to yourself, when you calm down, not when feeling bad. So calm down, then get quiet and listen. The answers may already be there, they are rught in front of you, disguised as either options you dont want to do or obstacles. Check it out and let us know! 🙏👍💥
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