- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 4y
just conquer your fear. go out and meet new people
Thank you ❤ definitely trying! Not always sure where though in a small town but I have been going to a small group and music night so it's a start 🤷
I totally feel this! I'm 19½ now and my ocd and GAD really kicked in when I was in 6th grade, so about 7 years ago, and it made growing up so much harder.. I lost all of my social skills because I isolated myself for years, and I quit my old job because of my depression and anxiety last July and haven't been able to get another job since because my anxiety is just THAT bad. I will say though, making online friends was definitely the first step I took and it helped me a lot! I've lost and gained some amazing friends online and it's easier for me to be myself with someone I've never met, so it's helped me with people irl too! before COVID hit, like Jan-Feb 2020, I started making up for lost time by training myself to go to places that made my nervous for various reasons, because I've always had issues with going into big public places like the mall, and I was finslly able to start going out for hours with low anxiety. COVID messed that up for me big time though, because I couldn't go anywhere for like 5 months but 🤪🤪🤪🤪 it did help me when I could use that tip. As for possible relationships? Honestly that's still a grey area for me too. I've had a bf for almost 10 months now, but I deal with ROCD and I've caused a lot of unnecessary problems, but I also try to remember how I felt about past situations with my ROCD and how I can handle them differently the next time something similar happens. At the end of the day, I'm definitely in the same boat as you, and I do hope you can find things thay work for you! I know how exhausting this is, but I know you can do it!
Thank you so much ☺ typing all that out was so nice! I definitely have tried to get out of my comfort zone and have been able to go to a music night for college students in my community. It has been a lot of fun but also scary as people often talk in circles of people and that TERRIFIES me lol BUT I keep going! I have also tried to find things where I can be social that are a bit more comfortable for me. My friend has a Bible study group and I think I may try to join because I prefer smaller groups of people. I am hoping I can find a job this next semester. I am in college and there are jobs on campus. I just hope I can find something not too anxiety inducing because I am afraid employers wouldn't understand. I just have been super worried about my future lately. I am afraid I will never be able to get a job and will be alone forever because I'm scared of talking to guys lol but I keep trying to take things one day at a time and go to therapy 😅 you seem like a great person and I am glad to know I am not the only one who feels this way!
@Anyonomous I'm the same way! big groups of people are definitely NOT for me. I like to hang with no more than 3 people at a time lmao but a bible study group sounds great! it's definitely a good way to connect with people on multiple levels. but I'm the same way with jobs :( I was at my old job for over a year and I had so many anxiety attacks while working, and there was even one time where a customer pulled me aside and gave me tips on how to deal with it and I was just 🥺🥺🥺🥺 but it's always difficult for me to he somewhere where I can't sit down, so that was a big problem for me tbh and the masks did NOT help (even though I'm very pro-mask). but I think getting an easy job on campus would be a good idea! just make sure to ask your employer/s all the important questions so yk EXACTLY what you're getting into, because idk if you're like this too, but surprises are not for me 👁👄👁🤚🏻 anddddd about the therapy, same! I'm actually onto my 3rd therapist now and she's doing everything I wish my old therapists could've done for me. I hope that's going well for you! and whew I feel you on that relationship stuff. before I met my current bf, I was lowkey just kinda hoing around because guys kept f**king me over and I got terrified at the thought of catching feelings and doing actual flirting, because I trusted no maN- but I definitely think it's important to recognize what you want and need and that'll help u weed em out and find a good one for you when the time is right <3 but there's no rush to get into a relationship asap~ and you're definitely not the only one! living with GAD is so much worse than I can explain to people, like this is exhausting 😓 but I always try to keep the faith, especially for other people! you got this!!!!! ❤
@amberellal Yes! It so exhausting! Like anxiety is a full time job 😅 but I am just going to keep trying haha. And I am on my second therapist! My first one was nice but knew nothing about OCD which was what I needed most help with at the time. Now I have one on here who is great and my symptoms have gone way down! I also have another through my school who is helping me with my more general, social stuff (and she's free so....). Honestly I'm just so grateful for the help I have gotten bc if not who knows how much worse I would be. I'm happy you have found a counselor that works for you too! It can be sooo hard to find the right fit!!
@Anyonomous EXACTLY, it literally is a full time job 😓🤚🏻 but YAY IM SO PROUD OF U! ik I don't know you but it makes me so happy when someone dealing with this kind of mental illness can make progress, because ik how hard and frustrating it is for a lot of people ^u^ I'm so happy your therapist is working out for you and getting you the help you need! my therapist is definitely doing the same and I'm so grateful for her. my first two therapist were those classic "and how does that make you feel?" 24/7 therapists and never really wanted to understand why I felt the way I did, yk? but it is definitely hard to find the right one 😓😓😓😓 for a while I wanted to give up but I'm so glad I didn't. I've only been seeing my current therapist for about a month now and I've already made so much progress in some areas. not so much with my anxiety or ocd, but more with my physical issues that fed into my mental issues. but I hope for nothing but the best for you and I hope you only see improvement! you got this!
@amberellal Aw thank you so much 😭 ur so sweet. I wish the same to you!! Thanks for being so kind and supportive!! We need more people like that in the world ❤
@Anyonomous you're just as sweet! and right back at you~ I'm here to support everybody, because I know how tough this is 😓🤚🏻 so I just wanna uplift everybody and give them that extra push and confidence boost~
This is a daunting, but achieveable thing... jus remember ocd will be with you anywhere u go, the key it to recognise when it's most likely to show up, (this isn't always obvious, ik) but the more you notice it.. the better you can handle it. Everything else is your life, dont let ocd stop you from living. ❤
That is so true ❤ I have got to quit letting OCD run my life and just start living it even if OCD runs in the background
Same… I lost pretty much half of my teen years due to OCD, anxiety, terrible teachers, and a terrible paychiatrist. I isolated myself at college for the past 2 years and now I’m becoming more social but it’s still difficult for me to talk to people because it’s so scary. Plus, 2 of my closest friends moved away from my young adults church group and now I just feel really lonely. Meeting new people by myself is like running naked in the middle of a city. Sometimes it’s so bad that I can’t make eye contact or turn my face towards them when speaking or listening. Most of the problems stemmed from horrible social experiences I’ve had in the past and now I can be super wary of people including my friends in general ao they don’t backstab or leave me for their own sakes.
Same :( my teen years were mainly spent anxious and suffering from undiagnosed OCD. College was a new chance for me and I felt like I blew. I went to a super small H.S. (graduated with 4 other people 😅) and so I kind if isolated in college. I was commuting from half and hour away and it was super hard to make friends. I feel like I am branching out more now but I may be graduating a year early (its my Jr. year of college) and that freaks me out bc i feel like I am just starting to try and make friends 😔 i TOTALLY relate to the running naked in the city thing. Exactly how I feel! I am so scared people will hate me so I am scared to try!
Hello, I unknowingly have lived with ROCD or OCD (not sure what one. I’m new to this). It has ruined so many amazing romantic and platonic relationships and I am so sad that just now I am finding out what the hell is wrong with me. Maybe life would be different if I have known. My OCD and anxiety is at an all time high (ATH) due to some horrible events that have happened in the recent months. I am at the point where paranoia has taken over my life now. I had my first panic attack a few weeks ago where I fainted. My anxiety attacks are so extreme I go thought cognitive distortion that has lasted days. My girlfriend of 3 years is my emotional guardian and she no long has the energy to be that and honestly it’s not her responsibility to be that. She is bi and wanted to have an open relationship and for someone who has OCD this has not been good for me. She also was assaulted in my own home by a good friend of ours when I was out of town but it’s not a clear situation because it sounded consensual at first. I just left my very high paying job. I am financially secure but the job was emotionally abusive and looking back made my OCD worse. I am taking some time off to get my head right…but now, all I have to do during the day is live in my OCD. I’m very happy I finally figured out why I act the way I do but I don’t know if I can get better quick enough to save my relationship. I have never been so worried about myself (M 28 years old). I am a confident young professional and never thought I would be writing on a page like this. Anyway…I hope it gets better.
Hi! I’m new to the NOCD community, but I’ve been dealing with OCD since I was 12. I’m almost 29 now, and my biggest issue is health anxiety. It’s gotten to the point where getting work done is nearly impossible because i can’t stop spiraling. I’m lucky that i work remotely, but also makes it easier to be in my own head… Asking for advice - how do you all deal with the intense anxiety and are able to make it through a 9-5 work day? Any suggestions on how I can actually be productive? Thank you!
First off - I’m sorry, I post here a lot. My thoughts are going to be scattered because I have the adhd/ocd/executive dysfunction wombo combo. Im so embarrassed I am THIS neurodivergent. I swear my brain couldn’t pick one struggle and settle with it. I’m not making these diagnoses quirky personality traits by any means, in fact, in this post im venting about how exhausting and embarassed I am living with a brain like this on the daily. I need to hear someone’s advice please. I love hearing everyone’s advice on posts because it’s so useful, and brings me back down to reality. Everyone on here gives advice so tastefully in a way where it doesn’t feed into the self reassurance compulsion, but it’s also been thorough and constructive enough where it’s reminded me to ground myself in a healthy way. I love seeing others helping others, it soothes me. This community has been so kind, and I’m so happy I found it. I wish I could ask more, but I have so many questions I think it’d drive everyone here crazy lol. I am doing erp therapy now, and it’s been teaching me so many amazing techniques. I’ve been making progress. However, I sometimes have my moments of vunerablity. I’ve been experiencing this especially now more than ever because I am going through a breakup. He did it through text after nearly 9 months together. I’d do anything for him and love him through anything, and he broke my heart when I least expected it. I’d make his bed for him multiple times, but I haven’t done that for myself in years. I’d sit with him for hours to watch and do anything he likes, but he’d never do the same and I’d never do the same for me. I’m also at fault because I was too scared to speak up so I let a lot of disrespect slide. Why did my ocd do that? Why does ocd make me people please even when I don’t want to? Why does OCD make me care so much about things that will never effect me (like wanting validation from a random person on the street and hoping they’ll think I’m pretty enough to look at), but then when it comes to my future or positive wellbeing (like focusing on college/doing well in classes/personal hygiene/health), forces me to not care/neglect myself and those needs? I don’t understand it. Ocd makes me think everything’s a setup or a trap. I can never believe that I am fine right where I want to be. Why am I so hard on myself? Why do I even think this much? I care and feel so deeply but it becomes unhealthy so fast because ocd makes me fixate and I stay there for a while. For some reason I let this breakup define my self worth. I let it topple into the ocd fear that I will never make it in life - that I won’t be successful, I’ll never get the career I want, the love I want, or the life I want. My OCD’s version of “logic” isn’t even logical. Yes, I understand how the breakup means feelings of low self worth which will then topple into feeling bad about other things. But why has my brain been wired to think this way? Why does it seem so easy for everyone else to function normally with life but not me? Honestly this is the first time in my life where I’m dedicated to focusing on myself and learning more about myself instead of others in my life and it’s a very odd and bizarre feeling. I’m excited of course, but I’m also scared. My ocd makes me ruminate like “what if I will never make the most of this life I’ve been given”, “what if I truly have no worth and the most I will ever be in other people’s lives is a background character”, “why do I care if I’m a background character or not? I should feel guilty and ignorant for assuming everyone will automatically like me”, “are people lying to me when they call me pretty, smart or kind?”, “I need to look and sound perfect in both pictures, videos and in real life. I will never be satisfied for accepting who I am now”, and a bunch of other annoying questions. But sometimes it’s like I just can’t take the reality for what it is but at the same time, but I also acknowledge that I know this is ocd talking. This is so, so difficult. Do I make any sense with what I’m saying? Can anyone help?
Share your thoughts so the Community can respond