- Date posted
- 23h
(ROCD) how to know when to confess
So the other day I was driving and started racing a car trying to be playful and cool. I had no idea who was in the car until I pulled up next to them at a stoplight and realized it was a man. I started to spiral because I felt as if I flirted by trying to seem cool and attractive and badass by racing- even if I didn't know who was in the car.. I know it'd be very different if it was a woman in the car, but I can't help but spiral snd feel HORRIBLE. I've came to the realization too that I like getting attention- I like to feel sexy, attractive, cool- not because I'm seeking out someone or anything in particular, but because I LIKE feeling like people find me attractive. When I drive and have the window down, I try to look cool and have my sunglasses on, music blasting, I feel sexy, I feel like other people find me sexy. Again, not because I want them to ask for my number or anything, but to look and to notice. I feel horrible about it because it makes me feel like these actions are technically flirting.. That by racing this car I was flirting even though, again, I had no idea who the person was in it or their gender until I pulled up next to them. I just feel like I shouldn't want to feel like I like when people are attracted to me, afterall, I'm in a relationship and the only persons opinion who really matters is my boyfriends... I've been thinking about confessing but I know it wouldn't make any sense.. Trying to tell my boyfriend I feel like I flirted by racing a little with a black car- which I happened to notice after the fact had a man in it, which made me spiral. The more I think about confessing the more I think about all the possibilities.. Him breaking up with me (which I don't think he'd do), him being disappointed, him moving on, him being tired of my bullshit.. Ever since we started dating I've been scared to dress up in public because I felt like I was trying to attract attention.. I started to dress up as exposure therapy and stuff but now it seems to have thrown me into a spiral because I LIKE feeling good about myself and I LIKE knowing that other people might find me attractive. I don't really know what to do but its been about two days and I haven't stopped spiraling. I feel like I'm being so secretive and that I'm hiding things from him.. I keep trying to tell myself that I've hid stuff from him in the past when it comes to ROCD but I don't really care about that because all of this right now feels too real. I DO like the attention. I feel like I shouldn't like the attention and I know it comes from a place of deep insecurity. I spoke with my therapist briefly about it and she said that it sounds like the OCD is speaking but I've like fully convinced myself I'm in the wrong entirely and that I need to tell my boyfriend or else I'll hide with this guilt for the rest of my life and be a terrible partner. Tldr: I feel bad for liking attention and feeling attractive to other people.. This was all triggered by me feeling as if I was flirting by racing a car which belonged to someone of a mystery gender, until I pulled up and realized it was a man, which sent me into a spiral. I know if it was a woman I would be fine. But because it was a man I feel like I flirted. I understand that reassurance and confession are not healthy but I feel as if this is something I NEED to confess, even though it'll probably just confuse my boyfriend and upset him. Because I truly don't want anyone other than him and I love him with all of my heart.. He knows I have ROCD and I've confessed in the past about my instrusive thoughs, but this feels like more.