A few of us have mentioned being fearful of sharing some of our darkest OCD thoughts with our therapist. For those that have shared with their therapist, what made you feel OK enough to do that? It could be helpful to the rest of us.

How do I tell them? I think I’m ready to do so. I’ve lived in silence for years. I’m wondering how long it took for you all to tell your family or friends. P.S. I’m not looking to confess. I want my family to know to feel less alone in this.

I am very new to this app and to accepting that I likely have OCD. I am not diagnosed yet, but I have suspected that I have it for years now. I think ignoring it/feeding the reassurance loop led to my first really bad panic attack a few days ago that put me in the hospital and essentially forced me to stop hiding my struggle from my loved ones. I had another one last night, and out of habit I’m already hiding my feelings from my loved ones. I’m having thoughts that I know are OCD but they’re very hard to get past because they feel so logical? Some examples: -I shouldn’t tell anyone because it wasn’t as bad as the one that hospitalized me -my loved ones are already tired of hearing me talking about it and I feel bad burdening them -I just had the last one and if I tell people about this one I’ll look like I’m attention seeking -I don’t want people to ask what the trigger was so I shouldn’t bring it up if I don’t want to have to answer that question I’m naming them here not for reassurance, but to help myself hopefully label these things as OCD per usual trying to keep me from getting help. The hardest part of this journey so far has been accepting that there are so many things that feel like normal, rational thoughts and feelings that having been hurting me and feeding a vicious cycle for years on end. It feels unreal because these things have become such subtle integrated parts of my life and my routine, and telling myself those things are harmful just feels wrong. It’s like what I have considered my “gut feeling” for years isn’t actually my intuition looking out for me, but is an overactive fear response that has been isolating me from everything and I’ve never questioned it because the isolation, the reassurance, feels good and like the right thing to do. How do I push past these thoughts and be honest with my loved ones about my struggling? How do I rewire my brain to stop the reassurance seeking and compulsions when it’s the only thing that’s made me feel better all these years?

Hello! Brand new here after being diagnosed with ocd and realizing I have probably been struggling with it for 30+ years. :( I had my first therapy sessions last week. Has anyone else felt things didn’t go well with your therapist? I have been in therapy before for anxiety, but never felt judged before or so ashamed after therapy sessions ended. I can’t quite explain it, but I feel like I have more insight on ocd from Instagram or just things I have read on here than my therapist. I actually felt I spoke too much and annoyed her and it has me questioning everything I think, do or say. I decided to try another therapist this week and meet them tomorrow. Praying obsessively it goes better and I get some clarity because right now I feel as confused as ever about what ocd is and isn’t and praying its not just me and I am a lot and annoying. 😖