Can anyone explain false memory?

How do you know it never happened

And how does it come up?

@Justmesadly I guess there’s really no way to know if it’s a false memory. I try to tell myself that if I’m questioning if it’s happened this much, it probably never happened. OCD can also cloud your memory quite a bit, which can bring these imaginary situations. What’s worked for me, and it may not for you, but I’m just saying what I do. I have accepted my false memories. Not agreed with them and allowed myself to label myself, but more like said “okay even if they are true (which they aren’t) I can’t do anything about that now, I’m not that person anymore, and I’m gonna move forward. It takes fighting but it can help.

@Jesusseeker I want to die so bad. I don’t know if it’s true or false but if it’s true I can’t live with it

When I say “you” I mean people in general:)

I do feel I’m disgusting, the worst person ever, I don’t deserve to live , a child molester etc

@Justmesadly Those things are labels. Strictly from anxiety and OCD. I can assure you no child molester has ever called themself a monster

@Jesusseeker Okay...

I’m not trying to give you reassurance but I tell myself the past is the past. Weather or not it’s a false memory, really memory, has that situation effected you significantly in your physical life in the past 6months? If not I’d let it go. We can’t change the past, only make our future worth it. Don’t let past focus rob you of present and future joy.

It’s easier said than done I know. But with time and effort you’ll get it. Dying is a permanent solution to a temporary problem.

@Jesusseeker It hasn’t effected my life at all since the potential event 5-6 years ago... but it could effect my future. If it was infact true or even if it’s not. If one day I have to be put to sleep then I am drugged what if I say it out loud to my husband and he divorces me bc he thinks I’m gay

@Jesusseeker Or what if even though it hasn’t effected me, what if I ignored something real bc really I’m in denial so I’m gonna end up ruining my boyfriend or potentially husbands life

@Justmesadly I understand, I think about my “it could effect my future with my spouse” sinario a lot. But in reality that’s a lot of “what if’s” If you have a husband who really loves you, he wouldn’t divorce you over something that you may not have even done. My spouse has heard all of my false memories, and she comforts me, and makes sure I know she’s by my side no matter what I may or may not have done. Again, I’m not reassuring you, but I doubt if you have to question something this hard, I doubt it happened. OCD takes your fears, and turns them into realities, ONLY IN YOUR HEAD. They aren’t real in your life.

@Jesusseeker That makes sense and I hope that it is like that for me but I also see on Reddit that that’s not always the case. And what if it’s not ocd and it’s just anxiety that could mean it’s true