Today I had an OCD though/ false memory of something really bad and for a while it seemed real but I didn’t really care. I know it didn’t happen and usually when I have little anxiety it doesn’t seem real at all but this time I had little anxiety while it seemed real. Has anyone else had an experience like this?

It seemed real and you didn’t care? How is it now?

@Anonymous it seemed so real but my anxiety was pretty bad along with it. what helped me is just reminding myself that if i have to question whether i did something and think about it so hard- chances are i didn’t actually do it. it’s much better now, though. it all just takes time & distraction

@eo8669 Wow I’ve never thought about it this way! That’s a good reminder

@eo8669 For me it seemed real but I didn’t care and that sucked because it’s something that maybe I shouldn’t care of normally, but if it seems real it should just be my reaction.

Yeah I agree. I don’t know why I said I didn’t care that it felt real though. I cared enough to research why false memories seem real. I can only see that now that my anxiety is lower. OCD plays with your head in crazy ways

@Anonymous Even if I didn’t care though. That might have actually been good “just because something feels real doesn’t mean it is real”

@Anonymous Does your mind ever say like did you just do that. Like 5 minutes after, I know I didn’t but what if I did. It’s so annoying

@Sadman oh yes. happens to me a lot. even situations i thought that i got over sometimes resurface and make me anxious all over again and question who i am morally- despite knowing i am a good person. ocd is a tough battle but we’re getting through it

@Sadman Yes. False memories wouldn’t bother us if our OCD didn’t keep telling us it might have happened.

@eo8669 Yeah it’s hella annoying and I feel so guilty when I shouldn’t

@Sadman rationalizing with our mind is so hard enough as it is and we have ocd on top of it. just remember- if we have to question whether we did something chances are we didn’t actually do it. false memories often present themselves as ‘third person POV looking in on the situation’ where a clear distinct memory comes with the first person, and many vivid details along with it.

@eo8669 Brooooo I was wondering why every false memory felt third person. Like I saw myself doing it and it didn’t feel like first person

@Sadman same with me and i never understood why for the longest time

@eo8669 Often? My false memory doesn’t have many images with it so idk if it’s first person or thrid person. Knowing OCD they’ll probably be first person now.

@Anonymous It’s also the type of thing that I could not have done, regardless of if I wanted to (which I wouldn’t have). It was about harming a kid when I volunteered at a summer camp. They wouldn’t make it so one volunteer could be isolated with one kid, as well as the fact that while I do have one kid my OCD is targeting (only after I realized it didn’t for a while) I can’t even remember the kids name.

@Anonymous there ya go- a real memory ends when doubt begins. you are totally doubting everything because it is backed up by rational thinking and facts (no volunteer could be isolated with one kid) making this lean towards a false memory.

@eo8669 Yeah. Also again, I don’t have any vivid images. I created a first person image. I know that’s the OCD though. I have felt certain before that it’s a false memory. Also if I’m calling it a false memory it is. I was just aksing if all false memories are naturally third person, or just most.