I just started Therapy with NOCD, which I'm so happy about. Finally told my husband I am doing therapy, which I have been so nervous for because he doesn't fully understand OCD, he thinks I should be able to just fully shut it off and know my thoughts are ridiculous. I feel like that spirals my thoughts. Also, because we are Christians, there is a danger in allowing bad thoughts to just be there, I feel like that spirals me because with OCD, you must allow it to be there.

Lms526

Date posted: 4y

Great job taking the first step towards recovery. Its hard when the people we love most don't support our efforts towards recovery. If only it were as simple as turning off the thoughts and telling yourself the thoughts are ridiculous. I know my mom loves me, has good intentions, and wants whats best for me. But she doesn't understand mental illness at all. She told me "I think everyone is a little OCD" I didn't say it, but my first thought was "No, Mom. They aren't." She got in my head. It really shook my confidence and made me question whether I was strong enough to finish treatment. I seriously considered treatment. But I refuse to let that stop me. I AM going to reach recovery or die trying. Please don't make the same mistake I did. Recovery will not come easy. ERP is tough, but it works. I am a Christian as well. God understands your struggles and knows your thoughts. OCD thoughts are NOT sinful. They don't mean you are a terrible person or a terrible Christian. Thoughts are not good or bad. They just are. Just because the thoughts feel real doesn't mean they are.

Sunny38

Date posted: 4y

Thankyou so much for your reply, it really helps when there are ones such as yourself that do understand. I do feel very strongly that this is something that I need to do as I have been suffering on and off since last October, I don't want to wait 10 years before I do something and suffer silently because some days feel very very dark. One thought I found comforting is a verse that says God is greater than our hearts, so I while I condemn mine he understands mental illness. I need to remember that

Lms526

Date posted: 4y

You're welcome. Yeah, I definitely recommend starting treatment ASAP. I had intrusive thoughts starting at age 8. But I had no idea what I was experiencing wasn't normal. I thought everyone struggled the way I did. So I never told anyone. All I knew about OCD was handwashing and wanting things neat and orderly. I didn't have either of those. I listened to a Christian podcast called Grace Enough. The host interviewed someone living with OCD. I was shocked to realized I had experienced a lot of what the guest was describing. I started researching OCD to prove to myself I didn't have it. It did the opposite. I was completely expecting my therapist to tell me I didn't really have OCD. Thats not what happened. I was officially diagnosed last month at age 45. I can't help but think if I had told someone, I probably could have gotten diagnosed much earlier. The best advice I can give you is to commit 100% to ERP..

Sunny38

Date posted: 4y

Wow, thats a very long time to suffer, I'm sorry that it took so long but am happy you now got the help you need and deserve 😊 I too think I have always suffered, I just think at different stages in my life. I'm so happy that NOCD finally had a therapist available for me

Sunny38

Date posted: 4y

I will , thankyou!♡♡♡

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