Real event OCD

I used to suffer from this a lot. It's been a long time but what I would tell myself when it would spike is - I can't trust my memory. Memories aren't perfect. Maybe it happened, maybe it didn't. Just because I can "remember" something doesn't necessarily mean it's real. - Everyone makes mistakes. Some people do horrible things, on purpose or on accident and they still live on. - I used to come back to this thing someone wrote about how life is like you're driving a car and guilt is the little check engine light telling you to pull over. If you can't reasonably do anything to make it right, you get back in your car and drive on. - Remembering the difference between guilt and shame. Guilt is you feeling bad about what you did, and shame is "I'm a bad person". You can make it right with the other person and fix guilt, but shame is different. No one deserves shame. Its unproductive and cruel. Shame is what OCD deals in. Hopefully this isn't reassurance but it's what helped me get through that theme and onto other fun themes 🥲

Oh, I’m in the same boat! I constantly feel like I’ve failed so many people and said the worst stuff. My tips are to get in touch with your senses to bring you back to the present, and try to center your exhaustion with your OCD when you’re especially wound up. If you lean into exhaustion, I think you have a better chance of accessing the part of you that is in so much pain and can’t do this anymore. When that doesn’t work, sit through and take a melatonin to help knock you out at night. You’ve got this!

Thank you for asking this question. I am in the same boat and have so many real-events... But there are about three that I feel like I can't handle. I am currently working trough my fears/ feelings of guilt by trying to do the following: - I try to allow the feelings and the pain that arise, which is extremely hard and has repeatedly led to breakdowns. Meds help somewhat by reducing the intensity of the feelings. Sometimes I am able to say to myself: "Yes, it hurts. Yes, that would be very bad and sad if that's what happened." - An extremely difficult exposure also seems to be allowing good things to happen to me in life despite everything. Compared to about a year ago, my health is a little better. Before that I was partially bed-bound due to my anxiety, guilt and hopelessness.