I can honestly remember when I was struggling with ocd and how crippling it was. I was too scared to go to a therapist or seek any kind of help in fears of being diagnosed with what I was afraid of. I’m so thankful for NOCD everyday, I have completely been myself with my therapist and NOCD is a judge free place. If you are thinking about seeking help here I highly recommend it. If you have any questions I’d be happy to answer:) thank you

Yes I seemed reassurance almost 24/7. I was always googling or seeking some type of reassurance. And honestly I’ve never asked if my thoughts were weird I’ve just said that what if they are and I worked on it with my therapist. Now I just sometimes question if they are but I just do my erp if I obsess over it.

That’s a good question! It just depends. I’m not quite sure how to answer that

I have the same question! No, you will still care, but there will be no OCD attached to it. Instead of feeling panic and anxiety and a very strong urge to fix it immediately, you will feel like everyone else does about their flaws — something to be taken care of normally, calmly, as it comes up. No anxiety, no compulsive urge. ERP will take away the OCD reaction to the real flaw so you can react and respond like normal people.

@Madison That’s exactly right!

@Madison the ERP Ninja - I haven't done therapy yet, but what if the habit of the intrusive thought or what I call "inquiries based off of real events" is constantly haunting you and stealing your focus? I feel like I'm not having as much "anxiety" but I still feel the need to seek assurances or to "deal with the inquiry", and if I don't it's not just something that goes away for me. Then again, maybe it is anxiety just not classic anxiety. I constantly feel the need to "deal with things" that come up from the past or present etc. aka it still steals my peace of mind.

Yes! You definitely can message me

@NOCD Advocate - Kristen Can I msg you as well? I’m struggling so bad.

I was pregnant and fixing to have my baby, and I was working extremely hard on my ERP. I was doing ERP when I was in labor. Normally it was the ERP itself that helped me

@NOCD Advocate - Kristen Did nocd really help you? I feel like my ocd became really bad after i had my baby and i had no idea where all these scary intrusive thoughts were coming from. Does it get better? And if so how?

@kd88 Yes. NOCD saved my life. I can’t even begin to tell you if I would’ve gone without treatment if I’d be alive right now my OCD was that bad to me. I mean I absolutely worked my butt off doing ERP because I was so worried it’d effect me being able to do things for my daughter like a mom should but it genuinely helped. It was like she was my exposure and I’m so glad I did my therapy before having her!

@NOCD Advocate - Kristen I see, yeah i had never experienced it so it was soo scary to me. My daughter is 4 now but i feel like it's come back and haunted me after 4 yrs of being just fine. And it's the same intrusive thought, it makes me feel so scared and terrible

@NOCD Advocate - Kristen I tend to google things like crazy and seek reassure to make me feel better at the moment but i know that, that never helps for long. .i guess my biggest fear is what if i act on the intrusive thought, and it bothers me soo much to my cire that it doesn't let me be in peace. And feel sooo much guilty

@I don’t know My therapist taught me many erp techniques. Such as sitting there and accepting whatever thoughts and feelings come in and sit with what you feel until it feels a bit hetter

@kd88 @kd88, my ocd got really bad after having my first baby too. Particularly, unwanted, intrusive thoughts. I didn’t understand OCD at the time and didn’t realize it was normal to experience, so it was terrifying for me. Anyways, just wanted to let you know you aren’t alone!

@kd88 If you were a bad person or a peodophile these thoughts wouldn't be worrying you, they would feel right. Because we know right from wrong it is so much harder when we have these thoughts as we know it is something we would not do in a million years. The fact you are posting about it shows that this is not you and us the OCD controlling and taking charge of your thoughts.

@NOCD Advocate - Kristen Do you mind if I ask what thoughts were going through your mind?

@I wont let ocd win I have pocd. But I have other types of ocd as well, pocd is just my main theme.

@NOCD Advocate - Kristen I feel like I’ve do this and it really is nice to get to that better feeling. To me I sometimes make it to a relaxed state a peaceful state

@ashleyboo Done* not do lol

I suffer with many themes of OCD but POCD is my main theme.

Me to. I was on drugs really bad in the past and I physically abused my son. I know what I did was absolutely horrible and sometimes unforgivable, but I have to forgive myself and move on. I've since gotten clean from drugs and am working on having more compassion and I've worked through my anger issues and I'm trying to be a decent person. DCF wants to give him back to me but I'm so afraid I will hurt him again. Or worse sexually abuse him I don't know why I feel like I would sexually abuse him maybe because I don't have anger issues anymore but I am insecure sometimes and I feel like if I stop talking to God, and reading the Bible, and going back to doing people dirty and being careless and mean that I will end abusing my son as well. I just want to be a good mom and feel that I have it in me. But it's a fear that I may hurt him

@Sarah That’s a great thing you got clean! And all you can do is take it day by day and do better then the day before.

Lol, what? Overthinkers are usually just that: overthinkers. They’re not usually right. They think too much. And usually end up totally wrong and completely off base. Whoever told you that is wrong 💖

Ocd causes sensations that make you feel sure or like you found the truth. Don’t listen to it

Please could someone respond to my question? I posted the question twice on the app as well in this thread an nobody has answered. Answering this question is really important to me.

@usernameusername Reassurance-seeking can’t be fulfilled. It never ends. There’s always something more to seek certainty on. Plus, with reassurance-seeking that’s a compulsion so if you feel the urge, don’t give in.

@Madison Thank you for recognizing my comment and responding. What is the difference between reassurance seeking and talking to a counsellor?

@usernameusername Reassurance seeking is a compulsion since it has an urge. If you feel like you HAVE to do it, it’s a compulsion. Talking to a counselor can only become reassurance-seeking when you feel an urge to do it and that you HAVE to do it or else. Also, if your counselor is trained in OCD, they’ll be able to recognize your reassurance-seeking. That’s why getting an OCD specialist is so important.

Crippling anxiety literally means that it impairs your functioning. It's not offensive because it can be physicall or mentally crippling.

And i haven't been diagnosed

@cleoeastwood Me either but it's obvious :-/

@kd88 😭😭 I feel awkward talking about it to people you know?

@cleoeastwood Of course you feel awkward about it ! It’s not an easy thing to talk about at all! You should be able to find on the app how to get a specialist

@NOCD Advocate - Kristen Okay thankyou

@cleoeastwood Totally because they don't have to live through it and can't really understand what it's like.

@kd88 Oh phew 😅😅

I have POCD but I suffer in many themes

Or just the word, so annoying

@avh202021 It is very annoying and scary and stressful.

POCD

@NOCD Advocate - Kristen I am struggling right now . My whole family is downstairs laughing and I am upstairs trying to fight the tears . I wish I didn’t have ocd and I need to talk to someone

@NOCD Advocate - Kristen Were your intrusive thoughts about girl children or boy children?

@Anonymous I have been in your spot before. I know how painful and scary it is it’s terrifying. But try taking some deep breaths and sit with how you feel

@NOCD Advocate - Kristen I am . These past three days have been really bad

@Anonymous Just want you to know you are not alone. I am doing a lot better currently (compared to how I used to be), but in my early adult years and especially after having my own child, I had some very scary thoughts. I was too ashamed to tell anyone about it at the time. Anyways, I just want you to know that intrusive thoughts are a normal part of OCD, and do not reflect on you as a person. It’s just part of the disorder. I know it really sucks though and I am sorry for what you are going through during the holiday season.

Anything! Doesn’t matter to me. You can text my regular number if you’d like?

@NOCD Advocate - Kristen What is the best number to text you about I really need help with my pocd today :(

@NOCD Advocate - Kristen Hi Kirsten. Thank you for sharing your experience. I am also suffering from OCD, Really themed around sexual images that pop up in my head that bother me, or intrusive thoughts about my relationship? ROCD. And fear of POCD. I really feel alone in this.. and was wondering if I can contact you as well?

@Ani You absolutely can! I am here to help

@NOCD Advocate - Kristen Hey I’m really struggling with POCD from all aspects. From ALL inrusions. I need help. Can I message u?

You bet!

Absolutely!

@NOCD Advocate - Kristen Hey Kristen, you still available to chat?

@Anonymous Absolutely

@NOCD Advocate - Kristen Instagram is @jeremykarlson05

I’m sorry but have you been working with a NOCD therapist for 6 months ? I’m trying to find a therapist that specializes in OCD but takes my GHI insurance? It’s difficult to find a good therapist

Yes

I’m so sorry she’s experiencing that so young!

If there’s anyway to message you directly that would be great but if not I totally understand!

@Jerseyshore13 There’s a Mom’s group that meets online once a week. It’s a great group that is through NOCD. Might be worth looking into. You got this!

@magicalunicorn Thank you!

I’m not sure exactly what you mean

I worry I’ll never get better and that my friends will just leave me cause I always call them to talk

I’m still struggling with my ocd

I did ERP

In some ways yes . I still pay rent with my apartment. I usually live alone but I been staying with my mom and she’s been great . Yet, I am filled with so much anxiety that sometimes I can tell she does not know what to do . I don’t bother with my friends because they do not understand ocd .

This is a big one for me. My OCD tells me that I am a burden, an embarrassment, and a disappointment. It also tells me my family and friends would be better off without me.

@FinnFacingForward It's a safe space for POCD sufferers, we are trying to build a supportive community there, it's in its early stages, but it's very open, non judgemental and supportive so far and is becoming quite a community.

That I wouldn’t know, you would have to see a therapist and discuss an ERP plan. I was terrified of ERP to, but taking the first step you won’t regret it

@NOCD Advocate - Kristen Hello, I know this post is from a long time ago but I just started NOCD with POCD and I was wondering if you would mind answering some questions?

@Anonymous Absolutely!

Hi . They will probably have you write “ what if someone is watching me while I am sitting inside my home” they will have you repeat the phrase until it does not really bother you that much . I hope this helps

Go for medications it will help to calm anxiety

I was in your exact position. But there is a way to over come this, please stay positive and know there is people here in this community who are here for you. This is a safe space

@NOCD Advocate - Kristen I need therapy and help but can’t afford it. So I’m left to suffer in silence can’t talk to anyone.