- Date posted
- 6y
- Date posted
- 6y
Only a few things because this is still a big struggle for me. But cbt helps, anything that lowers anxiety, and acceptance. (Trigger warning) Not acceptance of your thoughts neccesarily like, "okay well I guess I just dont love him." Accepting that my mind is off the frits right now and I cant think logically so I shouldn't make any big decisions like getting married, moving in together, ect. Until I can get a grip on my mental health. And right now I'm trying to accept that I dont know what will happen...it's hard but I dont have money for a therapist so managing my symptoms is all I can do. Good luck ?
- Date posted
- 6y
For me, my fears revolve around my spouse doing something to cause us to split (cheat, abuse, etc) so I have to practice trusting him even though I have doubts. Even after 12 years of marriage it is an everyday battle to keep the thoughts under control. Accept the nagging doubts, whether they are about you or him, and know that whatever happens you will be okay. Don’t give into searching online, asking questions, investigating. It’s super hard but you can do it.
- Date posted
- 6y
Omggggg I was a member with of that group! Very insightful!
- Date posted
- 6y
@rbheaton thank you for your advice ☺️ since you’ve mentioned that you’re managing this on your own you can check out a channel that has helped me a lot, “awaken into love”, hope it helps you too ?
- Date posted
- 6y
@ashley85 thank you so much for your advice, hope you’ll overcome your struggle too ?
- Date posted
- 6y
Breathing techniques are good / pressure point tapping Hot radox baths Exercise Good food
- Date posted
- 6y
I’m also going through the same things and I find that sometimes meditating helps, and a lot of times I just try to remind myself that these are textbook symptoms of OCD and that I shouldn’t give into my thoughts, I know it’s hard
- Date posted
- 6y
Yes, exactly, me too! I have just started with meditation yesterday and I’m planning to keep on doing it ?
- Date posted
- 6y
@jaybaggs8 thanks for the advice, I’m actually starting yoga tomorrow to help with breathing techniques ?
Related posts
- Date posted
- 25w
I'm struggling really hard with relationship obsessions. Do I really love my partner? How can I know? Am I really just faking it? That kind of thing. It's making my life and relationship a lot harder than they need to be. I could use a few helpful coping mechanisms, trying to move away from less helpful ones like chasing reassurance.
- User type
- Therapist
- Date posted
- 23w
Valentine’s Day is a day to celebrate love, however if you are living with Relationship OCD (ROCD) this can be a very triggering day. Relationship OCD is essentially, the fear of being in the wrong relationship, not truly loving your partner, or not being loved by your partner. This makes you doubt the true nature of your relationship and makes you believe that your entire relationship is based on lies. It can make you feel like a bad person and not worthy of love. ROCD will make you believe that you need to leave the relationship just to find some peace. When we think about ROCD we often think that this only applies to romantic relationships, however ROCD can impact friendships and family relationships as well. ROCD will attack whatever relationship is most important to you. As an ERP therapist some of the most common obsessions that I have seen include “Is my partner ‘The One’”? “Maybe I am meant to be with someone else”. “What if my partner cheats on me or worse I cheat on him/her”? “I find X attractive. Should I break up with my partner and be with X”? “Do I even love my partner? What if they don’t love me?” This list could go on and on. The basis of all of these intrusive thoughts is fear and doubt. The compulsions associated with ROCD are vast. The most common include checking feelings to make sure you really love your partner, avoidance behaviors, reassurance seeking behaviors both from your partner and from others and ruminating on the relationship in the hopes of figuring out if this is the “right” relationship for you. ROCD, as in most theses in OCD, wants 100% uncertainty that this relationship will work out with no conflict or compromise. The problem is this is unrealistic. All relationships will have some level of conflict and compromise in them. There is no “perfect relationship”. Most of us have grown up with fairy tales where one true love will come and sweep up off our feet. Life and relationships can be messy and complicated, but they are worth it and are a key aspect of what makes us human. The fact is ROCD makes you doubt everything and will take the joy, excitement and contentment out of the relationship. The good news is that treatment is available, and it is possible to have a long, happy, fulfilling relationship despite ROCD fears. It does take time, perseverance and patience. Treatment using Exposure Response Prevention has been proven to lessen intrusive thoughts. You will learn to manage your expectations of the relationships while leaning into your fears and learning to accept the uncomfortable feelings. By doing this, you can bring joy and contentment back into you life and your relationships. I'd love to hear about how ROCD is showing up for you. Share your experiences in the comments below or ask your questions about ROCD and I will respond to them.
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 23w
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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