- Date posted
- 6y
- Date posted
- 6y
Write about it
- Date posted
- 6y
I’ve had obsessive existential thoughts, too...it can get really hard. In my experience, embracing the uncertainty is the way to get thru it. Like: “Maybe life is meaningless, I don’t know! And I’m gonna live my whole life not knowing. Thinking about it more won’t give me a definitive answer, so I’m just gonna accept this and move on to the next part of my day” and then I take a walk or eat a taco or whatever. Just keep living your life and see what happens...eventually the anxiety will spike, then lessen, and you’ll get through it. Hang in there!
- Date posted
- 6y
Thanks ljb, just curious how are you now? does it still bother you, how long did you recover?
- Date posted
- 6y
I’m doing much better now! For me, it started at the end of May and lasted through the summer, off and on...last intense episode was in early September. It was really hard, but I kept up w therapy and trusted that in time my anxiety would lessen. There are definitely some things that still trigger those thought patterns, but I can dismiss the thoughts much more easily now (the anxiety lasts minutes, not days). The way you feel right now is not how things will always be! Be patient and try not to engage w the obsessive thoughts - easier said than done, I know, but worth the effort. Routine, distraction, exercise - whatever gets your mind off things is good. That’s been my experience anyway - hope it helps!
Related posts
- Date posted
- 20w
My OCD has bounced around to a lot of different topics but my current spiral has been focused on existential dread - I have a lot of intrusive thoughts about my loved ones dying and not existing and about my own death and not existing anymore. OCD is trying to get me to find certainty in what happens after we die… and unfortunately I will NEVER be able to find certainty around this. This spiral started after the death of my beloved cat and then the almost death of my dog a week later. I think OCD attached to this idea that everyone and everything I love is going to die and I need to prepare myself for it and somehow KNOW what happens when someone dies. It’s panic inducing and really hard for me to sit with vs other OCD themes Ive had related to health, moral/hyper responsibility, etc. Anyone have this type of obsession around death of loved ones and how did you combat the intrusive thoughts and deal with the mental compulsions (rumination, avoidance, etc)?
- Date posted
- 20w
I can’t stop thinking about death today. Not like suicide or pondering how I could die. Just more so I’m going to die. It’s like. I was eating my pizza today listening to music and looking at the clouds. And I was like I love this this is amazing. And then Brain says “ur gonna die one day btw” Or I redid my wallpaper on my phone and I love the way it looks. I unlock my screen and admire the vibe I’ve created. And then brain says “one day you’ll be dead” When I feel a moment of joy or happiness or peace is when the thought screams at me. I’m really unsettled and distraught about thinking about being dead one day. This doesn’t come up often like other thoughts I have but I hate this one because it’s hard to cope with. Because I do the things and “techniques” to make them quieter. But then immediately Brain says “why are u even trying tho. It’s pointless because you’ll be dead one day.” Any advice ??
- Date posted
- 16w
I CAN'T STOP THOUGHTS. I think about meaning of life, time, afterlife and other shit. I can't stop thinking. I cannot distract myself. When my thoughts are the worst I'm thinking about su*cide, and it scares me because I'm not suicidal and I don't want to die. But what if I do something with myself? Please I want any advice what to do, I can't afford therapy at the moment
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