JohnSmith98
- Date posted
- 6y
JohnSmith98JohnSmith98
- Date posted
- 6y
Thank you. I posted for the hope of everyone on here that their dead end can be FUCKING BROKEN
JohnSmith98JohnSmith98
- Date posted
- 6y
@rb@2 your reading about someone who subconsciously built a no escape route to his “problem” and that problem destroyed his entire life and after he finally wanted a way out and had to hope that there was even such a thing...it happened...after a long time...but it happened ....it really did. when I say impossible I mean every value/possibility of suffering would work against me so I don’t get out of ...EVER (you know how scary that is)...but I hoped and worked slowly and prepared myself to come out of it OFFICIALLY. And here I am.
JohnSmith98JohnSmith98
- Date posted
- 6y
But whatever theme your OCD is sometimes it’s okay to read about it through other psychological self help books too not only OCD focused. My problem was how much can I create or how much will this OCD theme destroy my life in terms of guilt shame and what I would be trapped in most (those 2 things)...so I bought a book as well on the subject of those two exact things...which once worked on lessens the impact of OCD because the OCD guilt and shame work off of social and general guilt and shame.
JohnSmith98JohnSmith98
- Date posted
- 6y
Do not give up hope *****
r@2r@2
- Date posted
- 6y
so happy for you. this makes me want to cry because i am realizing there is hope
JohnSmith98JohnSmith98
- Date posted
- 6y
Constantly understanding my theme and suffering more and more - from the question of why? Why do I want to make myself feel this way? Why do I want to find no way out? Why am I scared of these thoughts...that slow analysis was a definitely a boost
LewisLewis
- Date posted
- 6y
OCD will try and convince me it’s not working at times to trick me into going back. But going to keep focused now!
AelaAela
- Date posted
- 6y
Congrats! So happy for you!
MarkitoMarkito
- Date posted
- 6y
Awesome!
JohnSmith98JohnSmith98
- Date posted
- 6y
This is also after good therapy and self help ocd books along with some other general ones. Boy was it a process but I (YOU) will get there because hey...here I am...writing about it.
r@2r@2
- Date posted
- 6y
that makes me so happy to hear. so proud and happy for you
r@2r@2
- Date posted
- 6y
what are the books called?
JohnSmith98JohnSmith98
- Date posted
- 6y
So I first got one OCD book Then one book on “how to escape toxic guilt” which was what you can say my OCD theme way of torture - always working around right and wrong and guilt and shame.
JohnSmith98JohnSmith98
- Date posted
- 6y
Now I am reading another “freedom from OCD” which is good too.
xoxo123xoxo123
- Date posted
- 6y
im so glad, congrats!!!
jessievjessiev
- Date posted
- 6y
Amazing xxx
jessievjessiev
- Date posted
- 6y
What’s my theme if I keep thinking my children are dying?
AnonymousAnonymous
- Date posted
- 6y
Congratulations ?
LewisLewis
- Date posted
- 6y
Nice man!! Today is the first day in 2 months I have felt normal ish...I have felt like I couldn’t live anymore every day. ‘False Memories’ have been ruining me. But I’ve been trying something new and it’s been great so far!
JinJin
- Date posted
- 6y
Hi John, congrats really, that‘s great!! I like your approach as well reading so much about your problem. May I ask what form of therapy you took?
kitten21kitten21
- Date posted
- 6y
?????? ❤️
JohnSmith98JohnSmith98
- Date posted
- 6y
Hi @jin I have been actually in normal therapy where she understands about my OCD but I was so deep into the stories and the theme that I needed to come to full acceptance of it ALL at this point no matter if it’s OCD air NOT OCD - there is still hope for a way out. Now this definitely helped and I’ve built such a personal relationship with her that I don’t want to ever stop attending sessions haha but I agree that OCD therapy should be first choice for most and I will still consider it to better improve myself in anyway and go through a more focused OCD therapy.
JohnSmith98JohnSmith98
- Date posted
- 6y
@lewis hey man funny enough the false memories was the first theme I GOT OUT OF before another one hit me and made me create serious distance from the false memories theme that I was able to see so much clearer of the prison I was trapped in because I know that’s how it feels. My false memories was fucking horrid to the point where it was a god daym miracle I was suddenly able to get out and see it for what it is and promise myself I will never go there again. I’ll promise you this, the less time you spend trying to see if it’s false or real the better things will get for you. To fall in deep and proving yourself what happened or what could of happened is the first hole you will fall into. So if you’re deep enough already you must do everything you can to distance yourself from the story you obsess about and try your best to not doubt or prove it - step by step focusing on other activities and adjusting to reality “the now” Because whatever story that you are tapped in...one sudden moment of right now or checking back into reality will break the entire thing...believe me or not ...but this is true and if you work off that method and slowly start practicing that instead - putting yourself in the moment, putting yourself in the reality of WHAT IS HAPPENING NOW - your mind will realize what is real again.
JohnSmith98JohnSmith98
- Date posted
- 6y
So what will save you is the freedom that you have to live the presence because that is the only reality. The more you do that the more your mind in the background can adjust to reality and start to give less value to whatever is “the past” real or imaginary as it does not matter because right here right now all has been good up to this point and you are safe and sound and the reality is you haven’t done anything bad.
LewisLewis
- Date posted
- 6y
Yeah I’m starting to see that. My false memory’s went from about 20 of them to just this one. I’ve been dealing with it better the last two days. But it’s a ‘real event’ memory so it’s been hard to let go. I’ve been using Ali Greymonds advice and it’s been great so far!
LewisLewis
- Date posted
- 6y
John, how long did it take for you to get over the false memories? (Not looking for reassurance) This one is sticking more than others. But is fading a bit the more I don’t pay attention
JohnSmith98JohnSmith98
- Date posted
- 6y
With me I never did therapy or anything when it was happening...I suffered a few years until it kind of faded for a bit then another intense theme took over which took me out completely from the first one and gave me absolute clarity of holy shit where was i
LewisLewis
- Date posted
- 6y
Oh right, these ones were/are so painful for me. They are so intense, make me feel like **** every day and I contemplated ending it. A bit better at the moment, it’s so hard. But when you don’t pay attention to it things seem clearer?! The mind is strange
Related posts
Anonymous
- Date posted
- 25w
A Year of Climbing Out 🧡
A reflection I never saw myself being able to write✨ One year ago today, I was spiraling for a second time because I wasn’t sure what was happening to me, again. Getting through it once was doable but twice? I truly thought I was losing my mind. OCD wasn’t just a shadow in the background — it was a loud, relentless voice narrating fear, doubt, and compulsions into every corner of my life. I couldn’t trust my thoughts, couldn’t rest in silence. I was questioning everything. I was exhausted coasting through the motions of life trying to survive every minute of every day. But today — I’m here. Still imperfect, still human, but finally free in a way I didn’t think was possible. I got here by learning the hardest, most empowering lesson of my life: I had to stop depending on anyone else to pull me out. I had to stop outsourcing my safety, my certainty, my worth. I had to become the person I could rely on — not in a cold, lonely way, but in the most solid, liberating way possible. You see, healing didn’t come when others gave me reassurance — it came when I stopped needing it. When I realized no one could fight the war in my mind for me. It had to be me. Not because others didn’t care — but because I had to be the one to stop running from fear. I had to choose courage over comfort, again and again. And boy was that rough. But I did. Through therapy, I retrained my brain. (Shout out to Casey Knight🙏🏼) I stopped dancing to OCD’s obsessive rhythm and started rewriting the song. And yeah — the beat dropped a few times. But I kept moving forward. Slowly, I started turning my mind into a place I wanted to live in. I made it beautiful. Not by forcing positive thoughts, but by planting seeds of truth: 🌱 Not every thought deserves attention. 🌱 Discomfort doesn’t mean danger. 🌱 Uncertainty is not the enemy — it’s just part of being alive. I started treating my mind like a garden instead of a battlefield. I let go of perfection and started watering what was real, what was kind, what was mine. And let’s be honest — there were still a few weeds. (Hello, OCD — always trying to “check in.” ) Because healing isn’t linear, I still have days where I feel back to square one, but it’s a day, not a week, month, or another year of surrendering. But here’s the “punny” truth: OCD tried to check me, but I checked myself — with compassion, courage, & a whole lot of practice. To anyone still caught in the spiral — I want you to know: you are not broken. You don’t need to wait for someone else to save you. No else will. The strength you’re looking for? It’s already in you. It might be buried under fear, doubt, and rumination, but it’s there — patient and unbreakable. Start small. Start scared. Just start. Because when you stop relying on the world to reassure you, and start trusting your own ability to face uncertainty, you get something even better than comfort — you get freedom, resilience, power & SO much more. You don’t have to control every thought/urge to have a beautiful mind. You just have to stop believing every thought/urge is the truth. You don’t have to be fearless , you just have to act in spite of fear. You are not crazy You are not a monster You are not evil You are human You are capable And if OCD ever tries to take over again, just smile and say, “Nice try. But not today.” — Someone who came back to life, one brave thought at a time 🧡
slippery_salad
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 21w
I just came out of…
Just came out of an 8 day dive with severe real event ocd and tonight I had a lot of peace. Is it normal to worry about going back? I just hope the feelings are residual from here on out and not as severe as they were. For a couple days there I was in pure dread. Anyone who can relate? Coming out of a really dark cycle?
Gmoki
- Date posted
- 19w
Sharing a little ocd win today
I’ve avoided driving majority of my teen years because I got into a head on collision when I was 17. Even before then, I was absolutely terrified of driving. Saying I was terrified is an understatement. I’d literally shake at the thought of anything to do with cars and imagine my body scrunching up with the car metal after getting into an accident. OCD would convince me that I simply cannot trust myself behind the wheel, and that something bad will happen - like I’ll kill my self, someone else, or an animal and I hated it. Needless to say, I genuinley could not bring myself to get started with driving until I was 19, which was a few months ago lol. I got my permit at 17, practiced driving a tiny bit then stopped after the accident I got into. I eventually got the permit renewed a few months ago at 19, then I finally got my license a month after. Now I’m 20, and today I drove myself 45 mins to and from work! I still need to practice more, but holy lord I never thought this day would come. All the years I’d feel embarassed/judge myself have come to an end. Just because I was delayed at doing something doesn’t mean I’m not capable. For anyone who has goals they want to reach and they feel like they’re impossible - they’re not. Fight OCD as best as you can. I hope I can be a symbol of hope for anyone whose struggling
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