I need advice on what people do to overcome OCD (no matter the type.) besides meds & therapy.

Contamination OCD, (idk if this is one but) Cheating OCD or worries, intrusive thoughts that cause false memories, & harm ocd

@julebarrios23 Ok gotcha, I deal with the last two as well. It was worse last year but when I realize that I’m in control and ground myself in some way (writing my thoughts down and realizing how silly they sound when I can actually see them , literally sitting on the ground outside to meditate) and realizing that losing control implies that there is control to be lost, we choose what we do in the present and that’s all that matters

@julebarrios23 I struggled with fearing that I have cheated on my boyfriend for three years, please reach out if you need any tips or need to vent!

@Anonymous Any tips on how to beat this or feel confident that these are just thoughts not actions would be greatly appreciated I have been suffering with my ocds spiking for at least 6 years now

@julebarrios23 For me, it was a constant battle wherever I went. I’m not sure if this is the most correct way to do this but if there are ever times we’re you are feeling “good” use that as confidence to go out and challenge yourself l. For example, one day I was feeling “good” and I decided to go birthday shopping for my boyfriend by myself and the whole time I told myself to stay present and try to understand that what I was doing (shopping) was normal. I was able to pair it with getting my favorite coffee and listening to music that really made me have a calm and honest perspective. It took a lot of practice and sometimes, when it’s a bad day, you don’t have to turn life into an exposure. “Muscling through” life as an exposure can exhaust you and I’m sure you know how that feels. I don’t wrestle with that ocd anymore because my mind has shifted to other fears and I constantly worked on it for years but even what I’m dealing with now, a lot of my strength to get out there and face fears is telling myself that if I want to achieve this goal of living the life I dream without the restrictions of my mind, I have to try something and have to at least try to desensitize myself to the fear. I also have false memory ocd which makes it VERY difficult but one step, one day, one memento at a time. Getting into a state where you aren’t trying anything will only further restrict the life that you already feel trapped in. You’ve got this! I beat cheating ocd and you can too:)

@Anonymous Thank you so much for taking the time out to respond! It’s hard to get advice when the people in my life don’t understand what ocd feels like. I agree on good days I can def challenge myself. My downfall is if I run into a panic while exposing I start to spiral.

@julebarrios23 For example my contamination ocd I would challenge myself by going for a walk. Upon the walk, if I run into anything gross I start to panic and worry. I feel contaminated and like I’m going to spread the contamination

@julebarrios23 I know how that feels for sure. Do you have like a “safe place” like a hobby or person or situation that you don’t have to worry or that you feel better in?

@Anonymous Yes when I spend time with my husband or call my mom!

@julebarrios23 I feel better with my people as well. What I like to do is challenge myself and honestly, I spiral often and when thus happens, I let myself cry, exist and to go to my safe people and not even to talk and get reassurance but to feel peace and know that in that moment I am not doing anything (probably reassurance butttt) and often times, I calm down and can look at the past day better. I do this over and over again and I start to see that no matter what I will be questioning what I’m doing or have done and then feel better the next day or when I’m with my people. Consciously recognizing the pattern or spiraling and feeling better helps me to know it’s going to happen and react to it better and the spiraling becomes less severe.

@julebarrios23 I also used to struggle with contamination ocd. Not about things like that but I’m the household. I would wash my hands for 40 minutes after using the bathroom and freak out making food for people if I didn’t think my hands were clean. What helped me there was actually on vacation with another family. We had a tight schedule so i physically didn’t have the time of continue with my compulsions of cleanliness. After a week of being in Hawaii only having 1 minute to wash my hands, the thought did not spike my anxiety like it used to and the thought would leave my head quicker. Put yourself in situations where you are forced to move in with life so that you can’t ruminate on your fear

@Anonymous That’s good advice!! I’ve been trying to say I can wash later or schedule a later time to wash my hands, but doesn’t always work maybe with more practice.

@julebarrios23 Definitely more practice and practicing mindfulness. Really. When you turn from ruminating to thinking about what’s around you, what you see, and here…it really helps. Breathing exercises also really help and divert attention well.