I’m struggling to know what’s a compulsion

Is anyone else just confused by their ocd all of the time?? I was diagnosed 2 months ago and I feel more confused than ever. I have no idea what’s an intrusive thought, when I’m ruminating or doing mental compulsions or what my “themes” are. I guess I don’t really have intrusive thoughts the way it seems others do and I don’t struggle with themes that are extremely taboo or frightening so I’m always just extremely confused and frustrated. I feel like I just have a lot of intrusive doubt and I think a ton but don’t really know when I’m ruminating or not?? I have comorbid depression and anxiety so I’ve no idea what’s what. Do other people struggle with this?? How do I try to begin to identify these things or know if what I’m doing mentally is a compulsion or not?!

Anonymous

User type: OCD Conqueror

Date posted: 15d

A good way I’ve learned to spot it is if in my head I’m trying to solve an unsolvable puzzle. A lot of the time my questions are unanswerable, and I would try and solve it (which is where the rumination comes in). If you find yourself in a spiral of thoughts, and are either trying to solve/prove/disprove something that’s a good indicator. Hope this helps, and you’ve got this!

Anonymous

Date posted: 15d

@Anonymous Thank you for the reply 🩷 for those answerable questions did it feel like it ever really stopped for you? I think that’s mainly my experience too but often pretty normal stuff I’m sure lots of people wonder about from time to time.

Anonymous

User type: OCD Conqueror

Date posted: 15d

truetrev

Date posted: 16d

Yes this pretty much describes my OCD. It’s maybe “Just-Right” OCD

Anonymous

Date posted: 16d

@truetrev How did you learn how to identify it and when you’re doing compulsions??

truetrev

Date posted: 15d

@Anonymous My compulsions are mostly internal, such as checking, ruminating, analyzing, etc… googling is a big one (searching). Compulsions have a certain tie-in with shame for me. Don’t worry too much about “what” an intrusive thought is. It sounds like maybe “Meta” OCD, or OCD about OCD. Do you spend a lot of time ruminating over the fact you have OCD? This stuff is tricky and takes time to understand so a big part of OCD treatment is self compassion. You got this 🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻

Anonymous

Date posted: 15d

@truetrev Yeah I think you’re right I think it has a lot to do with how much I think about ocd… the diagnosis sort of made my brain feel like it flipped upside down and I’m still not totally convinced it’s the right assessment 😅 I’m trying to be gentle so thank you for that reminder 🩷 I didn’t realize how hard it would be to figure out what my compulsions are

Anonymous

User type: OCD Conqueror

Date posted: 14d

Yeah some of the time even the answerable ones can get in the way, the mind can be really powerful and overwhelming sometimes. I like to tell myself for the questions I can answer, that if it’s truly an answered question that there may be absolutely nothing I can do to change it. It’s really hard to refrain from trying to solve the puzzle, but redirecting yourself temporarily and positive affirmations can be helpful too. Meditation helped me ground myself a little more when I find myself struggling. I hope this makes sense and let me know if I can help at all!

Anonymous

Date posted: 13d

@Anonymous Thank you! It’s seriously so much to dissect, it’s very hard for me to see the difference between thinking, over thinking, and rumination being triggered by ocd. Especially when I’m thinking of things I think most people think about. Meditation has always made me feel even more trapped in my own head, how did you like avoid that?

Anonymous

User type: OCD Conqueror

Date posted: 13d

I think the best way to avoid it is really to acknowledge it instead of telling yourself not to. It sounds backwards, but really just letting yourself acknowledge what you’re thinking in that moment and then telling yourself these thoughts are not an emergency, nothing needs to be done right now. After that trying some box breathing really helps because it grabs your focus better. In case you are not familiar with it, box breathing is when you breathe in for a count of 4, hold for a count of 4, and then out for a count of 4. Try to really listen to the sound of your breath and how the breaths themselves feel as well. 😊

melaniebermn

Date posted: 23w

Confused about ocd

How to know if you actually have it or if I’m just making up the symptoms? I have a lot of intrusive thoughts constantly and even have a “theme” but it really surged after I search up what I was experiencing, but then again I search up a lot of what I experience and constantly have to recheck things. My parents say I’m normal but I know I’m not, (both of my siblings have adhd) I find it immensely hard to focus from turning 17-18. Please let me know what you think l! Thanks!

Jade.08

Date posted: 22w

Do I have OCD????

Can someone please tell me if there are any other similar diagnosis to OCD I am convinced that I was misdiagnosed or that I miss spoke to the extent that I have made the provider who did my psych evaluation misdiagnose me with OCD. I have intrusive thoughts of suicide constantly. I have intrusive thoughts that cause me intense distress and disgust. I am constantly ruminating for hours on different situations and even crying as I type this because I don’t know what’s wrong with me but I feel like I’m not aligned in a prescriptive way with what OCD is. I am extremely frustrated. I just want to know what is wrong with me And there are so many things that I see within the OCD community that align with my experiences, but I feel like from conversations I’m having maybe I’m just anxious or a flawed person and I’m not saying that for reassurance I really feel that way I don’t know what else to do. This is a recent diagnosis so anyone who has felt this way or has similar diagnosis to OCD it would be great to hear from you. Thanks.

hopewrldds

Date posted: 13w

will i eventually understand my ocd better?

i was recently diagnosed with ocd and i think im having a hard time identifying what is my ocd and what isn’t? or im not really sure how to express myself but i feel like i still don’t really know much about ocd and feel like an imposter saying i have it because i don’t know enough about it to really understand it? like all my life these things i would do or say or think or feel were i guess “normal” to me,, so how do i move forward when i don’t know really where to begin?

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I’m struggling to know what’s a compulsion

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