If this seeking for reassurance please tell me Does everyone else get bombarded by intrusive thoughts when trying to go to bed? I thought it was a normal thing but now I'm considered because even if i try to think positively they turn scary. And this is on a daily base. I hate trying to close my eyes And all this is happening when I'm changing boarding schools. Anyone wanna talk?

Im sorry but this isn't true. Asking if this is normal or if anyone else feels this way, is reassurance seeking. Because it seeks to lessen anxiety and to reassure them that their triggering thought is ocd. We are supposed to accept the possibility that our thoughts are real, true, and not ocd. Accept uncertainty, dont ask and give reasurance through sharing experiences. Reassurance seeking is very cleverly worded but trust me this is it. I used to do this everything I had a thought, and it never helped bc i was always running from the possibility my thoughts might actually be real. Accept they may not be ocd thoughts, but real thoughts. Accept they may not be normal, accept that no one else might not have these thoughts. Accept the uncertainty.

@Dianaaa I believe uncertainty is just about accepting the thoughts as thoughts and you can’t get rid of them or they’ll be worse, I accept I’m not gonna know everything but I don’t think accepting Is just accepting the thoughts are real or you might be that person one day I might be missunderstanding and I do agree about the seeking reassurance

Accept the uncertainty when anxiety is at its highest as well! Sending love to you too!

I get a lot of intrusive thoughts early in the morning. I wish I could tell you the thoughts "go away" but it is more like they lose their power once you learn that you can handle them. Can you try creating a plan for when you experience thoughts at night? Maybe something to listen to while falling asleep or taking a long walk an hour or so before bed to try and burn off some anxiety? Sending you strength!

@giraffe2020 Plz stop saying "I get this too" bc that validates the ocd that it is just ocd, which is a compulsion and reassurance seeking. Yall r making other ppls ocd worse by telling ppl their experiences are normal!

@Dianaaa It isn't my intention to assure, but to share strategies for dealing with anxiety and resisting mental compulsions. I will be more careful about not providing reassurance.

@giraffe2020 I know it wasn't your intention, im not mad at you. Its just that this person and so many other ppl who ask "is this normal" or "do you all get this too" are using it as reassurance. Telling them "yes this is normal" or "i get this too" just reassures them and makes their cycle continue. Don't worry about it though, you didn't know. Its just something I want more ppl to he aware of on this app because the community feature on this app is a breeding ground for cleverly worded reassurance seeking!

@Dianaaa I do appreciate you bringing it up because sometimes there is a fine line between support and assurance. I want to be able to share coping strategies for dealing with anxieties. More like saying "here is how I deal with this when it happens" not just "I get this, too, you'll be ok".

@giraffe2020 Yes! Providing commonality is essentially sneaky reassurance giving. Just say "im so sorry, maybe this will help?..."

@Dianaaa That's a great way to put it. Thank you.