People say it will...but I'm struggling to keep going long enough to find out. Every time I do an exposure, or try not to engage in a compulsion, it's SO hard. Then, the next time feels even harder, not easier. It makes me lose hope and figure I'll always be this way...
Now, I'm not someone who has completely overcome their OCD compulsions, but I can say that it does get easier. The thing is, is that the ease stems from familiarity, so it might take a while for it to feel easier. Difficulty with exposures and resisting compulsions is expected and normal! And, to use a metaphor for illustration, I'd say that the additional difficulty is due to the path not being a well-worn one. There's nothing wrong with having trouble when faced with something as difficult as trying to incorporate a new normal. If you keep on working with others, I'm sure that it will eventually become an easier path to traverse :) things like this just take time. I'm really sorry that you feel a lack of hope, but just know that we're all rooting for you! It can feel like nothing is happening but progress is always incremental. A suggestion of mine is to maybe try setting smaller goals that build up to where you want to be so you can appreciate what progress you are actually making. You can't tackle everything at once, so just take on small tasks until it's habitual then increase the amount of tasks and repeat. I hope that things work out for you, and if they aren't, ask for help, like you just did! :)
Thank you for all your kind and supportive words. I really appreciate your well-worn path metaphor. :)
I have severe ocd, I’m didn’t over come it yet. But you have to do the work to overcome it. That’s the hardest part because it feels like you can’t let go, it’s like cancer. It never leaves but you manage it, or not even like cancer it’s like eczema. It flares up and you have to do the tools you know to clear it up.
That's a great way to put it. It's like the very thing that makes you feel "safe" is also the thing that's slowly killing you.
@Anonymous Exactly, sometimes we have to understand we have a mental disorder. I’ve been told since ima biology/science major that I’m the smartest person they met. OCD makes me feel like I’m not simply because ocd attacks basic common sense and things you know and learn. You can be 99% sure but that 1% eats at you
It does. I have flare ups where my ocd gets bad again but I’ve gone 2+ years between flare ups before. It’s difficult at first because it just doesn’t feel like it will ever end but it totally will. Think about it like training for a marathon — you wouldn’t be able to run, let alone win 1st place in a 10K right away. You’re training for the race. There are good days and bad days but eventually you will notice results.
Couldn't agree more. The fact that there's a chance - even if it's just a measly 1, 2, maybe even 5% - doesn't matter. It feels monumental.
Always love a good sports analogy. How do you handle/navigate the flare ups? It must be hard to not let them pull you back into regression.
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