Having a rough day today. How are you doing?

@ForTheGlory290 My ocd has also been really bad these past few days maybe there is something in the air

@tt06 I would like to agree there is something in the air, but that would be our OCD talking. Sometimes we just have down days like today or multiple days

@alan87 "There must be something in the air" is an expression. ☺️

@kaylouise Lol, whoops! I glossed over that

@marie811 I understand what you’re going through. Glad you’re trying to enjoy spending time. I am married and deal with unwanted harmful thoughts toward my spouse and confessing wrongdoings.

@Cher54 Yes all the time. Check my page if you want!! Some of it has been really helpful for us real event OCD sufferers

@recoveryisneverlinear How do u make yourself feel better?

@Cher54 I can share my side. I just start to tell myself I don’t care. Like oh well, I don’t care if I lose control or if I confess or if it’s true, or about any of it. I told myself that today and I started to feel better just an hour ago or so.

@alan87 But what if it’s something that u really did or didn’t do things that u feel horrible about and is so upsetting. Do u still say u don’t care when u really do? I don’t think that would work for me. But thanks anyway. I’m glad that it works for u. The only thing I know that has worked for me is to just give it to God, ask him to forgive me, and let it go. That’s hard because I want to analyze it all the time like I could change it,but of course, that just is not going to happen.

@Cher54 They are things that I have done, and it works sometimes, maybe for a couple hours or less and then back to rumination and anxiety. I love what you said about giving it to God. Asking forgiveness from Him. It’s tough because like you said, I want to analyze it and all that stuff.

@recoveryisneverlinear I do wonder the same as Cher, how do you make yourself feel better.

@alan87 Personally, I try to identify when I am performing compulsions (such as reviewing and ruminating) and even if I still do perform them, its helpful to remind myself they are OCD showing up. I am also careful to resist compulsions such as confessing and googling/ reassurance seeking as I know that helps in the long term although initially it makes me feel more anxious. My real event OCD reminds me constantly that I don’t deserve happiness so I try to combat that by doing things which I feel like I don’t deserve and let the guilt be present (this works as a sort of passive exposure). Looking at professional OCD specialists on social media also helps me (I recently uploaded a link on here to a YouTube channel of a lady who is genuinely incredible when it comes to understanding and talking about the real event subtype). If you have any other questions I am more than happy to chat- this is a horrible feeling and one of the only positives is you don’t have to deal with it alone. Wishing you both the best, friends 🫶

@recoveryisneverlinear Thank you so much friend! I try to avoid the compulsion of confession as well, ruminating and replaying real events and rationalizing things. Then come the harmful thoughts and imagery. That part is probably the worst. Especially when they are about my wife. I would love to continue chatting and connecting.

@recoveryisneverlinear Can u send me that link? Or all of us actually. I like Christian based counseling and a lot of times science and Christian counseling go hand in hand.

@Cher54 https://youtube.com/@chrissiehodgespureocdadvocate?si=H6d8u__LNEVGGi0a

@Cher54 I don’t know about the religious side of this, as I personally am not religious- but it could still help 🫶

@Buttons B It’s not your fault. And maybe you haven’t backslid as much or at all like you think you have.

@Buttons B It’s not your fault you can’t help it

@Buttons B Be more kind to yourself buttons

@Buttons B Also, I love your username, buttons :)

@Cher54 I will pray for you. You are not alone in your journey, and remember that through Jesus we are saved. He has overcome the world so that we may be saved from it. Take captive every thought and give it to Jesus.

@alan87 I agree with you wholeheartedly. But I just can’t forgive myself.

@Cher54 It is hard, I can’t forgive myself either. But we are not alone. Let’s try focusing on the good things we have accomplished and the good things accomplished for us.

@SadieCheese Me too! This is my first episode in awhile. What do you struggle with?

@alan87 Extreme anxiety and OCD for me. Racing thoughts like I have 10 tvs turned on at once.

@Stacey353 Hi stacey, same here. Bad harmful intrusive thoughts and feeling like I’m faking my love or marriage. And when I hear something like my wife telling my dog that he’s going to lose his mind when playing, it makes me think maybe that’s a sign that i am going to.

@alan87 Bless you’re heart I’m sorry

@Stacey353 Thank you for your support. You said you suffer from harmful intrusive thoughts?

@alan87 Yes!! I have awful suicidal ocd intrusive and thoughts but with no intent or desire behind them but they are sooo scary. It’s like I get a fear that my body will take over and just do it but that’s no possible is it!?

@alan87 I have this same fear of losing my mind too!! Don’t Worry about this often!

@Stacey353 So glad to hear I’m not alone. A big trigger for me awhile back were crime documentaries. I thought to myself, ‘I could lose my mind just like that like this person and hurt people I love or care about.’ I would think, ‘maybe I’m like this person and am capable of the same things. I could lose my mind or medicine could cause me to spiral and snap.’ Terrible place to be. I’m going through a bit of that rumination right now.

@kathleen23 That’s amazing! I’m proud of you!

@kathleen23 I feel you. If I go a day without crying, then that’s a victory!

@Cher54 That’s a good thing! I am happy to wake up and feel fine, but it seems as I go throughout the day my ruminating and anticipation of anxiety gives me more anxiety. So it’s like, I would love to just stay in bed all day everyday.