Weekly Wins: Time to celebrate 🎉

I stopped googeling for almost a whole day for reassurance

I’ve been doing ERP exercises every day even though it’s difficult. I feel a lot better and I’m proud of myself.

I got a diagnosis of degenerative disc disease and a pinched nerve in my neck this week. It took 4 doctors to come to this conclusion. I’ve been suffering from pain for over 10 years, but today i won’t choose to give up. I took the day off work to get rest and spend time with my loved ones. Today I’m choosing to fight back

Realized some underlying OCD themes that have been affecting me my entire life without me realizing it. And I deleted ChatGPT so I won’t use it for reassurance anymore. Today I am focusing on learning non-engagement responses to my intrusive thoughts.

It might seem small but I don't feel like I need to adjust my waistband every single time I sit down.

I went to my medical test totally calm and relaxed. My health related OCD was in the background but I used my tools and had a wonderful test time.🎉🍿😄

I signed up for NOCD even though it was scary.

this is small but i've been able to eat better and my appetite is back, i still have moments where i spiral but im managing better i think

I sat in a work meeting for three hours and kept my internal tape deck from moving to 'fast forward' (rehearse what I was going to say in the event of an imagined future scenario) or 'rewind' (replay something I had just said looking for errors / mistakes / misinterpretations). Had to catch myself with my finger on the button a bunch of times, but thinking about it like this helped a lot

I talked with my therapist and we both feel that I’m nearing the end of treatment after 1.5 years!

I called into work without panicking about my boss hating me

I was able to kiss a boy on a date, which I’ve never been able to do due to OCD. He’s now my boyfriend! ☺️

Fear didn’t stop me this week and somehow easily melted away.

I was on vacation with my cousins and i picked an between 2 card games to play without asking for reassurance on if they wanted to do it or not... it was just a game but for me its a big accomplishment

I work with elementary students & always encourage them & try to be a positive. It is easy for me to build them up & make them smile!

Went to my second therapy appointment and now im cleaning my room!

I’ve started meditating at the start of my day, even when my thoughts are racing (great ERP) — and I’ve started journaling at night, to reflect on what went well and what could improve from the day. It’s making me realize I’m doing better than I thought 🙂

I was able to catch myself and realize I was being swept up in a pretty big compulsion and stop and use erp statements.

Resisted the urge to ask for reassurance and spent some time alone, realizing that I have a life outside of OCD and can spend time alone without letting the thoughts hurt me!

I'm in my 50's and have recently been diagnosed with ADHD and OCD. I found a great therapist who I will meet with for the second time this week at NOCD. I also have an appointment elsewhere to see if ADHD meds might help. I'm still in the grip of it all and have been aware that "something" has always been present with me, but I'm able to name it now. This is huge! Knowing what to call that which I'm dealing with is a start. I have hope that I will yet emerge from the daily, debilitating efforting that is nearly all I've ever known.

Instead of od'ing on caffeine after a difficult group therapy, it occurred to me 😇 after a Pause, that I had experienced RSD!! Total and complete 'Emotional Hijacking,' or DisRegulation, if you prefer. 🤯 I've known about RSD for a few years, and it's in most of the 27? podcasts I listen to about ADHD, AuDHD, and others, but to see it in ME is my biggest win in a half century!😃

I had a thought about kissing someone and I didn’t care at all

For the first time in my life, I walked down the stairs without thinking about falling & cracking my head open

I only took one shower today and yesterday

I started to use more often the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding technique

I started therapy today, and I definitely feel more hopeful. -Jonathon

Saying no

I allowed myself to rest when tired, tried not to judge myself for NOT getting everything done! Gave myself some grace!

Something I'm proud of is not spiraling when hard and sticky doubts come up. It's still hard to not have so much concern, but much easier than months ago. I don't need to figure anything out. I can just let things be and see how things work out in time :)

I am working on letting go of my existential OCD!

Im still here still fighting 💌

I’m not washing my hands right now

I'm finally taking time for myself and letting myself rest!!!

I discovered my core fear is being alone.

I was able to go up five flights of stairs without fearing I'd suffer a major health event. :)

Hello I'm new to this platform. I have OCD like severe I'd say. It has for many many years consumed my life and has put a huge strain on my relationship that I have been in for 13 years now. Every single day is a serious struggle for me to not let it consume my day. It has put a massive toll on my relationship. I want help. I want to get better. I'm tired and exhausted. It takes everything out of me and I feel like I don't spend enough time with my daughter because I'm so worried about everything being in its proper little place. Please any advice, tools, skills, exercises ECT. That will or might help with my OCD struggle. I'm always open for suggestions. I want to save my relationship and family. Please help me 🙏

One win I had was reading 3 pages of my overcoming harm ocd book at a sandwhich shop. I learned about the different types of reasons why violent thoughts might occur, and, how it can come up without even trying. I'm glad I'm making a few strides to heal and get through this time. Thanks!

I've been sick with the Flu all of February so, is my husband and son. So, I rescheduled all my doctor appointments and mental health appointments for March. I've just been home trying to get better. It's been really hard to do that because I'm usually all over the place being scattered.

I was able to pick out my socks in under 10 minutes this morning 🥹

Im finally driving to my partners house that is 40 minutes away! No more anxiety attacks, or having to pull over on the side of the road. The more I travel in the car, the more I’m getting used to driving alone! A huge win!

I resisted the urge to apologize compulsively. Glad I did 💪

Watched Wonder Man

Making it to My early imaging appointment.

I got in the elevator without excessive panic.

I'm still working on being physically stronger and it feels like I'm making progress and also being more consistent where I can be. I'm allowing myself room without feeling guilty or comparing. 💪

I got very triggered and started to have panic feelings but I waited 15 mins and dint perform any mental compulsions

I took out my trash this week without changing clothes or taking a shower after!

My students won an award for their biggest Orchestra competition/evaluation of the year!

I stood up to my boss and held my ground!!!!!

i went the whole day without disinfecting everything in my room!!!

I went back to the gym

I got three auditions within 30 minutes!!

I have been doing really well with staying consistent with exposures in order to prepare for my spring break trip.

The voices of OCD have quieted down a bit this past week about thoughts of being afraid I am a bad person. I feel like I’m able to focus on the important things I care about💜

I've been driving home at night without calling anyone, going to get snacks/breakfast for myself before work, doing things that my OCD says will "cause more OCD" lol, and asked a guy out on a date that I'm super nervous about 😬

… I addressed a difficult situation this morning that a trigger point had me spiraling outta control with for 4 several days now by reading and informing myself about false memories OCD here. I’m exploring how to use the tools here in this forum educating myself about EPR and how it can help me improve my mental health and better handle my PTSD when triggered in different scenarios. … I am neurodivergent and on the Spectrum and have successfully been masking my entire life as a survivor of childhood trauma and abandonment. My education is only a high school diploma after going to night school in my 20’s to address dropping out at 16 because my ADHD when unnoticed by the adults responsible for me as a child… I joined the military immediately after turning 17 and have full Vietnam era veteran benefits. That burden and weight to carry has been suppressed for too long. That has its own trauma that has never been addressed by me and let go off. … I’m writing my memoir’s and processing all my personal baggage touching it one last time to release it into the abyss and just want harmony again that I have long lost. … As I’m finding logical explanations about the differences in the many different scenarios I have encountered in my life time . I am now addressing … my actions / reactions internally then externally writing ✍️ then by printing out my words to release myself from the OCD patterns I have suffocated myself with mentally. … I’m a private person because of my neurodivergent tendencies and type B personality clusters of disorders. HPD is how I present when not masking. When I go silent it’s because I speak in metaphors now and I am just not understood by people that don’t know what I’m going through trying to deal with a neurotypical world being while I am on the spectrum. It’s hard being different from the normals of society in general. …

I was able to recognize and neutralize negative/catastrophic thoughts before they attacked my mind.

I picked up things off the ground without immediately having to wash my hands in fear of contamination.

I stopped drinking still sober it will be 2 months next week my ocd has been spiraling but the drinking made it worse for me in reality. I've started Journaling and researching on my ocd etc. I've started eating better and trying to rest. May I add I left the house with my son a few times and I panicked but made it through it ok.

I have this compulsion where when I go to parties I feel like I need to retreat to a quiet place when my intrusive thoughts flare up. Went to a party and didn’t give in once! Stayed put

Does anyone else hide their belongings from children? I do, I gave a very young child my stuffed animal and she immediately put it where it was dirty😭 then I continue to sleep with it. I can’t wait to wash it after the week is over. Then I’m considering sitting on this child

I came back to the place I grew up in and it has a lot of memories and times where my ocd was really bad, but I feel good being back here. Proud of myself for being compassionate to my mind and spirit and being gentle to me!

I know this sounds stupid but part of my ocd is I can’t stand when my mom bites her nails and last night she was doing that so I just went up to my room and took deep breaths.