Anyone else ever wonder if since other people apparently have these thoughts and don’t feel guilty then are they just a bunch of terrible people?? I have a hard time distinguishing what guilt is relevant or not and I’m struggling to see other people as “good”.

0823

Date posted: 6y

I heard before that ocd is creating a false threat for us, it doesn’t actually mean anything and there really is no danger. People without OCD can see that easily because their brain doesn’t jump straight to the OCD thought patterns and anxiety. Everyone has all kinds of thoughts because our brains are so good at imagining things

Ben m

Date posted: 6y

It’s normal for everyone to have intrusive thoughts. It’s easier for them to just get rid of those thoughts because the brain doesn’t create the ocd cycle like ours does. They know it’s irrational and it requires less energy for them to get rid of those thoughts

0823

Date posted: 6y

I do stuff like that! I rub my nails because they are smooth too. What I do a lot is rubbing each of my fingers to my thumb, I’ve done it for as long as I can remember and I don’t even think about it. I thought it was maybe a compulsion, but I’ve never done it to neutralize a thought or anything so maybe it’s not? Thank you for your reply though. And lol at the shampoo thing ?? I’m happy to know the self soothing is a good thing, sometimes it so hard to differentiate between that and compulsions!

shishi

Date posted: 6y

Yesss the threat! That really makes sense to me. I just talked to my therapist about this self-soothing thing that I do almost always but happens more when my stress is high. Apparently that’s something that soothes the amygdala, which is where our brain remembers trauma, and where we decide “fight or flight”... I’m thinking that just all of the trauma and anxiety I have caused me to habitually self soothe. I’m trying to NOT stop myself from doing it anymore since it’s actually a good thing and not a compulsion. Interesting. Sorry I went way off track there. But that comment made a lot of sense to me.

0823

Date posted: 6y

What do you use to self soothe? I would like to try it if it isn’t a compulsion!

shishi

Date posted: 6y

Well mine is something I’ve done since about age 3 that I could never stop- despite multiple attempts. It’s taking a section of my hair and turning it into a loop so it’s super silky, and smoothing over it repeatedly with my thumb in the same hand. Sometimes i even just pet a nail of mine with my fingertip because it’s smooth. But it can be any sensation that brings you a sense of satisfaction/peace. Usually to do with your senses, and always something you can call on because you’re using yourself. Typically it’s something you can do mindlessly, so for me it just happens as soon as I feel stress. Sometimes I don’t even notice because I’m so lost in a worry wormhole —until someone asks if I’m petting my hair ?. Not fun spouting off excuses to coworkers so sometimes I’m like “yeah my new shampoo just makes my hair so silky” ?

issphra 🫶🏻

Date posted: 25w

Maybe this is obvious but I need some insight pls

There’s something that happens that keeps me stuck in a thought, it’s when I can see some part of myself agreeing with or relating to it in some way. That’s when the doubt creeps in. If I can understand *why* the thought is there, doesn’t that mean it’s not just random? Doesn’t that mean it actually reflects something about me? For example **(TMI/TW)**: I had the thought, *“I wonder what other people’s kinks are (including friends, family, even teenagers).”* And then I caught myself thinking, *“Well, I guess that could be interesting information… maybe I wouldn’t even stop someone from sharing it with me. Does that mean I actually want to know? Wait—does that make me perverted or incestuous for even having this curiosity?”* The same thing has happened with other thoughts, like wondering what someone’s privates might look like. I recognize that, on some level, that could be interesting—but does that mean the thought is truly mine? Maybe the answer is super obvious and I just can’t see through my OCD smoke. This was a bit embarrassing for me to write 🥲, but can anyone provide some insight?

lexfe98

Date posted: 21w

fear of being a bad person because of past events

I look back at various past events in my life where I said or did things that I feel really guilty, disgusted, and ashamed about. I replay them in my head for hours. I feel anxious about crossing paths with people that I've hurt or upset in the past or who perceive me badly, to the point that I will avoid going out in public as much as possible. I go out for work, errands, appointments, and occasionally to eat (even though those all give me a lot of anxiety), but I avoid community events where people might recognize me and I tend to isolate myself. The only people I see regularly are my boyfriend, my parents, and my coworkers. I live in a small community and I'm worried about people confronting me publicly and proving what a bad person I must be.

LizM99

Date posted: 7w

Does anyone else’s OCD convince them that bad thoughts are not actually that bad…. Like I know they are so why do I feel like they arent😭😭

Be a part of the largest OCD Community

Share your thoughts so the Community can respond

Anyone else ever wonder if since other people apparently have these thoughts and don’t feel guilty then are they just a bunch of terrible people?? I have a hard time distinguishing what guilt is relevant or not and I’m struggling to see other people as “good”.

Related posts

Be a part of the largest OCD Community

Be a part of the largest OCD Community