- Date posted
- 4y
- Date posted
- 4y
I'm here if you want to talk. I feel you completely. X
- Date posted
- 4y
Thank you Molly, I appreciate that. It's hard to explain this to folks without OCD and thus no shared experience.
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 4y
I'm not a therapist, merely a patient and fellow sufferer, but what you described is in fact textbook ROCD. You're not alone in this, though it can seem so preposterous and intrusive that you can't imagine being anything but unique. I can tell you that when the cycle gets really bad and/or goes on long enough, even though you think there's no trigger you are actually still dealing with the latest trigger, or any or all of the triggers you've been going through. Our systems have gotten used to being on high alert. The bottom line is that the thoughts are irrational and don't reflect actual emotions. And you will not be able to think your way to feeling what you want to feel. Even if you felt the right feelings, the ROCD will still want to cause trouble. If it's at all possible, I highly recommend getting into ERP therapy.
- Date posted
- 4y
How are you doing at the moment? Has this ruined relationships for you? X
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 4y
Doing a lot better but still find myself looking over my shoulder in fear that the next cycle is looking to get me. My therapist is helping a lot with this, mostly by assuring me that this is a totally normal part of the process. And this has actually made my relationships stronger. I'm fortunate to be surrounded by people who see the real me, even when I can't.
- Date posted
- 4y
Was it jjst your SO it affected or your other relationships too? X
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 4y
@mollyyy Just my SO. Taking someone who's OCD and throwing in a surgery to their SO, then a week later going into lockdown ... things can go haywire in the brain! Fortunately, I have amazing loving support from her as well as some wonderful support from friends. And of course, NOCD.
- Date posted
- 4y
@Anonymous That's good to hear. I just constantly question and iverthink every little thing, trying to be more present but this am I looked at him sleeping and was like 'do I want to look at this fave for the rest of my life, what if I dont find him cute enough etc'(he is pretty beautiful lol) and I was present in that moment so now I'm like blahhhhh. Haha my SO is super supportive but he doesn't fully understand so he gets frustrated too. He's only human x
- Date posted
- 4y
Thank you both for your responses. I know we're not supposed to seek reassurance, but I haven't felt safe in my body or identity for days now, and it's unbearable at times. I scheduled a consult with a NOCD therapist to get back into ERP.
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 4y
Yes, reading articles for reassurance is a compulsion; and I think it's safe to say that most everyone who has ROCD and other subtypes has done this, myself included. Ultimately, you just want to feel better and there's nothing wrong with that, so you deserve some self-compassion. It's not that you can't tell what you feel, it's that the obsessions are so strong that your real feelings don't stand a chance. And the less you feel what you want, the more it seems like that's evidence of your worst fear. It's a really messed up cycle this condition puts us in! Emotions naturally ebb and flow anyway, and the ebb part is not adequate evidence of anything. The key that ERP helps you achieve is to get to the point where you are comfortable with not needing to be certain. When you can do that, your true feelings will be able to breathe and find room to express themselves again.
- Date posted
- 4y
Thank you so much for saying "the obsessions are so strong the real feelings don't stand a chance"... That really resonates. The ERP I've done in the past had been focused on my perfectionism, eating behaviors and organization, with a fair amount of efficacy so I know it works. It's almost like the OCD has nowhere else to go but to my relationship. š«
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 4y
I have often felt that very same thing, that OCD is most at home feeding on my greatest fears. I guess this is a means to overcoming those fears.
- Date posted
- 4y
It's flaring up again, and I found myself Googling "real doubt vs. relationship OCD"... It's not helping. The first few times I read these articles (some from NOCD) I felt relief, and now I can't achieve that. Would we call this compulsing? I'm so confused about how I feel I can't tell what's real and what's what.
Related posts
- Date posted
- 23w
For the past 3 months ish Iāve been struggling on and off with this anxiety and fixation over my relationship. To wondering if i still have feelings for an old friend, wondering if i actually love him, wondering if the thoughts are all real and im just trying to cover it up with ocd. It sucks, when im talking to my boyfriend i feel fine. The words i love you and talks about the future come naturally. I canāt imagine myself with anyone but him. But this constant rumination on my relationship is KILLING me and Iām scared itās going to ruin what i have. It makes me numb and disconnected which therefore makes me believe the thoughts even more. They just feel so real sometimes and itās so scary like why can i not just enjoy it. Weāve been together for a while so i know thereās periods of like feelings ebb and flowing but this is so much more. Itās just constantly sitting on my chest with anxiety. My compulsions are coming on this app, looking at photos of us and confessing it to him. Heās very understanding and helpful. I love him so much. I just need help / Iām also just starting new meds as well ..
- Date posted
- 15w
Hey everyone, I wanted to come on here today to just share this post because Iāve been struggling with this recently. I just wanna know if this is a common thing in relationship OCD. So last Friday me and my boyfriend had a conversation that was important, and my emotions were high and I got a little emotional about something he said and we had a long talk about it, the conversation went great and afterwards everything was okay. On Saturday I was so excited to see him after work and I was overflowing with feelings of happiness and excitement. Sunday was great and we stayed on FaceTime just enjoying the day together after he went home that morning, and then came Monday. I remember getting a thought like this, āWhat if Iām losing feelings for him and Iām just leading him on?ā And even this thought, āI donāt really feel anything towards him right now, does that mean I fell out of love with him?ā And then the anxiety came, I could literally feel myself breaking out in cold sweats and I could feel the pain in my chest after these thoughts crossed my mind. But what bothers me so much about this is on Saturday and Sunday I felt so content and happy with him and I was so happy and I didnāt have any anxiety whatsoever, and then Monday came, and I had those thoughts and I feel almost numb and I canāt feel anything else except the feelings of worry and fear and my anxiety has been at a all-time high and I keep feeling this pain of guilt and hurt in my chest and I just wanted to know if anyone else has experienced the same. Because personally one thing I hate is that one day I can be so happy and energetic and then the next day I can feel numb and feel absolutely nothing towards my boyfriend. Iām not sure if this can correlate with my menstrual cycle as well, but Iāve heard that that can also make your relationship OCD worse and cause you to feel differently about your partner. Just wanting to see if anyone has dealt with the same!
- Date posted
- 13w
Lately, Iāve been feeling extremely confused and guilty. My boyfriend has been really busy with exams, and we havenāt talked much this past week. I donāt really feel like I miss him, and that scares me. It makes me think maybe I donāt love him anymore, maybe Iāve changed, and maybe this relationship doesnāt feel right for me anymore. A few days ago, a friend invited me to go to a club with her and another girl. I know that if I went without my boyfriend, he would feel bad ā not because heās controlling, but because in our relationship, weāve always had mutual boundaries and respect. I decided not to go, but ever since, Iāve been spiraling. My thoughts keep going: āWhat if I didnāt go just because of him?ā, āWhat if I actually wanted to go, but I stopped myself because I donāt really love him?ā, āWhat if Iām holding myself back and this relationship is limiting me?ā All of this makes me think Iām bored, that I donāt like him anymore, or that Iām staying out of habit. Itās hard to tell what I really want or whether these thoughts are part of ROCD or some deeper truth. I keep wondering if Iām just attached to him because heās my first boyfriend and weāve been together for so long. Sometimes I even think I wouldnāt care if we broke up, and that I donāt feel anything for him anymore ā and that absolutely destroys me, because heās such a good person who truly loves me. He doesnāt deserve to be treated with so much doubt and coldness. I feel miserable. I donāt know whatās real and whatās just obsession. It hurts that I canāt feel any clarity or peace. I just want to know if this is ROCD or if Iām in denial and refusing to accept the truth
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