Hi all, I’m new to the app. I have OCD and anxiety. I am pretty new to my diagnosis- just 3-4 months- but knowing that there’s a label to how I feel is relieving. I also have dermatillomania (skin picking) which is one of my compulsions. I got put on medication- Zoloft- almost immediately after my diagnosis (I’m up to 200mg/day now). Something that has been coming up more frequently is my obsession that something bad is happening to my family. I won’t get into the details but I vividly imagine my parents, siblings, or friends being injured or dying. Can anyone who has experience in these areas give some tips? I feel pretty alone right now I’m how I feel and sometimes I feel like there’s something wrong with me.

Thanks for the advice! I really had never thought about that before. I have been in therapy for about a month but I feel that it’s just making my symptoms more obvious to myself and it makes them feel more intrusive and impossible to get over.

I’m actually not entirely sure. All I can do right now is the free weekly therapy that they offer at my college. I just barely got off the waitlist for it and it isn’t permanent- I’m in the process of setting up another therapist at a practice for once the free therapy is over. I am not quite sure what exposures entail but I will have to ask next time I see him. I’ll also be sure to ask if he has experience with OCD- I can definitely see how if they don’t have experience that it could set me back and I definitely don’t need that this early on.

@Rylieraz Basically no matter how much you are suffering, to recover in a serious way you need to commit to a process, and see that process through. ERP is a process. A qualified therapist will get you recovered. It will be like rocket fuel. It depends how serious you are about getting better. If your brain is kidding you, telling you it doesnt really matter, you can sort it out later, or that there isnt help available - OCD attacks its own treatment - then it's likely you wont properly seek help and commit to the process. If you can get your proper realistic self care attitude focused, find a qualified therapist and get going with ERP, then it doesnt take long to shift. It will also help you with your studies, job prospects / income level and other elements to your quality of life. Bear in mind, OCD tends to get worse in mid 20s into 30s. Left to it's own devices, the prospects are not too pretty.

Hey @dandy my derma is really bad rn. Any tips for stopping myself from picking? I’m almost home after being at college for four months and I’m worried that I will be tempted to lock myself in my bathroom and pick away like I did before I left to college.

@Rylieraz my derma's really bad right now too, i'm sorry to hear that you're struggling so much. :( i buy non-latex nitrile gloves off of amazon and wear them almost all the time, because my hands look disgusting (i've had people make mean comments before). it also makes it hard to pick other parts of my body, since no part of me is immune to wandering OCD fingers lol. i also try to refocus my thoughts and lay my hands flat or keep them still every time i notice that i'm picking. i do some breathing exercises during that, too. i wish i had better advice, i'm still really struggling. please let me know if you ever want to chat, it sounds like we have some similar fears and i'm happy to support you!