- Date posted
- 3y
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 3y
The signal that you’re interpreting is misinterpreted. It’s a distress signal, that makes you feel like you want it more, but in actuality it’s your brain wanting to “fight or flight” the scenario. It’s similar to if someone wanted to beat you up, you get a distress signal that you have to do something about it. Same thing happens here; not now it’s an abstract concept that isn’t even a real threat. In order to move past this you have to have this insight but also apply this insight. For example, I used to have groinal responses around children and it freaked me out and I would identify and create stories with them. Now I have a groinal response, and I don’t care. It’s just a sensation. I treat it like my arm itches. There’s nothing to do. And the response fades away. But when you freak out, you are reaffirming your ocd thought and basically giving the alarm to your brain to create stress response.
- Date posted
- 3y
Thank you for the reply. I also suffer with it around children and I hate it, even though I know what it is, it makes me upset. I think the problem is is that I don’t understand the details, like the ones you explained ^ I think I can only learn to cope with it if I actually know what I’m dealing with. So your reply was very helpful. I’m on the road to therapy luckily! :) so hopefully all goes well
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 3y
@philmitchellswag Yes. Studies show that people who gain more insight about the disease do better when they do treatment
- Date posted
- 3y
Sounds like getting the piercing could be a good exposure for you! Go along, do this thing because you've always wanted to, enjoy every minute of it and when the thoughts inevitably come, acknowledge them and let them be there but don't let them take away from the experience!
- Date posted
- 3y
With the shops thing, yesterday I waited until the time I knew would be least busy and resisted going earlier all day. This is because of this questioning. I know that I probably just wanted to go because I was getting annoyed and bored, and I’ve told so many other people on here that ocd preys on doubt, but when it comes to myself it’s difficult.
Related posts
- Date posted
- 19w
I’m struggling with something I’m afraid to even admit out loud. I’ve been in a long-term relationship with someone I love deeply. He’s kind, safe, and emotionally close to me — and we’ve built a life together. But I keep obsessing over the fact that I don’t feel much sexual attraction anymore. Or maybe… I never truly did? At the beginning, I felt butterflies, excitement, connection — and I assumed that meant I was also attracted to him physically. But now, after reading so much and reflecting more deeply, I’m starting to wonder if I ever truly felt sexual desire in the way I was “supposed to.” Maybe my feelings were more about emotional longing, comfort, and romantic closeness — but not sexual chemistry. And now I don’t know what that means. OCD makes it so much worse. It constantly tells me: – “If you really loved him, you’d want him.” – “You’re leading him on.” – “What if you’re lying to yourself?” – “If you try to fix this and fail, you’ll have to leave.” I feel stuck between wanting to fight for this relationship — and being terrified that trying will just prove it’s hopeless. Has anyone experienced something like this? Can OCD really make you question something so deeply personal? And how do you move forward when even trying feels terrifying? Any thoughts or support would mean the world right now.
- Date posted
- 17w
I need advice. I’ve had OCD in different forms since I was eight. I’ve been with my boyfriend for two years now. He has always been subtly anxious and jealous. He would say things like, “I find everyone but you ugly” or “I could never find anyone else attractive.” That stressed me out morally, especially since it’s our first relationship and I, of course, want to be good enough for him. It started around the three-month mark of our relationship. Now to the problem: When I see someone who is attractive or cute, it already begins. I start thinking—or rather, I don’t just think, I feel. I genuinely and naturally feel these emotions, like I find that person attractive, like I like them, like I want them. I even feel infatuated, like I want to be with them, spend time with them, be their partner, even sexual scenarios or feelings like I love them. These emotions feel so natural and real that I can’t tell the difference. With one person, I’ve had these feelings for over a year. But I only know most of these people by sight. It could be that I’ve fallen in love with the idea of them. That’s a big issue for me. It completely goes against my moral values. I don’t want this. For me, it would be terrible to have a crush on someone else, to like someone else, or to fall in love with another person. Or worse, to love someone else. Because I do love my partner, and I want a future with him. And I know the relationship wouldn’t survive if my fears came true. Even if he always tells me, ‘No, I wouldn’t break up with you,’ I couldn’t live with it myself. And the thing is, it’s not even such an unrealistic fear. It’s not like I’m afraid I want to kill someone or that I have feelings like that. No, this topic I’m dealing with involves real people. There are many people who suddenly fall for someone else, who develop a crush or even fall in love with another person. And I can’t reconcile that with myself. A year ago, I saw someone, and it hit me like a shock (I think in a negative way). Yes, he is attractive or cute. But in that moment, I felt so much fear, panic, and adrenaline because I felt and thought that I liked him more than my partner. When that happens, I start testing my feelings again. And of course, I feel exactly what I’m afraid of. I then constantly feel this pressure or burden, along with guilt. When I think about a scenario, or imagine the person, those feelings come immediately—followed by fear, panic, and guilt. Because of that, I avoid certain places, things, or even numbers because I’m afraid of being triggered. By now, I’m convinced these are my true feelings, because I just can’t imagine that OCD could produce such emotions, and for such a long time—sometimes over a year. I simply don’t want this. I just feel awful, like a monster. What should I do?
- Date posted
- 14w
Do you perhaps experience things like being so frustrated and numb because of how much your ocd drains you ? Then you are naturally caught up in a compulsion where you’re “physically testing” yourself to lets say something you watched years ago that is usually against your orientation?? If you know what I mean ? Even though you know you are (your own sexuality) and are in a very loving relationship and you really love your partner but does anyone experience this ?? And then they’re faced with more thoughts about how they’ve betrayed their partner and how their partner will leave and if you also struggle with scrupulosity ocd you feel like you’ve committed a huge sin and betrayed your faith ? Again I get all of this goes against values and that the human body may still react to things we naturally may be against but anyone still falls for the testing and then has this awful reaction afterwards? And does that really mean I betrayed my partner ?? Thank you so much for your time and I would really love your insights as this is something that popped up with me out of the blue …
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