Is someone experiencing any Exsctcental OCD right now. I need someone who can somewhat relate a little. I’m having some trouble with my obsessive thoughts and fears of the universe and my existence and alternate universes ex and my purpose in life.

I just feel like my life is not going anywhere and that I’ll be stuck with the same boring routine that I’ve made for my self.

Well how do I stop thinking like this. How can I set my mind into not caring about thoughts like this. I’m so frustrated with these thoughts.

@moonloon The best way to treat these thoughts is through Exposure and Reponse Prevention (ERP), it’s recommended to do it with a therapist but can be done on your own if you really put in the work. It’s done for any OCD theme and that definitely includes Existential. It’ll train you to face these fears and thoughts and not respond to them, which will train your brain that the thoughts aren’t a threat and occur less and less. The main take away is avoiding compulsions when faced with the obsessions. Here’s a link to the IOCDF page specifically on Existential OCD, toward the bottom it gives examples of ERP exercises for that specific theme. That is honestly the one main thing that has helped improved that theme for me https://iocdf.org/expert-opinions/to-be-or-not-to-be-that-is-the-obsession-existential-and-philosophical-ocd/

@NOCD Advocate - Evelyn Was is scary or hard to do for you?

@NOCD Advocate - Evelyn Thanks I’ll check it out.

@moonloon At first it was kind of difficult, but that’s to be expected with ERP as you’re facing your fears head on. The more and more you do it, the more you notice it bothers you less and the easier it becomes!

Honestly it hard for me to say right now. I don’t really know what I’m avoiding. I’m just starting out in therapy and I feel like I’ll be unpacking a lot of things and maybe I’ll understand better on what I’m trying to avoid.

@moonloon Ahh...unpacking can bring up an existential crisis. Have u spoken to ur therapist about it?

@Heythere I may have but I forgot but isn’t it normal or common to have these thoughts with PTSD and OCD.

Okay I’ll try very hard to let the thoughts pass but it’s not gonna be easy. Yeah I’ll definitely talk to my therapist about it, thanks.

No there scary thoughts and they sometimes multiply other scary things but I’m starting to catch myself from wandering about it. But I’ll try letting them be and but focus on them.