Trigger warning: POCD; I want to make a post about how much better I’ve gotten to inspire hope in others. About 6-7 months I had a horrible intrusive thought about pedophilia. It was just one thought that came into my brain while others were talking about it. It caused panic attacks and all I could do was cry and beg God to make it stop. I started getting other types of intrusive thoughts but they weren’t as bad as this theme. I was suicidal because I didn’t think I deserved to live if I was having thoughts like this. It was extremely debilitating and my anxiety was at a constant high. Im better now though. I’m definitely not “cured” or completely over it. But I’m always surprised when I get a thought and I’m able to label it as OCD/intrusive and move on. I still have work to do but I’m so much better. I wanted to tell you all this because i know how it feels when the thoughts are constant and anxiety is high. It’s like a lens that changes your perspective about everything making you scared to even leave the house sometimes. You’re not alone and you’re all wonderful. What helped me was ACT and radical acceptance. Every single time I had a thought I wouldn’t react. If I even suspected a little bit that it was OCD, I would not react to it. It took time and it is still hard but it’s been working so well for me. I’d practice ERP by not avoiding kids or situations where I might see one. I know who I am and I know I’m not what OCD tries to protect me from. I stopped looking at OCD as a monster and started understanding that it was just trying to protect me and those around me. But I just reminded it gently that I didn’t need it to protect me, I’d tell it “I got this”. Sometimes I’d even make little jokes about it, like “oooh OCD you’re so scary”. That actually is really helpful. Give it time because CBT does work. I wish you all the best and stay strong. The strength is inside you, you just have to find your courage.

Thanks

Thanks so much.

Mine is based on a ‘false memory’ It’s gotten better since I changed my mindset the last few weeks. I hope CBT can help a bit more though!

Thanks

Thanks for the encouraging story. Mine is also false memories. Working on therapy, hoping for recovery xxx

I haven’t really struggled with false memory except maybe a couple. I have one memory about my dog that I have no idea if it’s real or not, but I just realized that there is no way for me to ever know if it’s real because it happened in the past. I was afraid that I may have hurt her and I really tried to make the memory make “sense” because it confuses me so much. There just isn’t anything I can do about it now though. If it’s real, I know I don’t like it and it will never happen again. If it’s fake, good because just like everything else with OCD, I don’t need to worry about it. I know it’s not that easy, but I don’t struggle with false memory as much but I’ve read about them and I know they’re hard. Treat them like you would the intrusive thoughts, let the false memory be there without trying to figure it out and the anxiety should decrease when your brain notices that you don’t find it important anymore. I hope this helps!

Thanks for you thoughts! Lewis I still struggle with ruminating and worrying about it, I’ve had a specific false memory that popped into my head three years ago and been struggling since. Meds helped in the beginning but I’ve started therapy since a second relapse. I’m hoping ERP and ACT help. Just trying to accept that I can’t figure out what’s real and not real helps

I’ve been following Ali Greymonds advice (on YouTube) she really has made my suffering go from 10/10 to 5/10 I’m on meds and due to start CBT soon. My false memory is from over 2 years ago. But I just remembered it now and got swarmed with “WHAT IF?!” Then it sent me suicidal for the whole of January. But feel a lot better overall!

You’re welcome you guys! I’m happy it helped you ? False memory is hard! Cbt will help, just keep with it and stay strong! I know you can do it! It will just keep getting better ?

You’re welcome to all of you and im so glad it’s encouraging for you! You got this! Don’t just hope, believe! Believe in yourself and the recovery process. I have no doubt that everyone with OCD can recover. If anyone ever needs more inspiration, I follow ‘Shannon Shy-OCD can be defeated’ on Facebook and his posts are always so encouraging.

Did you overcome false memory? It’s completely messed my life up. Literally one day I was fine, now the last 2 months it’s been ruined!