my ocd is so bad in the morning :(

You have to stay positive! Always think how good and happy tou were before the episode. Yea my first major one was 7 years ago that’s when I found out what it actually was before then I just thought it was anxiety. it took me time to find erp at that time then I got better. I would still get it but maybe one-3 days max time and knew how to control it better .It came back on my 40th birthday on a vacation with my wife and best friends. beginning of April. It takes time to go away when it’s episode but I promise you it always goes away. That is all of our biggest fears that it’ll never go away, that no one (with ocd) has it as bad as us, and that we’re crazy or we’re stuck like this forever. I get this Everytime. I even did ERP just for those exact thoughts on top of all my others because those are also triggers/spikes. deep down you know who you are and what type of person you are and Remeber that always. Stay strong and fight the bully.

Hi everyone. I’m probably a lot older then you just turned 40. Been though ocd cycle couple times. It’s because your cortisol is highest. I bet you all feel great around 8/9/10pm this is when I’m at my best and my wife is about to fal asleep lol. For mornings to help you guys wake up whenever it gets to you. My first time around I tried to sleep all day to avoid the thoughts that doesn’t help. Wake up immediately make yourself eat soemthing yogurt, granola, banana etc. Go for a walk, bike ride, yoga, gym Or do soemthing you love (draw, make music etc). Go about your day as if your ocd has no power trust me I know it’s hard. You need to force yourself to do the things your ocd doesn’t want you to like eating, exercising, meditating, going out with friends. and always do the ERP even on your good days. Even after you get better from ERP the mornings/afternoon will always be a bit tougher. One thing I always believe tho even if you have an awful episode like you break down cry or just can’t take it your Day is never ruined. Some of my best days are days I’ve had major episodes. Stay strong!!!

Yes 100% 1) ERP 2) medicine (some need it some don’t)ask your doctor 3) Exercise (yoga, running, gym) 4) Meditation at least 3/4 times a week before bed or daytime. Mindfulness helps I use the Chopra app

#1 is actually believing in yourself and that yoj will get better. Because even when I have episodes I believe it will never get better and this time I’m stuck forever. It’s not true. That’s just another OCD spike. I just went through it again about a month ago for 2 weeks straight. I’m better now did the erp and all the other steps I said. It takes time to master. But once you do your anxiety will go down drastically and then your ocd will be on happy stuff which to me is amazing because I’m very creative music/art etc so it’s actually very helpful. Plus soemtimes ocd keeps you from doing stuff you prob shouldn’t do like things your friends do partying etc. Once you change your mindset to hey it’s not all bad and believe you will get better you will! Message me anytime always here to help. Mike

Same. It’s so horrible and awful. I don’t know how to handle this. It’s absolutely terrible 😭

Hey I'm actually the same exact way. I'm at my worst right when I wake up. I almost feel fine in the evenings. But now I wake up super early (like 5:30) and can't go back to sleep. I tremble, sweat, etc. And my thoughts go a million miles an hour. Are you on medication by chance?

You will get out we always do!! Stay strong! Remeber no day is ruined it can start bad and half way through be amazing. ERP is key but the main thing is to practice yourself. The therapist can only tell your so much

When you get over old main ones it always jumps to new ones it wants to see what really bothers you since the old stuff lost its power that’s why the erp works so well. the more you practice the better you will get. Then eventually you will have days where u can just push the thoughts right out. I know the waiitng time is mad annoying I hate it also but soon you will see. I know it’s scary, even myself who has been through two major episodes always think these things will happen that I think. But truth is they don’t ever!! only reason I know is from experience. So we just make ourselves sufffer with anxiety then one day you will be ok and think wow that was really dumb to even get anxiety over that. Takes time but even the worst thoughts fade and I have pure and harm so you can imagine the horrible stuff lol. Stay strong!!

Wow Mike, I'm saving your comments to read during my bad times. It's nice to hear from someone who has been through it and still has a positive outlook. I'm dealing with a second bout of existential OCD (first happened in 2018 and I was fine until like a week ago) My brain is telling me I'm not gonna get out of it...

Thank you so much Mike!!

Thank you so much Mike! I was doing AMAZING now I have had a very bad backdoor spike for the past two months and I don’t know how I will get out of it. I hope continuing to try ERP will work. Best of luck on recovery!!

Thank you so much!! I am trying so hard, I don’t know why these compulsions are so hard to resist when I am over like 90% of my other ones 😔