Chloe29029
- Date posted
- 6y
bab5bab5
- Date posted
- 6y
It gets better. I promise. There is no cure, so it will never entirely leave. However, I have been in the deepest pits that OCD has to offer. I promise you that it gets better.
SoniclenSoniclen
- Date posted
- 6y
I like to think what you cure is your relationship with and belief about the thoughts, and develop the persistence to nurture that new relationship. It seems to be that the thoughts are not important, as it is the state the mind is in when they occur that leads to them being nurtured into obsessions. Obsessions can be unnurtured- sure they take a long time to wither and die, and can likened to weeds - they’ll grow in any circumstances given half a chance. But we can combat them. I think ocd recovery takes a long time, and our compulsive behaviour leads to quick fixes. They haven’t worked, so a longer standing, more robust solution is required.
LeahBrown3493LeahBrown3493
- Date posted
- 6y
I truly believe ERP saved my life. I've suffered with OCD since age 7 and I was suffering with near constant suicidal ideation before beginning treatment. 2 years later and I am in "recovery". I'll always have OCD and there will be struggles, but ERP gave me the tools to live despite my diagnosis.
thistlethistle
- Date posted
- 6y
i absolutely have lessened my symptoms! when i was younger ocd totally ruined my life, now i am able to live as a happier and healthier person. i still have some issues, but most of my obsessions have become smaller and more manageable. i used to obsess over health, superstitions and my sexuality but now i have smaller, very specific fears. this makes it easier to live on a day to day basis, and looking back to where i was makes me feel amazing, because i’m better now. you can do it too!! keep trying!!
Rain-dancer01Rain-dancer01
- Date posted
- 6y
Cbt with erp therapy is often helpful its not a cure but can help you get back control and lessen the symptoms to a tolerable degree. That said it doesn't work for everyone but there are other therapies that can also help. Emdr cam also help if for example the ocd original trigger was trauma induced. There are other possible alternative therapies too but I can't recall off the top of my head but you can find info on them online. I can empathise with how you feel though, I've been there too . You can beat the ocd monster , it's just a case of finding out what strategy works for you. .
DianaaaDianaaa
- Date posted
- 6y
Yes!!! I went to an ocd conference down in Atlanta many who spoke suffered from severe ocd and they said it gets so much better that you end up feeling completely normal. The only thing they said is there are still a few intrusive thoughts, but they aren’t repetitive and do not cause distress once treated. And, 98% of the population has terrible intrusive thoughts but they and people with treated ocd let them pass by without any distress or despair :)
garden garden
- Date posted
- 6y
There’s no cure but it’s so so so treatable. You’ll basically be exactly who you were before OCD, but so much stronger!
Chloe29029Chloe29029
- Date posted
- 6y
Thank you. It’s comforting to hear
Chloe29029Chloe29029
- Date posted
- 6y
Thanks for all the replies guys. That gives me some hope ? I wish you all luck in recovery!
I eat boysI eat boys
- Date posted
- 6y
I hate when people say there’s no cure
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kitchensink234
- Date posted
- 13w
Hopeless
I know everything im dealing with is OCD. I have accepted that, but I just feel down. I don’t want to live the rest of my life like this. I just want to be free from this horrible illness. Any positive stories and recovery journeys will help. What did recovery look like for you? I used to be so happy, I miss it so much. This feels like it’s taken everything from me. How do you just live your life despite how you feel? Any hope will help!
Medicine2021_
- Date posted
- 12w
Suicidal OCD and harm OCD
I’ve recently been struggling a lot with OCD. I have had OCD for a long time I just didn’t realize it until more recently. About seven months ago I developed panic attacks one day randomly at work. I thought I was having a heart attack and went to the hospital where they told me it was just a panic attack and I assumed I would snap out and be better within a few days. However it didn’t. Here’s where it gets scary, I was staying at my then boyfriends house while dealing with blurry vision, anxiety attacks everyday, and more (unsure of what was going on). But at some point I saw my bfs (pew pew 🔫) on his table and it sent me into an anxiety attack after sudden thoughts that I was going to hurt myself with it. I begged him to put it away when I’m not looking so I didn’t know where he put it. He did. These thoughts lasted for about four days but began to go away. (I thought that was it and I would be back to normal). Unfortunately though I ended up moving back in with my family when we couldn’t get my panic attacks under control in time for me to get back to work and pay bills. However, coming home brought up a lot of trauma from when I was kid. My anxiety got worse but I didn’t have those thoughts again. About two and half months ago though, I got sick and went to the hospital where they gave me steroid pills and a steroid shot but sent me into some kind of psychiatric event. Ever since then though, I have been suffering from harm OCD, I have had moments of intense anger that I usually have to completely walk away and go on my own because of how intense they are, and it feels like it’s getting worse. Today I felt fine until about and hour and half ago where I started to dwell on the fact that my suicidal thought was influenced by my OCD and at the moment my OCD is at the worst it’s been. This caused me to get suddenly really depressed and I started crying thinking about how I can’t handle this. I then saw a post talking about how suicide rates are high for people with this form of OCD and it made me question if I am mentally strong enough to pull through this. I fear that at times I’m getting worse. I have good days but I have a lot of bad days. Unfortunately this sent me into such a bad panic attack I went over to my nanas crying about how I can’t deal with this. I took a 0.25 mg Xanax which helped calm down the panic attack portion of it but my brain is still uncomfortably active. I guess I just need hope. I’m so saddened by this. It’s like my life took a total 360 in 10 months and got even worse since the steroid shot. Idk what to do about it. I can’t stop the spiral. I talk to two different therapist weekly and start more next week, making it 5 times a week. I feel no improvements…
lf5
- Date posted
- 6w
Is self recovery possible at all?
I don't have an official OCD diagnosis, although I am near enough certain I have it after a long year of distressing intrusive thoughts and compulsions that have strongly affected my life. Unfortunately though, I do not have the opportunity or the finances to get checked or go to therapy for a good few months at least. Due to this, I have taken it upon myself to teach myself techniques to tackle it and to reduce and not engage in compulsions, as I did not want to take the risk of getting even worse before being able to get help (and desperation lol). For the first time in the past year I feel like I'm finally making some progress in getting better since incorporating these techniques into my life as my symptoms have become more manageable (minus the obvious bad days) at the time being. Is self-recovery actually possible? Has anyone managed to recover without a therapist's help?
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