Becoming an OCD conquerer/ongoing OCD

Hi! I don’t usually share in the community board but I wanted to share my experience to those starting ERP and/or struggling with OCD. I was diagnosed earlier this year due a recent onset of intense OCD symptoms/intrusive thoughts following some major life events (Although I have shown symptoms for years and had previous OCD “flare ups”). Feeling unsafe in your own mind and questioning your reality is something I would not wish on anyone. I remember reading posts from conquerers when I was just starting ERP and I found it really scary when people would say things like “I’m doing better but I still have bad days” because the idea of future bad OCD days made me think it was impossible to wholly enjoy life again. I’m not here to offer reassurance, but what I want to say is focus on what you CAN control and celebrate any progress. There are evidence based treatment options for OCD; have faith in the process and be brave. Go to therapy (preferably with an OCD specialist), do your ERP homework, research OCD, and ground yourself when the OCD wave tries to knock you down. We are strong and we can handle hard things. OCD sucks, I will never say it doesn’t lol, but I learned to make peace with my brain. A little gratitude and change of perspective can really go a long way. My advice is to know what you have the capacity to give and achieve depending on your current symptoms. If all you can do right now is delay compulsions or catch yourself after a compulsion already started, take that win and keep moving. Do that ERP even if you’re not perfect at it. Move with your anxiety so you can still make space for the present moment. Baby steps were the key to my success. So yeah, 6 months later, the difference between my life now vs when I was diagnosed is day and night. I don’t want to say “everything is okay and perfect” but my life is substantially better now that I have gone through/am going through ERP treatment. And maybe you will have bad days in the future (maybe, maybe not lol), but you are strong and can handle hard things.