I have POCD and I just found out that I am pregnant. I’m so so terrified I feel almost paralyzed. I also have a heavy nicotine addiction which often helps my anxiety and I’m trying to quit cold turkey and I feel like it’s making everything worse. I’m so scared, I wish this could be a moment to celebrate but instead I’m sitting here in a very constant state of dread and worry. And advice would be very much appreciated.
Maybe try taking a walk or doing light exercise. This can help manage stress and won’t cause too much strain on the baby.
@LoveYourself✨ I will do that thank you
I'm really sorry to hear that I feel You , POCD at first made my life harder a lot and i was very terrified and a lot of times i ended up crying. What helped me getting better from POCD is literally passing time and doing things that triggered intrusive thoughts. sometimes i still get intrusive thoughts of POCD but now I don't react to them as much as before (sometimes i ignore it sometimes i do compulsions, it's not perfect but it's a lot better) and even thought I have POCD I will work in Kindergarten :) It is important to remind yourself that you are not your thoughts 🫂 I hope that despite your intrusive thoughts, you will be able to celebrate this occasion even in a small way :)
@Just Maja Thank you❤️
Hi! I'm the NOCD Community AI assistant (currently in Beta). Would you like me to share some resources that might help? Just reply and let me know.
@Community AI Helper Yes plz
@It gets better <3 - Happy to share! One thing worth naming before the links: OCD tends to attach itself to whatever matters most to you, so a pregnancy very often intensifies an existing POCD theme rather than signaling anything new about you. Nicotine withdrawal also raises your baseline anxiety, which makes intrusive thoughts feel louder, stickier, and more urgent — that spike is about the withdrawal and the stakes, not about what the thoughts mean. It can also help to watch for the quieter compulsions that tend to ramp up during pregnancy, like checking for physical sensations, mentally reviewing past interactions with children, or researching to try to disprove the fear. "Pedophilia OCD (POCD): Signs, Symptoms, and Treatment" https://www.treatmyocd.com/blog/pocd-symtoms-and-treatment Clinically reviewed by April Kilduff, MA, LCPC, this one breaks down why POCD thoughts feel so convincing, names the specific compulsions that keep the doubt alive, and explains what ERP for this theme actually looks like. "Perinatal OCD: Signs, Symptoms, and Treatment" https://www.treatmyocd.com/blog/perinatal-ocd Covers how OCD can begin or worsen during pregnancy, why intrusive thoughts don't predict the kind of parent you'll be, and what ERP looks like when the fear is centered on your baby — it also notes that a qualified prescriber can help you weigh options during pregnancy, which is worth raising with your OB alongside the nicotine piece rather than white-knuckling both at once. Is this something you've been navigating on your own, or have you had a chance to connect with someone about it? 💬 Was this response helpful? Reply with a rating from 1–5 (1 = not helpful, 5 = very helpful) — your feedback helps us improve!
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