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I am 19 years old and Latino . I am also gay and live with strict conservative catholic parents. A while back when I came terms with ocd and had the realization, I decided to open up to my parents about my mental health. Let’s just say things didn’t turn out as expected , both unfortunately didn’t believe me . Also, theh believed it had to do with me being on my phone too much that I wanna believe anything I see . Neither of em wanted to listen to me . Mom said she’s sees me just fine . It was so deliberating and everything felt so collapsing because I felt anxious to tell them ebeytjjng about it , but they didn’t want to hear . So, ever since I haven’t mentioned it to them considering that . Over the past couple of months , they haven’t been so strict on me for things I didn’t want to join in on. She’s very pressuring srill about going to church and her religion. I do believe in God, but I do not interpret God way they do. I believe God loves me even if I’m gay. They will not ever accept me if I come out and I feel so alone because not only do I have to hide myself, but I have to live with this mental disorder they don’t believe of and/or know of and think I’m simply being lazy . I just want boundaries - they can treat me and view me as a child still🤷🏾‍♂️I want to become an independent adult . My goal rn is to get my drivers license and buy my car. But I literally know notning bout adult life . I am nervous, scared , worried...I do not want to rely on my parenrts all time and live with them . Everything is so hard rnn. Ocd is the one factor to all my problems .

Has anybody else became someone totally different after your ocd experience? I miss the old me but some parts of me have changed for the better

I'm too scared to start meds because of sides effects and the fact that most people experience a relapse after a couple months of stopping.... Your brain literally comes back to what you were before the meds so what's the point? More than 50% who start SSRIs need to keep taking them forever. Has anyone recovered without meds? Or natural remedies? I believe in science and doctors, but the risks are wayyyy too scary.

This is embarrassing to wrote but I will write it because I feel better after writing about my ocd. So school starts tomorrow and I've been feeling afraid that a thought will ruin it for me. But thoughts and feelings don't bother me anymore...actions do. Most of my themes if not all of them had been about my crush and a family member (sexual theme). I was walking past the bathroom today and my mom was there cuz it's in her room, I inhaled air and now I think what if i did that cuz i wanted to smell...pee. I panicked even tho my back was facing the bathroom and that I had themes about this and so I hold my breath around bathrooms. I still thought that maybe I did cuz I had a thought related to my mom and my crush and me and that I liked it. Then now my mom was sitting next to me and was showing me a funny video on her phone and I was facing her leg and I inhaled...thinking maybe I did cuz it's her private part. And then I stood and my back was facing her and I thought what if I did that on purpose to show her and that again it's related to my crush. Even now I'm still sitting in the same place and I inhaled air thinking that she as sifting next to me and that I would smell it and my brain is telling me I got closer to her place but Ik I didn't. Am I crazy? I think I'm crazy.

i’m okay now my soocd is calming down and i just accept that they are thoughts i remember when i was so bad and i’m happy i can look back and say that i’m okay

I’m so scared my partner is cheating on me. I just want to give up :(

I am just so sick of the anxiety. Sick of being afraid of trying medication that could help me. Wish I could just snap my fingers and not fear side effects and just take it. I want to be myself again.

Oh guys, the worst has happened and I simply cannot wrap my head around it. My bf has depression and has been pushing me away for a few weeks (even months) and he finally broke down. He broke up with me and says he needs to focus on himself in order to get better. He says he still loves me but he is not in love with himself, life or anything anymore and can’t give himself to the relationship. I feel like I’m dying. Slowly and painfully.

HELLO! EYES HERE! IT MIGHT HELP. My previous posts here were horrible just results of me drowning with my own feelings. (I don't know if yall remember my previous posts) BTW, I'M 2 WEEKS FREE FROM MY OCD!!! ❤ I'm so so so tired and mad of my ocd & anxiety and it just happened that one night I said to myself enough is enough!! my rumination and compulsion was never a help after all, it never answered my continuous problem solving in my head it just giving me more anxiety. That's why I said to myself "okay I will accept the worst case scenario eventhough it is hard to accept it but I don't care anymore! Past is past!!! I'm not my past. I have my good values today. Today is what most important not the past. Eventhough I did terrible things in the past (that I already repent numerous times) some things maybe I don't remember that I actually did (besides I'm not supposed to remember everything) what matters are my actions today (always choose to do whats right) (and I know to myself that I'm a good person today and will forever be! Plus I don't need anyone's validation with regards to my whole being!) AND I REALIZED THAT WE ARE NOT DESIGNED TO REPENT FOREVER. So my fellow ocd strugglers, ACCEPTANCE IS REALLY THE KEY it was really hard at first but pls TRY because at the end of the day the only true friend we have is ourselves. There are still times that I feel uncomfortable but I try to sit with it and accept that "its just ocd that tries to keep knocking on my door but hell no! I will not open my door for you anymore hah! 😝". We cannot change the past guys I wish we could but no, and we have to accept that. So the present moment is all that matters and we can control the TODAY so I suggest we better make the most out of it! ❤ Believe me, we can still live our lives the way we want to live our lives! Learn to forgive yourselves guys, move on and live with uncertainty. I PROMISE THESE ARE THE BEST THINGS I REALIZED DEEP IN MY HEART 2 WEEKS AGO 🥰 Feel free to ask me questions 🤗🤍

It’s a lovely Saturday afternoon where I am, so I’m open to questions about recovering from OCD once again! 🙏🏻 Not sure how long it’s been (2 weeks?) since my last Q&A but if you don’t know me or my posts, I’ve had almost all OCD themes and I’ve recovered from all of them.

I need a bit of advice. I struggle with really vivid thoughts (mental images, sounds, sensations) that just feel horrible in and of themselves. It goes to weird, surreal, disturbing places. So I’ve been trying mindfulness sessions where I just let my mind run wherever whether it be beautiful, strange, violent, sexual, blasphemous, boring, funny, cringe, interesting, ridiculous, plausible, etc. and just describing them neutrally. It’s hard to use standard ERP messaging with these because there’s no truth claims to these thoughts, and therefore no uncertainty, except occasionally when one feels like it’s true in the real world. In addition I do use the ERP message “There is a possibility that these thoughts will make me feel bad (anxious, disgusted, ashamed, etc.).” The idea is that I don’t push the thought away or fixate on it. I am also very sensitive to images and have been doing exposures with genitalia themed memes and just today with movie gore. I feel this might have been a mistake because it affected this mindfulness session and the thoughts were more violent than usual and I had a moment where a harm theme came back. I didn’t compulse, but I feel really off. Is there anything about this that is inadvisable or should I keep doing the exposures and the mindfulness sessions?

I was out with my girlfriend last night and got talking to a group of Dutch people. They were nice and bought drinks and we had fun I got too drunk and had to leave and as my girlfriend was leaving she hugged people goodbye and one guy grabbed her ass i don’t know if he meant it in a sexual way or what but I passed out so didn’t hear this until this morning My OCD brain now has this anger and anxiety swirling around in my head all day, I wish I could punch that guy because all my head is saying that I’m an idiot for being around them and that I look so stupid to my girlfriend! My heart has been Racing all day and the thoughts swirling. Am I overreacting in my head I’m never sure because of OCD tbh? Sorry for the rant just needed to get this out don’t want to say to my girlfriend incase it sounds psycho

Those of you that don’t have kids I envy you. But I hope that this illness doesn’t keep you from having ones of your own. Even now as I start to go into another ocd flare, I love my son so much and he brings me so much joy. I guess that’s why ocd latches onto this particular theme. I just hope things eventually get better.

Picked up my medication that was prescribed by my doctor for my anxiety. This is the second time this month I’ve picked up meds. First time was Prozac and hydroxyzine but after talking to my Dr she though lexapro would be better for my symptoms. I’ve tried NONE of them. Fear of side effects, fear of increased anxiety? Has kept me from even starting. But I’m noticing that even on days that I don’t have any anxiety or panic, it’s still kind of lurking under the surface waiting to poke it’s head out, or I am anticipating it. Or maybe I’ll wake up with “nervousness” that lingers throughout the day. That’s no way to live. I want to get past my fear and take the medication but just don’t know how. I was prescribed 5mg lexapro and Dr told me I could cut it in half and start there. I thought maybe I could even cut that in half and really begin super slowly just to get my system accustomed to it and maybe prevent or minimize side effects. Has anyone had any luck doing the same with the same dosage? I always feel like I’m looking over my shoulder for the anxiety. I get nervous of something happening because I’m alone (which adds to my fear).

Intrusive thoughts of looking up guys doing explicit things and it’s making me feel like I’m going to do it when I dont want to... 😞😞😞

My OCD causes me to be very slow. Slow to make decisions, slow to act, I often stutter and mess my words up because my brain just feels slow. I’ve been threatened to be fired at more than one job because I’m slow or I seem lazy(when I’m reality I’m just terrified a lot and have a hard time making decisions therefore doing things) I’m feeling really down on myself because of this lately. I’m sure others deal with this. Any advice? Thanks

Last few weeks have been pretty shit and has been making me nervous af. I live in Canada so yk Y. I want to get back to my old life before covid. I graduated highschool without being able to go to prom and I had to wait 7 months for my diploma. I didn't get a grad either. All of that was robbed by covid and the ridiculous things in place by our government. Covid also showed me that I wasn't your regular Dude. I realized that something was wrong up top, and that no one I knew thought the things I thought or even understood what I was talking about. I had to talk to psychiatrist and here I am. Besides all of that, like I said the last 2 weeks have been bad and I haven't been able to leave my house. I just haven't had the energy nor time. None of my friends have been calling me to see what's up. It's like none of them give a shit.

I am at the worst situation. My Rocd is back worse than ever. I had a period I fwlt slightly better and now it is like a monster back. I have benn having serious Rocd episodes all week long, I cry, yell, scream and live the thoughts like they are all true. Every thought leads to compulsions over and over again. I am waiting my period and spend time alone at home with baby so I feel.extra worried and lonely. I feel really negative insider me, like something has to be happening against me, like I am really lied betrayed. Any support would be helpful as I feel helpless, tortured and like the most miserable person. My husband tries to understand but he gets irritated for acusing him and yelling so he can just be there for me. Pleasee heeelp!!!!

Help- please reply I never post but I’ve had one of the worst triggers today. I suffer from POCD and have done so for years (15 years+) - varying degrees but especially bad in the last 2 years. I started therapy with NOCD a few months ago. My issue is I worry about micro-actions that aren’t easy for anyone to spot - for example I might be standing and then a c runs or walks past me and I have thoughts and urges and commands to move towards them- then I see or feel my body move slightly in the direction of what my mind has said or for a second it moves until I move it back and it makes me feel like my life is over because what I’m worried about has happened. Today I pushed the button for the lift and out of nowhere a c came past me and I got the thought to bend over towards them but I did slightly bend over and then froze in fear but I think the “freezing” happened after they passed me and Im worried by bending over slightly that they did touch me when they passed me - I felt certain in that moment and the anxiety and the doom and despair is too much to handle. It’s only later once the anxiety starts to settle that I can think “maybe this doesn’t matter” or “maybe nothing happened” as in the moment I feel a huge amount of distress and certainty. Then the distress, certainty, anxiety in those moment(s) are also evidence that it did happen. Does anyone relate to this? I feel so alone and so helpless and never seem to see these types of worries so if this sounds like you too please let me know.

Parents who struggle with pocd and/or harm-comment on this post. I’m feeling really isolated lately 😞