Does anyone else suffer with existential OCD/mental illness OCD? Feeling like the world isn't real or you're stuck in a dream or schizophrenic? Any tips on how to cope?

I wouldn’t say I have that type of ocd but I’ve had moments where I was like “is this really real” and not being able to fathom how real life is. I think just accepting the feelings and going back to what you’re doing helps.

Yes, I suffered from existential OCD for months straight, especially believing that I'm living in some sort of schizophrenic delusion. I would try compulsion rituals like pinching myself, waking myself up, etc. Every time I would find ways to reassure myself like, "People living in a dream don't feel pain, so I should be fine." And I would proceed to pinch myself, or test my sense of smell and taste, etc. The goal to beating this obsession is understanding this, and it is a hard pill to swallow but it is necessary: If what you fear is true, that it is inevitable no matter what you do, that you will be stuck in this dream/schizophrenic reality, and there is no way of knowing whether or not you truly are in a dream/simulation etc, then what do you do? You have two options: A - Spend the rest of your life reality testing and trying to prove whether or not anything is real, logically this would mean even googling things about whether or not you are schizophrenic or not could very well be figments of your own imagination as well, since you may be living in your own reality. And if you are wrong, you will have lived your entire life worrying about this not being able to enjoy anything. B - Continue to live your life the best you can accepting the uncertainty of whether or not everything is real, and understand the fact that you simply cannot know this fact. This may be a hard pill to swallow, but it is necessary in overcoming this fear.

Did you eventually get over that obsession?

@Amagicmarie Yes, once I came to the understanding that I simply could not know whether or not reality was or wasn't real, I stopped because it became pointless. Every single time I would do a reality testing compulsion like testing my sense of smell, I would then ask "but what if I'm in a dream so realistic that I'm able to smell and taste?" And eventually you just come to a conclusion that no matter how hard you try, you simply cannot know, and it would be easier living in a reality where you're not worrying about these things because it becomes useless as it wouldn't change whether or not I actually am living in another reality.

@joshnocd But then what's the point of doing anything if you don't know ?