I’ve done a lot of research into ocd but I have never been professionally diagnosed and I want to go to someone but I am so scared of how they would react to my intrusive thoughts that I just couldn’t do it. Yet this means that every time I have a thought I panic and worry that it could be real.

Anonymous

Date posted: 5y

Same here, I’ve been dealing with OCD most of my life, but noteably debilitating in this last four years, and now I’ve reached out for help. I was diagnosed last week, and once again 2 days ago after a re-assessment. I was really open about struggling with postpartum harm & contamination ocd and my experience with real event ocd which do include some mistakes I made when I was younger. Mostly he seemed sympathetic and told me as I left his office to “try to relax and have some fun and enjoy my son” but my stomach has been in knots all day afraid that he will charge me or ask child protective services to come and take my baby away. ☹️ “help” is such a double edged sword. It’s nice to be told you have OCD, it’s scary to have other people know you have dangerous thoughts

Anonymous

Date posted: 5y

On a positive note, the psychiatrist I spoke to has 3,500 patients he sees and he told me on average, people with ocd take 7-10 years to seek help or diagnosis because they are afraid their thoughts will be misconstrued

kiyotakaishi...

Date posted: 5y

That's so validating to hear, that it's not just me who took so long.

Anonymous

Date posted: 5y

@kiyotakaishimaru I thought my ocd started at 19 because that’s when I became suicidal as a result of intrusive thinking, after divulging an incident I went through when I was 11 and how I coped he said he suspects it started then. I’m 23 now so it took me 12 years to even start talking about it. Ocd is scary as hell, not to be dark ... but I wonder what the suicide rate is for this disorder. Everyone on this app is so brave and strong for reaching out for any help they can. This forum has been a mini lifeline for me to not feel as alone

kiyotakaishi...

Date posted: 5y

@Gru Me too. My mother was a therapist, and she's always made kt out like i was making things up or over reacting, but to be honest i think traits have been around much longer. It reached its peak at 17, and I'm now 27. Going all this time with only half the answers... its been a nightmare. I'm so tired. I just want to heal.

Anonymous

Date posted: 5y

As a therapist and someone diagnosed with OCD, I would really encourage you to get help. OCD is such a terrible disorder. Someone that specializes in OCD should have no problem distinguishing between unwanted, intrusive thoughts and genuine thoughts about wanting to harm others (or whatever your theme is). I can definitely understand your fear, but I think that help is so important!

Enna2

Date posted: 5y

I’m in the same boat

raptors6

Date posted: 5y

Its fine. They know you are harmless because they are intrusive thoughts. People that cause harm dont get intrusive thoughts. A professional knows right away. Dont be afraid.

h.1

Date posted: 5y

Thankyou all! So easy to forget that other people go through the same thing

JazSargent

Date posted: 5y

try talking to a therapist about it. they’ve been exposed to people with all sorts of negative thoughts, it’s much more “normal” to them

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