qk
- Date posted
- 4y
qkqk
- Date posted
- 4y
Typically there’s always something else that accompanies ocd like low self esteem or ptsd. Ive has emotional trauma and neglect at a young age and I feel like it contributed to ocd or may have even caused it. I wasn’t born with perfectionism, I learned it as a coping mechanism like spacecowboy said. That way I can feel in control.
paynastypaynasty
- Date posted
- 4y
I experience the same phenomenon; my OCD always re-emerges around a new set of issues, although my pure O OCD has never gone away. Some of my newer OCD subtypes come and go with exposure, but my deepest, darkest intrusive thoughts always remain. I think there is more than just OCD at play. I think it's a lack of self-esteem, a rough childhood, and honestly not knowing what my values are. That's what they always say, right, to make values based decisions instead of decisions based out of anxiety and fear. But if you don't know what your values are, then at best you come up with superficial band-aid solutions.
qkqk
- Date posted
- 4y
Thank you for the response. I need to know my values, bcs I can’t say them at the top of my head.
mrspacecowboymrspacecowboy
- Date posted
- 4y
I don't know if its the same for everyone, but thats true for me. I started to develop ocd as a sort of twisted coping mechanism for some other stuff in my life, so I think it cam be true for some people.
qkqk
- Date posted
- 4y
Yeah, someone here told me searching for the root cause can be a compulsion though. I don’t know how as how would that be a bad thing? It doesn’t make sense, if you want to feel better you have to heal the root cause right
Carl CornettCarl Cornett
- Date posted
- 4y
Why would that mean there’s a much deeper issue?
qkqk
- Date posted
- 4y
I replied below
IsidoraIsidora
- Date posted
- 4y
I actually agree with this, but it is probably different for everyone. What truly helped me was resolving my trauma and learning to cope with my feelings. When I solely focus on getting ERP, I easily get rid of one intrusive thoughts, but another, unrelated one emerges. For example, I might confront my fear of dying, but then get fear of sex, then fear of torture etc. I believe that if this is the case, we might have comorbid disorders. I have been diagnosed with OCD comorbid with MDD and GAD.
qkqk
- Date posted
- 4y
Yeah, fear is a pretty complex thing to understand. I seriously still think all of this could be related, likely something from our childhood. I’m a Scorpio, so I won’t stop until I get to the deepest wound possible and heal it no matter how hard it is, cause what do I got to lose. I feel your pain going through all these symptoms. 😔 I know if you keep going you will come out on the other side stronger. Don’t let these diagnosis get you down. Say you are going through them, you are not them. Keep doing what you’re doing in erp and thatl help you recognize the chatter in your mind and shut it down quicker
Related posts
Cody Fournier
- User type
- Therapist
- Date posted
- 20w
OCD switches themes
I was just thinking about how OCD tries to be tricky and switches themes on us!! The amount of times I have said to myself in the past, IF ONLY I HAD THE OLDER THEME I USE TO WORRY ABOUT BECAUSE THIS NEW ONE IS SO MUCH WORSE!!! Has anyone ever experienced this before? Once I started ERP therapy, I began to really start understanding what mental/physical compulsions I was doing to really keep my OCD alive! While I did this, I would also tap into my self-compassion bucket, even when it felt like it was dry at times, because it was SO easy to judge myself for because of the sheer presence of my thoughts. I would also have the most self-compassion for myself for those taboo intrusive thoughts that really felt so strong, ego-dystonic and real!!! My OCD would hop around from theme to theme and just when I thought I figured it out (compulsion) it would hop again and make me discouraged! I noticed for me that once I really understood my compulsions, it didn't matter when the theme switched as I could tackle it at its core. If I was able to stay steadfast and resist compulsions the best I could, I started to notice that my CONFIDENCE increased in the long run! I also noticed that some of the core fears were the same for different OCD subtypes. OCD treatment is hard BUT living with OCD is harder. I have experienced subtypes including Harm OCD, ROCD, Moral Scrupulosity, Sensorimotor, Contamination, Perfectionism/Just Right, Hit and Run, Magical Thinking, Real Event/False Memory. ERP therapy allowed me to really work on stopping these compulsions and switching from theme to theme. I was fed up with what OCD took from me and I needed to do something about it. I talked to an ERP therapist and it was one of the best decisions of my life. If you are struggling, keep pushing and get the help you deserve!! You got this!!!
Tony Davies
- Date posted
- 18w
Question
Why is it that you beat one OCD think, but another OCD thing comes up related to it, but the same theme?
JMFH
- Date posted
- 15w
I’m confused about ERP & Pure O
Hey everyone. Just watched a YouTube clip from NOCD and it became clear that ERP appears to be best when your ocd is centered around a theme. Ie germs etc. one thing, not many things The struggle with pure O is that it’s not just one thing, it can be ALL things Is there hope for pure O with ERP ? Love to hear the group’s thoughts
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