A bit of a background on me: I have suffered from ocd for as long as I can remember, and I have reached my breaking point about now being isolated inside with my family. I was going to seek therapy but with covid-19 that does not make things easy. This is my first time seeking the courage to reach out to a community. so hello, future friends and fellow sufferers. Anyway, Last night I had an intrusive thought about my brother naked and noticed I got a groinal response to it. The more I checked, I felt the more intense it got, going from a tingling to an almost swelling feeling. I did not get an erection but it almost felt like I was getting one. however it felt very different from a normal erection. At one point I got so panicked about it I felt Iike I was going to have a heart attack. Now Ik for a fact that I am not aroused by, or attracted to my brother or any men for that matter. I also suffer from pocd and am familiar with groinal responses to that too. But am I crazy? Has anyone else experienced this? And how have you dealt with it? Ik I’m reassurance seeking but I just want some clarity on if this is normal for ocd sufferers or if I was actually arroused. Thank you in advance ?

Estrid

Date posted: 5y

Sounds hard? I hope you will feel supported here. When it comes to that kind of thoughts I'll recommend Chrissie Hodges, she is great.

Bruh_moment1234

Date posted: 5y

Thank you, I will check it out

Estrid

Date posted: 5y

@Bruh_moment1234 She has a webbsite, and a Instagram, and you can also listen to her on You tube. She has written a book too. You're welcome.

pureolife

Date posted: 5y

I’m sorry you’re suffering from all of this. Everything you describe is quite typical of POCD. But that doesn’t make it any less distressing to experience. Are you able to access online therapy? Perhaps through this app? It could certainly help you start working through this. Next time you get a groinal: try to prevent some of the mental compulsions you’re doing here (I.e., trying to figure out exactly what you’re feeling down there and why.) we can’t tell you if you were “actually” aroused or not. And the truth is, to get over OCD you have to stop trying to answer that question. Next time it happens, answer with uncertainty: “maybe it’s real arousal. Or maybe it’s a groinal. Or maybe it’s something else entirely. I don’t know and I don’t need to know.” Go no further to “test” yourself or research what’s happening or explain or wish it away. Just let that uncertainty be your answer and let the anxiety be there without fighting it until it leaves on its own. Practice this again and again and in a few weeks, you’ll notice a big difference.

Bruh_moment1234

Date posted: 5y

Thank you for the feed back! and yeah Ik not to give into compulsion but it’s a hard compulsion to break because I struggle with uncertainty. And I’m scared to do online cause I live with my family and and I’m afraid if they will hear me talk about this kind of stuff

pureolife

Date posted: 5y

@Bruh_moment1234 I totally understand that fear. If you can find the most remote room in your house and try to do it at times when your family is usually busy with other things it can help. Also you can tell your therapist that that’s a concern and that you may choose to be quiet for a few moments if you hear someone walking by your door or something. They will understand.

Bruh_moment1234

Date posted: 5y

@pureolife Awesome thank you for the advice I really appreciate it.

pureolife

Date posted: 5y

@pureolife Also: it can sometimes be impossible to completely break a compulsion all at once. But we can slowly reduce them. If you usually do internet research 5 hours a day, limit yourself to 4 for the next week. Then lower to 3. Then 2, etc. If it takes multiple tries to truly accept the uncertainty, that’s okay. Maybe you have to do it 4 times to finally let go. Work on getting it down to 3. Then 2. Another technique is to delay compulsions. Make yourself wait 5 min to research. Then up it to 10 minutes after a week. Then 30 min. It will be uncomfortable at first. But it will also get easier. And in a few weeks you’ll surprise yourself at how much progress you’ve made.

Bruh_moment1234

Date posted: 5y

@pureolife Thank you! ?

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