Can OCD and anxiety get better on their own?

Hey everyone, I'm a student, and honestly, I've been struggling with something for a while now. I think it might be OCD, possibly Pure O or mental OCD, but I haven't been officially diagnosed, so I'm not sure. Basically, I get these intrusive thoughts about different things, and once one gets into my head, I end up overthinking it for hours. I keep imagining different worst-case scenarios, analysing everything again and again, and looking for reassurance just to feel okay. Sometimes I finally feel like I've figured things out and can relax, but then the doubt comes back, or my mind finds something else to worry about. I also catch myself constantly checking people's expressions and reactions because I'm worried about what they might think of me. It's not just mental either. I get a racing heartbeat, an uneasy feeling in my chest and stomach, and sometimes I just can't seem to relax, even when there's nothing happening around me. It can affect my sleep too. The thing that's really frustrating me lately is how frequently these thoughts are coming up. I'm a student, and I genuinely want to focus on my studies, but I end up spending so much time stuck in my head that concentrating becomes difficult. It's honestly exhausting because I know I have things to do, but my mind just won't leave me alone. Another problem is that, because of my personal circumstances, getting professional help isn't really an option for me right now. I might have to deal with this on my own for a while, and that honestly worries me. So I wanted to ask people who have experienced OCD or anxiety a couple of things: 1. Can things actually get better on their own without therapy or medication? Or do these symptoms usually keep getting worse if you leave them untreated? I'd really like to hear from people who've genuinely improved without professional help. 2. What has actually helped you manage these thoughts in everyday life? Especially if you're a student and need to study while dealing with constant overthinking and anxiety. I'd really appreciate answers, especially from people who've been through something similar. Thanks for reading.

RooBug

Date posted: 20h

I am so sorry that you are going through this. Being stuck in your head like this can be so debilitating and frightening. I have struggled with OCD most of my life, but it took me a long time to get treatment. Obviously I am not a mental health professional, but from my own personal experience and what I have learned, OCD doesn't really improve until you start changing the way you relate to/engage with your thoughts and feelings. In a perfect world, doing this with the help of a therapist is great, but like you point out, sometimes that just isn't an option. Fortunately, there are some really great resources out there you can use! Jeffrey Schwartz's books "Brain Lock" & "You Are Not Your Brain" are highly practical and can help you learn some new tools. Remember, your brain will get better at whatever it does repetitively. That can work for you or against you. If you keep engaging with your intrusive thoughts through rumination, your brain will get "better" at doing that. But if you learn and apply new ways of not engaging with those thoughts, your brain will get better at doing that. There is hope, friend. Hang in there!!!

Obito Uchiha

Date posted: 19h

Thank you so much for the advice, I really appreciate you taking the time to explain all this to me. I'll try to work on how I respond to my thoughts and check out the resources you mentioned. Thanks for giving me hope.

Gabbythatsmi...

Date posted: 20h

Honestly i remember dealing with Ocd (before i was diagnosed ) in hs during covid. It hit really hard and i developed the same symptoms couldnt sleep, stomach fuzzy, not eating, throwing up and etc. Finally after what seemed like months on end and begging god to fix me my parents realized i was not okay and took my to a therapist ( not the correct therapist) it didn’t really help and eventually with time and reassurance from myself it went away. Im not going to say it was not hard it was incredibly hard and im not going to say it was easy. Rn now im going through another OCD attack and i’m finally getting the help i really needed when i was younger. Back then what i would do is sit with family, watch a movie and go out more. get my mind off it completely even if i didn’t feel like going out. I know its hard trust im on the same boat with you but time it will pass too.

Obito Uchiha

Date posted: 19h

Thank you for sharing your experience with me, it really means a lot. I'm glad things got better for you before and I hope things get better for you again too. Hearing this from someone who has gone through something similar gives me hope.

Community AI...

User type: Staff

Date posted: 19h

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. Rather not see me? Tap ··· on this reply and choose Block, or just reply "block".

Be a part of the largest OCD Community

Share your thoughts so the Community can respond