I feel like legit everything I do revolves around an ocd theme. So I feel like a lost cause because I’m so obsessive. I don’t even know what it would be like to have free flowing thoughts, not have (literally), every ocd theme, not to feel anxious, not to search for worry or feel jealous or paranoid, no counting. This disorder truly sucks. I also wonder how long it would take for me to succeed with ERP therapy if I did it.
There is no time frame, OCD takes as long as it needs to “get better” as it is chronic. I know at times it feels hopeless but there are brighter days ahead. Meds, ERP, and some lifestyle changes have been doing wonders for me at least. Take it one step at a time and know that everyone’s brain is different.
@buddyck12 So there’s hope for me even with severe ocd? And medication hasn’t really worked for me. I get horrific side effects from them
@KAW1007 Yes there’s always hope! I’ve been dealing with this for nearly 18 years and I’ve had my ups and downs, but it does get better. I recommend meeting with a psychiatrist if you want to get meds another shot because they typically have the insight with both mental illness and how each med work with your brain.
@KAW1007 ERP is a game changer, but remember a lot of the work has to come from you.
I experience the same severity, and I just hope treatment leads to better management of my issues. For me personally, I am skeptical that I’ll ever be “free” of the intrusions, but I’ll be satisfied as long as I can learn to handle them better. I think the only way you or I or anyone could be a lost cause is if we give up on ourselves. We don’t know where treatment will take us, but if we persist, there is hope. If we give in, the symptoms will only worsen. OCD isn’t curable, but it is treatable. It’s quite daunting. But we underestimate ourselves if we think we aren’t capable of it.
Your skepticism is warranted, as the disease can return at any moment for any reason at all. This is why it's vital to keep using the same things we learn against it.
I suffer from an extreme debilitating form. Imagine the most nightmarish suffering, I'm going through it. Nothing worked for it except my own efforts. I successfully overcame my Pure O, which was the biggest nightmare I had experienced at the time. In that way it did get better. And for a long time, I was able to function well. I felt fine. But as is the nature of the disease, it will return. It wants to control you until you're dying. I am suffering once again. Every time it feels worse than the last. Every time that happens it means you've made progress. Every new cliff is proof of the mountain you've already climbed. It wants to stay alive and control you. You must keep fighting it. It will get better.
@Guest1488484 Best wishes to you. I feel the same way. 🏔️
I hope so or I’m doomed
so I need to get back into ERP, but it’s so hard to manage these thoughts and learn to deal with them. like I swear my mind has to make everything about it. Like every time I clean my room, my mind’s like yup make sure it’s clean so when your parents find you, or something so stupid like if I get a headache, my mind convinces me that I like the pain and that that’s why I get my thoughts because I actually want to do it. It’s so exhausting. Because I know I would never want to take my life and I treasure my life so why does it do it to me? It’s hard to comprehend the fact of these thoughts too because I don’t know many people with this exact theme. It’s such a scary feeling. And I’m constantly questioning whether I have actual depression or if it’s just my OCD. Yes I have been diagnosed with suicidal OCD, but my mind still tries to convince me otherwise. I just don’t know how to let these just sit and pass without panicking.
I have had ocd for decades! Could I still be cured???? (Of you can call it that?) I have seen different therapists but it never had fully left me...not by any stretch of the imagination. I do want to be free of this ocd and its power over me and all the bad that it brought into my life!!! Some days I am strong and feel like I am fighting it put other days...many days...I don't get things done or if I do I take a long time to-do the things I need to get done. I feel like I know this is just then ocd stopping me and that these are just thoughts but nobody in my family understands and though they have shared my journey and hated it a I do.....it just feels like I want so bad to be the best person I coukd be but I avoid places, people, things, that have any reminder of my ocd.......and so it restricts me from getting better and completing tasks the way I used to. Now UI might go and make 2-3 trips cuz I am worried to shop at a place and therefore it takes my time up. The avoidance I do is bad! When I actually don't listen to my ocd and don't avoid something...I feel great! ,However, it happens so rarely!!! I.dont know how finding a therapist through NOCD will help me. It is not in person and two be honest I almost think I need medicine to push me along. I don't have anybsteady and consistent improvements. However, I don't think I want to be on medication for the rest of my life! I am very confused!
"The themes don't matter, it's the OCD that's the real culprit!" I don't buy that. How's that? I didn't have this crap until the real event themes came along. I wasn't born with OCD, I didn't have it from a young age, etc. This was learned, this was real event theme triggered, this was a bad habit that kept on on going and never died, the frequency just picked up and now it's a daily hell. This wasn't happening before the actual themes. Which makes sense. It's a result of being "stuck" in a cycle of guilt, shame, and constant cognitive challenges to "deal" with past deeds. I've very skeptical of any future solution. The fact that there doesn't seem to be any permanent solution for real event OCD is defeating and depressing. I don't know how people "beat OCD" without some level of delusion mindset or baked out of their mind in medication. Doesn't seem to be a holistic or real solution to this. Just more of the same hellish routines. I'm just very pessimistic, it's been years. Where is the hope. Sick of being stuck like this.
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