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Please share some tricks how to reduce the intrusive thoughts.I really cannot afford a therapist right now, so please share some things your therapists have told you to do

Ok so I'm 21 and turn 22 in August. Btw this might be a lil bit of a read but it'll be nice tho. So I have diagnosed Anxiety, CPTSD, and Bipolar 1 disorder. About a month and like 2 weeks ago I started having some really taboo intrusive thoughts. I've always been highly aware of myself and so searched up "Sexual intrusive thoughts" on Google. No wait before that I searched if intrusive thoughts were a symptom of Bipolar disorder. I came across a lot of articles about Bipolar OCD comorbidity. Basically a lot of people with bipolar are more likely to have OCD. I was like "wait what?? OCD?!? On whooooo??" Mind you I was thinking of the stereotypical OCD you see in movies. I was just thinking I don't have that so how? So in one of these articles it talked about the types of intrusive thoughts people with Bipolar OCD comorbidity can have and one of them were sexual and religious intrusive thoughts. I was blown away. I then searched "Sexual intrusive thoughts" on Google and realized holy shit I have OCD..oofie. I then went down the worm hole of obsessively searching all things OCD (which lol I found out was a compulsion searching and all) and realized I've had OCD for a while. Since I was a small tot for real for real. I've always had Pure OCD, but realized I have contamination OCD when it comes to being in and out of the shower, I used to but not anymore would always check if the stove switches were off. I've always thought about harm coming to my family and myself and would think up entire scenarios in my head for literally no reason. I obsessively think to the point where it physically tires me out. I get severe anxiety and literally will lose my asshole from just thinking to much. I've seen a lot of people comparing it to being trapped in your own head and it exactly how I feel. The things I hear, and see tend to trigger intrusive thoughts for me but especially the things I hear. I always thought noise cancelation headphones were for those with Autism but I find myself wishing I had a pair these days. I usually use music to drown out my thoughts and take me away from the world but once I stop listening all the thinking and thoughts come flooding back and I'm once again trapped in my own head. So yea idk. That's my sitch of a wation. If you relate or have feedback drop a comment. Also like share and sub to my YouTube channel. Hahaha nah jk I don't have a YouTube channel 😂 TL/Dr have a bunch of other mental stuff just realized I may have had OCD for the longest.

Hey everyone! I’m new here. I recently was diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety, Depression and OCD ( Mixed obsessional Thoughts and Acts). I always knew something was wrong since I was younger. I was afraid to die by a natural disaster and obsessed with the weather. I remember being terrified that I had Cancer and my mom had to take me to the doctor several times and the doctor ran tests on me to prove I was okay. Over the past few years, my anxiety and worry has skyrocketed. Recently, I’ve had so much worry that sent me into a rabbit hole of googling and finding answers for my random thoughts. I worry so much that I’ve done something wrong or hurt someone. I will worry about one thing, let it go and worry about something else. Some of my thoughts keep me in the house. I recently started therapy and it has been helpful.

Anyone else with SOOCD struggle with seeing an attractive person of the same sex? When I notice they are attractive I started getting shaky and nervous, and I’m scared that what if that means I’m attracted to them because they are an attractive person. Any tips?

I became concious of my OCD when experimenting with hallucenagenic drugs back in 2020 during covid and the lockdown (yeah, horrible idea). My anxiety spiked for what seemed like the entire year and I developed a panic disorder. I didn't know it was OCD at the time. I went to a psychiatrist and got diagnosed only with panic disorder. Eventually, I saw a therapist and was diagnosed with OCD, but I couldn't afford to continue seeing him. I also wasn't sure yet that it was true that I had it, or perhaps wasn't willing to accept it yet. My method of managing it for the past few years became to keep myself busy and not think about it. This year, I realized I was running from the fear when it brought me to my knees and made me feel the way I did in 2020. Now I'm here and ready to tackle this once and for all.

Here is all my symptoms that I have been experiencing: 15 years old - first symptoms playing Fortnite and when playing my brain will tell me “go pickaxe that tree, do it or you will lose the game” and if I attempt to leave it my brain will say “go back, you better go back, you better do it or you’ll lose” until I give in and do it 18 years old - symptoms worsen with obsessions (such as certain games or tv shows) and I start to worry excessively and asking for constant reassurance that things are the way I think they are (if people like me, if people think the way I think etc) Present day - much worse symptoms: Noise sensitivity with doors in rooms being open and I can hear TV extremely loud or when people are talking in huge groups around me so I got noise cancellation headphones because I became so unbearable I couldn’t study or focus in education or at home. Obsessions with order such as sorting figurines in order of colour or name for hours at a time and excessive leg bouncing and tapping on tables for hours at a time (sometimes I don’t even notice until someone point it out), zoning out or becoming hyperactive. Feeling of extreme boredom very quickly after finishing tasks and extreme irritability especially when things aren’t done my way or done incorrectly. I can read people very well before anyone else does and I pay attention to details no one else can. I also think more in depth that other people sometimes in a manipulative way (I wanted to win certain things so I would act and do certain things so ensure I would win or I would say things so people would do what I wanted) and the biggest symptom I’ve had longest is lack of empathy and emotions. Are these all related to OCD or is this something else?

I gave into a major compulsion after a major trigger. I haven’t done that in many months. My anxiety spiked because of a trigger. How do you forgive yourself? I feel like a failure. 😞

Is the anxiety still meant to be there? I have so much evidence and it feels like no matter how much erp, I can’t get past the facts and evidence I have from my past memories…. This is so scary, erp is so so hard. Reassurance is easier but sitting with the thought makes me feel like it’s real and I get lost in these thoughts and spiral. Isn’t it supposed to go away? This is why I hate erppppp

I had a significant severe agoraphobia relapse a month ago and have been on leave from work since. I have been staying with my family and have not gone home alone. I feel so defeated that at all my progress is gone. It’s been so hard to do ERP and back to being terrified and overly sensitized of everything. I’ve been so down and emotionally and physically drained. Anyone have any supportive comments or experience to share? Not much is talked about regarding agoraphobia here. (I do agoraphobia and OCD treatment at NOCD and this is not reflection of the treatment.)

Working on my issues w ocd related emetophobia. Does anyone else struggle with this? Any response prevention messages that work for you?

Why are all these different things being called some form of OCD? It looks like every issue under the sun is some kind of OCD. Can someone explain the common trait that makes all these things a type of OCD?

I had a hard day today with my mental compulsions, rehearsing and thinking about stuff between me and my boyfriend and brought something up I thought was important. What happens every time I do is that he gets annoyed because it’s a demeanor that is intense as a result of obsessing. I didn’t say anything mean, I know it could have been much much worse, and I stopped talking about it much more quickly than I’ve done previously with going on and on and on. It’s really hard though, I’m thinking about it more, and it’s another reinforcement that it really is the same every time when you think about something all day. I feel like I’m going down a rabbit hole now where I’m thinking about it more after the fact, feeling distress at the uncomfortable thoughts. How do I stop this?

I haven’t done anything wrong and I’ve been trying so hard the last few months to love myself and bring me up but every time one of my relationships has ended I’ve got the full force of the bad karma and they’ve always got the good. No matter the situation everything for me always goes wrong. And recently everything has been going right, it’s been so smooth it’s been great, until I found out my ex and his new gf broke up (there’s an entire situation with him and her being incredibly disrespectful to me and he left me basically for her) and I finally felt like for once the world was on my side. So I caught my friends up with the drama and now ever since talking about it I think I’ve brought bad karma on myself, irs made me laugh considering everything I went through, and I’ve not been laughing at him because I know how bad heartbreak is, I’ve been laughing and his and her stupidity and disrespect and how finally I’m no longer in their drama. But for some reason bad shit is happening to me again. This guy I’ve been speaking to very recently only a week and a bit has just suddenly blocked me on everything when I haven’t done anything wrong. He was calling me hot and fit and sexy and how I’m thinking oh, maybe I’m not any of those things. Am I actually ugly? Like have I been stupid this entire time thinking I am hot? I’m so stressed out now that I’m actually disgusting and that once again was being used for my body. I’ve gotta stop seeing people for a while, and I’ve learnt the red flags I’ve gotta change my way of dealing with men. I’m so done. So done. Is this my bad karma though? Am I overthinking it or like has me talking about the drama back home caused me to have some bad karma on myself I don’t know! I’m stressing out!

Hopefully the algorithm pins my previous post on the bottom, but my friend of 14 years has suddenly stopped talking to me completely. It’s caused me great distress and I cannot stop checking my phone and asking people for reassurance on this situation. I’ve had chest pains and headaches, and I feel sick to my stomach. I’ve done nothing to her. But since I started social media, she’s been ignoring me. My friends (and partner) all say to cut her off and that she’s trying to punish me out of jealousy bc of my recent looks (I’ve been told I’ve had a substantial glow up) and my success with art online (she’s a photographer). Birthdays were considered our traditional day to catch up, we never missed birthdays. She ignored me, but she DID post her other friends and a party on social media. Here are the texts I’ve sent in the past few days. At what point do I call it quits? Should I just block her? I cant even relax, this is on my mind constantly.

Why does it take so long for people to respond to others posts? Is there just not a lot of people on here to help or do they just not know about said subject like I said genuine question no hate intended

Anyone here with POCD with false memories? I need someone to talk to please

My SOOCD journey started around 2017 when my boyfriend and I broke up because I no longer wanted to be with him and remember thinking omg what if it’s because I’m a lesbian and I was dreaded with anxiety and fear. I kind of forget about it after that tbh. My partner and I got back together and I struggled to enjoy sex. I think because we had a friendship (originally ended on good terms) I found it hard to get back into a sexual relationship. Anyway cut long story short in 2020 during lockdown we weren’t having sex, I just had a really low sex drive and if I’m honest I think it was because we didn’t have a very good sex life, we didn’t explore one another etc and so I surpassed sex for a good few months and that’s when the intrusive thoughts started. I became so poorly, I lost almost two stone from stress and anxiety, I had panic attacks and if anything it brought me and my partner closer because I DID NOT WANT TO LOSE HIM AGAIN. This went on for a good 18 months, I was diagnosed by a NOCD therapist with OCD and I started to accept and do ERP. Around 2022 things started to really look up for me. It was like my life was getting back to normal. I got into my fitness, my partner and I were really enjoying sex, having it more frequently and we still are. We are in a very very very good place. I’m actually currently pregnant and we’re expecting our first bundle of joy. However the last few weeks I’ve had some thoughts again, dreams too but this time not as much with the anxiety. It’s really upsetting me because with the anxiety not being there it’s making me think am I enjoying them? Do I want to explore that? I’m very good with the uncertainty now and I always tell myself ‘Ahhh well you’ll never fully know so don’t stress yourself out’ kind of thing. I’m wondering if the surge of hormones has triggered it. I don’t know I just don’t want to go back into a spiral. I love him so much. He is my rock and my best friend. We have a great sex life but the dreams and thoughts are so frustrating.

this time it kind of feels like the fear is valid and that even after therapy i’m gonna believe the thoughts. because before they felt real but never felt as valid and truthful and the reasoning behind them never felt so real. damn bro it’s days like these where i sometimes feel like my old health ocd was paradise in comparison.. any other subtype i could deal with but this sucks booty and feels like the fear WILL come true.

is there anyone who can talk I really just need someone who can maybe leave some insight about the specific issue im having I'm so scared and everything is too vague and it's important