ER/P is a game changer

In hindsight, I’ve had OCD my entire life. However, it began to be extremely distressing around August of 2017. I began to have intrusive thoughts and obsessions around health and harm/ losing control. Since 2017, I have had OCD pop in and out of my life. I thought I was losing my mind, but was always told that I just had “anxiety”. This anxiety was irrational! It was nothing like the anxiety my friends experienced. 7 years later, August of 2024, I was finally diagnosed with OCD. That is when I began my ER/P journey. E/RP and NOCD have helped me regain control of my life. I no longer engage in avoidance, due to fear. I embrace uncertainty. I can now sleepover my friend’s houses, travel, watch scary movies, and listen to true crime podcasts… things I once loved to do before OCD convinced me they were dangerous. I am forever grateful for this journey and for NOCD!

KaylynnBen

Date posted: Yesterday

I hope to be here soon!!! I would love to have a conversation about your thoughts because I’m experiencing harm OCD right now… first episode was when I was 8 but about being kidnapped and I washed my hands (took a year to get out of it) I was fine for so many years. (20 years) until I watched a video of a girl who killed an infant and she looked normal and was remorseful so then I was like could that be me? It really came full force and now I’m convinced I’m a horrible person and my intrusive thoughts are really what I want to do.I am working with NOCD and it got better the first 6 weeks but now it’s bad again and I’ve just had a really hard time.

dgarc305

User type: OCD Conqueror

Date posted: Yesterday

@KaylynnBen Isn’t it crazy how we all have such a similar experience? Haha! It takes time. Remember healing is not linear. It gets better, then it gets bad again, then the theme switches and then we have to do it all over again. I’ve been in recovery for a year and it’s a lot better than it was before, but I still struggle! I give myself grace whenever I’m feeling overwhelmed… it’s not perfect, but the hard times give us a moment to practice our skills. I also take medicine so that helps too! Feel free to reach out whenever!

KaylynnBen

Date posted: 18h

@dgarc305 I tried SSRI and it made me so much worse I might try another one but maybe not. I’m hoping I can get better just like I did before with therapy. My big theme right now is what if I snap and hurt my kids but then my ocd is switching it up and now saying “go do” or “you could” at the beginning of whatever thought and it makes me sooo panicky…. Just another way of OCD trying to trap me. Also my OCD is trying to convince me my therapist is going to call CPS because I really am a bad person and want to do these things which sucks. Like I don’t want to tell her everything but I do but I’m scared and it sucks. Then I turn to chat gbt to look up like a physcopath vs harm ocd person but if I don’t do one thing they say then I’m like convinced I’m a physcopath

GuitarEnhanc...

Date posted: Yesterday

I want to be where you are now! Dang, I remember being able to do all of those things and now I don't know if you could pay me! Thank you for posts like this. It gives me hope!

dgarc305

User type: OCD Conqueror

Date posted: Yesterday

@GuitarEnhancer95 You’ll get there again! Just stay focused on doing the work. It’s hard but it’s worth it!

Staying in t...

Date posted: Yesterday

The theme switches….that is such a good way to describe ocd. You feel you have defeated something and then another one comes up and it’s the next worst thing ever.

notesfromsophie

Date posted: Yesterday

I feel so similar. I’ve been agoraphobic for a couple years and my world has gotten so small because I’m so afraid of everything. I hope this happens for me. Congratulations!

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