- Date posted
- 6y ago
- Date posted
- 6y ago
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.
- Date posted
- 6y ago
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.
- Date posted
- 6y ago
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.
- Date posted
- 6y ago
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!!
- Date posted
- 6y ago
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. .
- Date posted
- 6y ago
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 :)
- Date posted
- 6y ago
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!
- Date posted
- 6y ago
Thank you. It’s comforting to hear
- Date posted
- 6y ago
Thanks for all the replies guys. That gives me some hope ? I wish you all luck in recovery!
- Date posted
- 6y ago
I hate when people say there’s no cure
Related posts
- Date posted
- 22w ago
Those of you who have overcome at least a bit, if not all, of your OCD. When you went through the CBT and ERP, did it feel like the end of the world? And how did you face the fact that your fears and uncertainties might actually come to life?
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 14w ago
Looking back, I realize I’ve had OCD since I was 7. though I wasn’t diagnosed until I was 30. As a kid, I was consumed by fears I couldn’t explain: "What if God isn’t real? What happens when we die? How do I know I’m real?" These existential thoughts terrified me, and while everyone has them from time to time, I felt like they were consuming my life. By 12, I was having daily panic attacks about death and war, feeling untethered from reality as depersonalization and derealization set in. At 15, I turned to drinking, spending the next 15 years drunk, trying to escape my mind. I hated myself, struggled with my body, and my intrusive thoughts. Sobriety forced me to face it all head-on. In May 2022, I finally learned I had OCD. I remember the exact date: May 10th. Reading about it, I thought, "Oh my God, this is it. This explains everything." My main themes were existential OCD and self-harm intrusive thoughts. The self-harm fears were the hardest: "What if I kill myself? What if I lose control?" These thoughts terrified me because I didn’t want to die. ERP changed everything. At first, I thought, "You want me to confront my worst fears? Are you kidding me?" But ERP is gradual and done at your pace. My therapist taught me to lean into uncertainty instead of fighting it. She’d say, "Maybe you’ll kill yourself—who knows?" At first, it felt scary, but for OCD, it was freeing. Slowly, I realized my thoughts were just thoughts. ERP gave me my life back. I’m working again, I’m sober, and for the first time, I can imagine a future. If you’re scared to try ERP, I get it. But if you’re already living in fear, why not try a set of tools that can give you hope?
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 11w ago
Looking back, my introverted nature and struggles to find belonging in high school may have set the stage for how OCD would later impact my relationships. I had my first relationship in high school, but OCD wasn’t a major factor then. It wasn’t until my longest relationship—six years from age 18 to 24—that OCD really took hold. The relationship itself wasn’t the issue; it was what happened after. When it ended, I became obsessed with confessing past mistakes, convinced I had to be completely transparent. Even when my partner was willing to work past them, I couldn’t let go of the intrusive thoughts, and that obsession landed me in the hospital. From there, my struggle with ROCD (Relationship OCD) fully emerged. For years, every time I tried to move forward in dating, doubts consumed me. I would start seeing someone and feel fine, but then the questions would creep in: Do I really like her? Do I find her attractive? Is she getting on my nerves? What if I’m with the wrong person? I’d break things off, thinking I was following my true feelings. But then I’d question: Was that really how I felt, or was it just OCD? I tried again and again, each time hoping I could “withstand it this time,” only to fall back into the same cycle. The back and forth hurt both me and the person I was with. By the time I realized it was ROCD, the damage had been done, and I still hadn’t built the tools to manage it. Now, at 28, I know I need to approach dating differently. I recently talked to someone from a dating app, and my OCD still showed up—questioning my every move, making me doubt my own decisions. I haven’t yet done ERP specifically for ROCD, but I know that’s my next step. Just like I’ve learned tools for managing my other OCD subtypes, I need a set of strategies for when intrusive doubts hit in relationships. My goal this year is to stop letting uncertainty control me—to learn how to sit with doubt instead of trying to “figure it out.” I want to break the cycle and be able to build something healthy without my OCD sabotaging it. I know I’m not alone in this, and I know healing is possible. I’m hopeful that working with a therapist will help me develop exposures and thought loops to practice. I don’t expect to eliminate doubt entirely—after all, doubt is a part of every relationship—but I want to reach a place where it doesn’t paralyze me. Where I can move forward without constantly questioning whether I should. And where I can be in a relationship without feeling like OCD is pulling the strings. I would appreciate hearing about your experiences with ROCD. Please share your thoughts or any questions in the comments below. I’d love to connect and offer my perspective. Thanks!
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