In the last few days I have managed to drastically reduce compulsions. I have made good progress but the brain fog that I may be a bad person and that the world and my interactions aren’t real still persists. Any tips to address this? I’m not reacting to any of it which is uncomfortable.
Well done! Just hang in there. Ths is as it "should be" - with time it disappears. Focus on living your life, don't focus so much inwards. This is hard but you are stronger than you are aware of.
Hello friend! Healing takes time. Unfortunately, symptoms persist for a while even when you are doing the right thing. Think of it like going for a long run. After you stop, you're still going to be breathing hard and your heart rate will still be elevated for some time. Then, the next day or maybe week your muscles will be sore. Don't let that stress you. It doesn't mean you are doing anything wrong. Just continue to live according to your values and remember that it will get better with time.
According to NOCD therapists, people with harm OCD don't carry out their thoughts. In reality, we are so repulsed and upset over them, that we are the last folks to carry them out. As for the existential theme you're dealing with, I've been helped by saying to myself, "Maybe it's true, and maybe it isn't, I will never know for certain, but I can see and feel in three dimensions and I certainly can't walk through a wall on command. That's good enough for me." This has worked for me; perhaps it will help you, too.
Why do you think you may be a bad person, because of your thoughts?
@Steven55! Yes I have been dealing with harm ocd in addition to this for 2 months. I wake up and think about it but I don’t react and just try to move on with my day as I would do it before this whole cycle started. However, I still wonder if I would „snap“ and „not care“ as one might put it.
Im better able to engage with my fam about other topics (which I couldn’t previously) progress just doesn’t feel the way I expect it to
According to the NOCD therapists,
I’ve started ERP therapy with a really great therapist, and I haven’t gave into my compulsions but I still have anxiety and yesterday my brain was telling me that people were zombies😭 is this normal?
Does anyone else experience a moment of clarity where you feel strong relief that the intrusive thought isn’t true, only to then immediately start questioning if you’ve only convinced yourself that because you don’t want the thought to be true? I’m pretty confident it would take some crazy mental gymnastics to actually successfully convince myself I didn’t do something that I deep down knew I did, but every time I resist the compulsions and try to sit with the uncertainty or tell myself to think about what is logical, I usually briefly know that this probably didn’t happen but am unable to move on out of fear I’m just in denial and have convinced myself of that.
Hi all, First time posting and it comes in the midst of a big spiral and panic. Currently dealing with what we think is borderline existential OCD where I feel like I’ve come to believe that I’m not real, that this is all a dream, that I’m actually a psychotic person walking down the street imagining all of this. Got very triggered yesterday by seeing someone screaming and yelling at what seemed to be nothing. Had a panic attack this morning and just haven’t been a wreck since worrying that I’m going to end up in psych ward, realize I’m actually crazy, etc. Been in NOCD therapy for almost 4 months now and still struggling to sit with the uncertainty, avoid researching, seeking reassurance, and most of all ruminating. Anyone go through something similar and if so what were key tactics you used during these spirals to calm things down and recenter yourself?
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