Manz
- Date posted
- 3y
AnonymousAnonymous
- Date posted
- 3y
I’m still trying to figure that out too
Lms526Lms526
- Date posted
- 3y
Having hope is things like "I deserve to be happy. OCD is strong, but I'm stronger. I can reach recovery. It won't be easy, but I can do it." Seeking reassurance is a compulsion. You can reassure yourself or give it to yourself. So I have health OCD. I get majorly anxious about any little change or pain. I also have a lot of anxiety about starting a new medication. So examples of seeking reassurance would be going to the doctor for every little thing. Or googling things like symptoms or side effects. Or asking someone else a question like "Do you think this supplement or medication is safe? Have you ever taken it? What was your experience like? Or if you struggle with something like harm OCD. Doing research about psychopaths or serial killers. Asking a friend or loved one "Do you think I'm capable of violence or injuring or killing someone?" These are all examples of seeking reassurance. A compulsion will always have a sense of urgency. You need to resolve it RIGHT NOW. Does that help?
Smoothie Smoothie
- Date posted
- 3y
Same- I’m sitting here wondering if I’m spending too much time reading community posts for reassurance. We will get thru this and find the “answer” together
Lms526Lms526
- Date posted
- 3y
The key to identifying a compulsion is WHY you do it. If you are saying, thinking or doing something in an attempt to relieve your anxiety, then its a compulsion. Compulsions can be hard to identify and even harder to stop. But the more you do it, the easier it gets. Your OCD will fight you. It doesn't want to lose the control it has over you.
ManzManz
- Date posted
- 3y
thank you for taking the time to reply
ManzManz
- Date posted
- 3y
that makes sense. however sometimes i use the thought "you can do it, you are strong" to shut down the obsessions, which is not sitting with the uncertainty. its making certain that things will be ok. if i botch it i end up ruminating for long explanations of why things are ok or why i can do it. (sometimes my explanations are so ingrained that i dont necessarily ruminate but am automatically aware of previously drawn out ideas, and i am constantly reminding myself). isnt that a compulsion? but it also feels like im giving myself hope which i know is a good thing. 😭
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eb123456789
- Date posted
- 16w
Responsibly ignoring intrusive images
Hi all, I’m really grateful for all the support I’ve gotten from people in the last few days. My mental health is at an all time low and I really appreciate the relief people have brought. I had a question about whether an intrusive image of a potentially imagined event can feel just as real as a real memory. I’m doing my best to stop ruminating over an image I have in my head, and have gone so far as requested security footage of myself and have been told both through that and by my friends that nothing bad happened, but the image in my head feels just as real as other memories. I was also drinking the night in question, which makes it harder for me to dismiss the image and makes me feel like I shouldn’t. I was just wondering if imagined images can feel just as real? I’m trying to use tools to ignore the image, and have therapy scheduled for tomorrow, but I feel like I can’t responsibly dismiss the image even with the evidence I’ve gathered if there’s something about a real memory that looks different in the brain and that if so, that suggests my memory is real and I should confess it. I’m really working on stopping reassurance seeking as well, especially now that even after being told that nothing bad happened when the establishment I was at reviewed security footage, my brain is telling me “they’re probably just lying and never reviewed it.” I know I need to just stop ruminating, reassurance seeking, and mentally checking the memory, but I just don’t know if I can/should in case the image is what I should trust more, if that makes sense.
kitchensink234
- Date posted
- 7w
Hopeless
I know everything im dealing with is OCD. I have accepted that, but I just feel down. I don’t want to live the rest of my life like this. I just want to be free from this horrible illness. Any positive stories and recovery journeys will help. What did recovery look like for you? I used to be so happy, I miss it so much. This feels like it’s taken everything from me. How do you just live your life despite how you feel? Any hope will help!
Anonymous
- Date posted
- 5w
Just don’t want to be alone
Is there anyone out there with the real event subtype that wouldn’t mind giving me some encouragement not to confess or do compulsions? It always says I’m different. My events are the exception. What do you do to ignore this voice?
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