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- 5y
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- 5y
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- 5y
You are so strong and don’t ever forget it. I have struggled with OCD my whole life and I have the same problem but with blowing out my candles. I’m still learning myself how to not overthinking as much, but I just wanted to let you know you are never alone even if it feels like it!
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- 5y
We’re in this together!!!! We will find ways to over come this because we are stronger than our OCD!
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- 5y
Hi Stephanie , I’m at a similar point and honestly it’s hard right now, I’ve lost my job and other things because of this but I’ve noticed mediation has really been a tool for me as of recent I’m still recovering and definitely going thru it But not seeking reassurance and mediation are really getting me thru You got this your not alone !!
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- 5y
Thank you for that! When I’m the last one to leave my job, it’ll take me a half hour to make sure the doors are locked and the faucets are off and that nothings going to cause a fire. I’ve driven home before only to drive right back because my brain won’t stop saying “You didn’t lock the door. You didn’t turn the space heater off” even though i know for sure i did. I need to do something to take control of this! Things will get better for you, as I know they will for me too. We got this!
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- 5y
Hi! I have very different manifestations that yours in that mine are mostly mental, but I think hearing from people with other kinds of ocd helps sometimes when trying to navigate your own type. When I was little a lot of my fears were about contamination and germs, but as I got older I started becoming afraid of things other people couldn’t see. One of the biggest was whether or not I would go out of control and kill myself or hurt others. I would hide belts and coat hangers because I was afraid that I would get up in the middle of the night and hang myself. I would make sure I was tucked deep into my bed each time I went to sleep. I was also afraid of hell. I was afraid that god could see these horrible suicidal-like thoughts and banish me from heaven (my family was catholic growing up, so suicide is a big no no on the heaven requirements). I started praying every night. I started having a mental rubric for my prayers. I had to say what I was sorry for every night and I had to repent. Guilt began to center my obsessions. I was obsessed with being evil. I thought I was worthless. I was afraid that god would never accept me because of the things I thought about. So in my late teens, I began to punish myself. I would take my nails and scratch into my skin. Eventually this became me using the key to my dorm room as a weapon against myself every time I messed up. I had to be punished for everything. I’m still struggling with that one today, and I’m not perfect, but I have a wonderful boyfriend and family there behind me. What helped me most was accepting the things I was most afraid of. For example, I had bad ocd about being gay for a while. I told myself eventually, so what if I am? Why does it matter? I surrounded myself and exposed myself to people who actually had that identity and realized 1) I was VERY not gay and 2) being gay was, not bad at all. The biggest piece of advice I can give is try to allow those obsessions to exist and not respond to them. Think, so what if the door is unlocked? (Easier said than done I realize). My approach is usually apathetic humor, which sometimes can take the strength out of some of my terrors. I hope you are able to get better! I’m rooting for you.
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- 5y
I’m so glad you have great people beside you to help guide you through this. I don’t think most people realize just how serious OCD actually is. I’m going to start trying to tell myself after doing my nightly rituals ONCE that yes, the door is locked, the faucets are off, the stove is off, and there is no reason to get up and check anything again. My anxiety will be through the roof for the first couple of weeks but hopefully it’ll eventually ease up. Thank you so much for the advice. I’m rooting for you as well <3
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- 5y
@stephanie95 I’m proud of you girl! You got this!
Related posts
- Date posted
- 23w
Hi. I found this website through listening to a podcast. I am undiagnosed OCD, but I am absolutely sure I've got it, and I'm really struggling. I feel lonely and my head will literally not give me a moment's peace. It all started a year ago. I have always been the anxious type, but a really intrusive/alarming thought randomly entered my head - it wasn't intrusive/alarming in the sense of distressing explicit content (as I know this is common with OCD), it was intrusive & alarming in regards to the future and a worse case scenario happening. I spiralled from here and over a year later I'm really struggling in this same spiral. I have to check things constantly. If I can't check, I become quickly distressed. But, even if I can check, sometimes it's not enough and I still doubt and become distressed. I am CONSTANTLY scanning for danger - no matter how small, or insignificant. I am CONSTANTLY pre-occupied by worse case scenario and I try and plan repeatedly in my head 'just in case'. I replay the past in my head on a constant loop trying to desperately remember if I did/didn't do something. I then 'test' myself by trying to remember things that I can check in the here and now - if I get it wrong, I become pre-occupied and distressed. I'm very vigilant about 'covering any tracks' where I could have 'slipped up', e.g. did I send that text to the right person? Or fully believing that my phone has malfunctioned and has sent stuff to people who I wouldn't want to see it. I then check and recheck. I have urges to straighten things, touch things etc. when my brain tells me to so that I stay 'safe'. Every OCD incident, pattern etc. I have a real need to share and seek reassurance from friends and family, but not only do I realise that ultimately this reinforces my OCD, friends and family are fed up and have a 'what now?' attitude. It's so lonely and I want to beat OCD once and for all. It's an absolutely miserable way to live.
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- 21w
This my first post and frankly I am so scared. I was diagnosed with OCD as my first diagnosis, at only 10 years old. Ever since, my OCD has COMPLETELY overtaken my mind and actions. Im scared that if I ever get my OCD figured out and under control, I may loose a part of myself, because its so familiar to me and all Ive ever known. As someone who is ready to tackle their extreme OCD thinking, where should I start? I am open to any/all suggestions. PLEASE leave any advice that you recommend and that has benefited you in your own journey!!!! Thanks!
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- 17w
Hi, I’m new to the app as of today. I’m 20 years old, and wanted to get some stuff off my chest about the types of OCD I’ve been experiencing over the years. I’m not entirely sure how or when my OCD was brought up, but I’ve been a perfectionist for as long as I can remember. Anywhere and everywhere I go, if I see things placed in an order/angle that my brain doesn’t approve of, next thing I know I’m “fixing” it to be in the placement I feel looks better. I’m not aware of why I feel the need to do that, but until an object is in the “right” placement, I won’t take my eyes off of it. My eye will even twitch. Another form of OCD I have is in relationships. I spend each day overthinking and over-analyzing every one of the relationships that are important to me. Friends, family, significant other. Another one is what’s considered “Pure OCD” . When I get an intrusive thought of something devilish, whether it’s randomly seeing my great aunt naked bc my grandma considers her “fat” even though she’s not, or it’s seeing something demonic and traumatizing, I immediately tell myself, “I don’t wanna see/think about that” over and over and over until the thought is gone. Or I’ll try to replace one mental image with another. One other form of OCD I face every day, is religion. I got baptized for the first time in my life earlier this year in January. I had finally started to repent for my sins, and now I’m constantly feeling afraid that I’m letting God down due to my depression/lack of motivation and vaping/smoking. I also fear excessively that He’ll banish me from His kingdom, or just turn a cold shoulder. I know that what I’ve just typed up is probably all over the place. That is my brain unfortunately. How do you go from being a mentally disorderly and seemingly erratic young woman, to a more well-established, successful woman? I’m all ears!
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