- Username
- Anxiousaddie
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 3y ago
just conquer your fear. go out and meet new people
Thank you β€ 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 π€·
I totally feel this! I'm 19Β½ 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 π€ͺπ€ͺπ€ͺπ€ͺ 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 βΊ 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 π 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 π₯Ίπ₯Ίπ₯Ίπ₯Ί 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 ππππ€π» 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 π but I always try to keep the faith, especially for other people! you got this!!!!! β€
@amberellal Yes! It so exhausting! Like anxiety is a full time job π 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 ππ€π» 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 ππππ 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 π 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 β€
@Anyonomous you're just as sweet! and right back at you~ I'm here to support everybody, because I know how tough this is ππ€π» 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. β€
That is so true β€ I have got to quit letting OCD run my life and just start living it even if OCD runs in the background
Sameβ¦ 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 Iβm becoming more social but itβs still difficult for me to talk to people because itβs 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 itβs so bad that I canβt make eye contact or turn my face towards them when speaking or listening. Most of the problems stemmed from horrible social experiences Iβve had in the past and now I can be super wary of people including my friends in general ao they donβt 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 π ) 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 π 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!
Feels a little weird to talk about this here, but here goes. I'm 22 and I've never been in a relationship and I feel a lot of pressure to just get into one already, but i'm afraid to bc i don't think anyone would want me since i have ocd and the stigma against mental illness is so freaking terrible. I do catch feelings more often than I'd like to admit, but i usually let any oppurtunity to date someone slip by bc i feel like a nonentity and like they wouldn't /really/ be interested in me if they found out i have ocd.
Anyone else get deeply sad and jealous seeing other people thrive life ? Meanwhile weβre here stuck struggling with our ocd and just mental health in general . Iβm envious of what some people are able to do that I canβt :( and I donβt mean it in a hateful envious way , but just a more sad kinda way that I wish I could do stuff they can simply like driving . Iβm almost 20 and I know most of ykk have probably seen many of my posts about this , but it truly puts me in a difficult state of mind . I didnβt have mental capacity to do things at younger age:( I missed out on a lot . Seeing these 16-17 year old kids achieve things way more efficiently than I did just makes me feel shitty about myself . Everyone having fun on weekend and Iβm not . I donβt have many friends either .
Iβm 25 years old. Never have been in a relationship with a female. When I think about it, it makes me very sad. I have an extremely low self esteem. It was brought to my attention by a couple of OCD specialists about the correlation between OCD and my fear of rejection. For example, if I get rejected, it would mean that that person is confirming that I am indeed worthless and should go kill myself, etc. This sick all or nothing thinking is probably a big reason why I havenβt been in a relationship. My therapist at the moment from NOCD is pushing me to interact with more women by initiating conversation but I am nervous about this. I keep telling myself Iβm going to say something to someone but I always freeze up and make excuses.
Share your thoughts so the Community can respond