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I was at work the whole day and ate before going but now im back home and I haven't eaten in 6 hours, I feel so dizzy and my heart is beating super fast. Does anyone else also get this? My eyes are really blurry too. Is it diabetes? I'm very scared

Hi everyone. So tomorrow is my birthday. Unfortunately, I’m not the biggest fan of my birthday but would love some advice on how to go about it! I’ve been okay over the last few months and am nervous about everyone expecting me to feel happy and excited tomorrow. This pressure sort of ruins it for me because it’s unauthentic and I’m in my head about their expectations instead of enjoying the moment. I always want to have the perfect day or everything go right but I’ve started to avoid planning anything because my mood can be pretty unpredictable. For example, I really want to wear this all black outfit tomorrow but I may get to tomorrow and no longer be in the mood to wear it. This is so annoying but it happens. I never really hear other people share similar frustrations about things like this. It’s what I wanted but then I put it on and it doesn’t feel right or I don’t look how I want to look in that moment anymore. It’s incredibly frustrating. I could have an endless amount of questions over what I want to wear, how I feel when I’m wearing it, if I appear to others the way I want to be appearing to them, etc. It’s like I want to be wearing the perfect outfit but I still could be and I could look the mirror and feel wrong about it. Anyway, I just want to have a good day tomorrow. I’m sad because I don’t have anything planned. However, I find spontaneous moments the most enjoyable. I’m sort of stuck. I’m sorry this isn’t super ocd related but I know I’m overthinking it so much. I feel like from the moment I wake up, I’m going to be thinking about how others are thinking about me. I could find something wrong with every outcome of what could happen tomorrow. Lately, I’ve just been more sad, anxious, quiet, and slow. I’m already exhausted by the idea of getting all these sweet texts and calls from people while I might not be feeling my best. Ironically, messages like this make me feel more alone because of how superficial the interactions feel while I’m silently just wanting comfort and peace in all the chaos and overwhelm I’m feeling. There’s little I hate more than masking and pretending and it’s the last thing I want to do on my birthday. I’d honestly appreciate any thoughts or ideas. Thanks for patience in reading all this. Thanks guy. Happy holidays 🫶🏼🫶🏼

It’s been a few weeks since I’ve been on this app and I just wanted to give an update! I’ve been experiencing OCD for roughly 2 years and it’s been a revolving door of obsessions. I had been to therapy once and it seemed to help for a few months until October of this year when I had one of the worst breakdowns of my life stemming from one of the worst thoughts/urges I had ever had. I couldn’t eat, sleep or focus for almost an entire month and it was unbearable! Since mid-November, I’ve been going to one on one therapy and I’m currently on Lexapro (the lowest dosage available). At first, I had increased anxiety and it was very hard for me to function. I can say now that my body is starting to make the turn! I’m eating & sleeping very well now but the only thing that’s getting me is that I’m still having those lingering thoughts! One thing that has kept me ground is remembering that the thoughts & urges I’m having will pass and they don’t last. I’m in a way better position than I was months ago. Stay strong!! (Question: who else experiences unwanted thoughts but doesn’t feel anxiety about the thought? What do you do in that instance?)

Having one of those incredibly intense anxiety days where that voice in my head just wants to give up. I need to work, and have a busy day tomorrow. Just need a little encouragement as I am on the verge of tears. I know it’s just anxiety and thoughts, but man is it hard to manage on these days.

What's the best way to gradually move my sleep schedule to an earlier time until I get it to a point where I sleep in fairly early and wake up early to see the sun? I don't like sleeping at 4 or 5 in the morning. I also have sleep anxiety whenever I lose confidence in my ability to sleep. What should I do? Anyone?

Hi everyone! I’m new to NOCD and OCD as a whole. I started therapy with NOCD this week. As of 3 weeks ago, I learned that most of what I’ve been struggling with the last year (possibly longer to a lesser degree) has been OCD. I have a question about how you all experience OCD and if there can even be varying experiences. Since February, I’ve been experiencing what I’ve called “episodes.” (I learned recently that OCD actually has another term for it, called flare-ups.) Basically, I’ve been having these episodes of intense physical sensations, extreme looping thoughts, and just feeling/thinking things that I normally do not. My episodes have been based on one or more themes (sensorimotor, health/mental health, harm, to name a few.) They’ve been so severe that I can’t work when I’m in them. They’ve lasted from a week to about a month or two. My last one was 3 weeks ago and that’s what made me join NOCD. Since learning that what I’ve been experiencing is OCD, I actually have felt a lot of relief just knowing there’s a name for it. I haven’t had an episode since learning about it. I know it’s still only been 3 weeks since my last one, but feeling this type of relief has me a bit leery. Maybe I am not that educated in it yet, but is it normal for OCD to come and go or is it something you experience 24/7? What do you work on with your therapists when you’re not actively in an episode?

Considering not posting because looking at my feed and it looks like a lot of people are struggling right now. My mind is telling me that I caused this because when I first got onto the app a month or two ago my feed was a lot of wins and overcoming, then I posted about struggle a few times and now it’s all struggle. And sure, maybe I did do that. And maybe I didn’t. regardless, what I’m ACTUALLY coming here for is a question and maybe seeking a little support/knowledge (if anyone has it in them—maybe it’s the holidays too? I know they can be so hard for many.) Sometimes, not very often, but sometimes I have these thoughts that absolutely fill me with horror and dread. It’s usually about something that is a big fear of mine, and I’ll have a thought or cluster of thoughts and then something in me will shift from “what if” to “this is definitely real and imminent.” I think I know the answer, but is that OCD? Because often times the what ifs can be easy to ignore, because I don’t know, but then my mind comes up with all of this “evidence” followed by a gut or bodily sensation, and that combo tells me the I’m basically (correctly) predicting the future. What happened tonight was a new level of worrying about my brother and his family. I worry about my brother having ptsd and the ‘what if’ he doesn’t treat it or what if it gets worse and we “lose him” (psychologically) and then how that will affect me and his family and our family and then I decide I need to go into a career in therapy so I can handle it or prevent it even, and since I’m directionless and careerless now anyway and interested in that as a career and he does genuinely have PTSD, why not do this? So I guess…why not do this? Is it wrong to make a decision like this? Is this ocd, and if it is, what’s the nuance where ocd and real logic and common sense overlap? I realize this is something I should bring to my therapist, and I will, but this community has been really helpful in just providing comfort and support through shared experience. And now…I just realized this is post is probably a compulsion, what I’m doing right now. The dread and horror felt so bad that I came here because it absolutely does make me feel better and sitting with it felt unbearable. And now posting feels wrong, because I do feel better lol But I still want the advice and, now, maybe an objective view on if it seems like I’m currently posting an ocd cycle in real time. This is hard.

18+ Help now I actually feel like a p and I feel upset because why would I laugh I had a conversation with my brother we were being silly I said he was Tarzan long lost brother then made a comment saying he’s probably going to peel the banana with his feet I looked at him in the eyes I felt like he thought I was being inappropriate his friend wanted to tell me jokes and joked about deez nutz or my brother going to his nutz I think he made inappropriate jokes and I laughed like nothing

I'm in the middle of exams rn and my ocd get worse. Usually when I'm in this kind of triggering situation i am able to rake a step back and take some time relaxing, but well now i only have time for studying and i shoud stay this way for a week at least, but ocd is making it much more difficult. It forces me to reread things over and over and convinces me that i need to fix something about a particular text, but i don't get what, to the point of crying out of frustration because i can't move on to he next task until i fix this text and i'm not sure how to do so. If you have any tips for making it better, ideally in the moment, if it's breathing exercises that help you or something else, please tell.

18+ UPDATE: This is my first post of the day so please take that context in mind... I'm genuinely feel so triggered and anxious... I'm gonna go to sleep right now, but I genuinely dont think I'll be able to ever be able to look my friends and family in the eye if this is true... ive been holding in the compulsions today all day... but right now its genuinely terrifying me... i have a girlfriend now and i dont want to lose her... Oh dear god... I dont know... but I think my worst fears came true... I think I unknowingly ERP'ed with a minor on an 18+ discord server 5 years ago... they currently are on Astralspiff's discord, having been there since 2023, and have switched their username, with a chicken emoji as their bio... they also switched their profile picture from Nana Osaki to a fan art of Kasame Teto... its making me think that these three things are certainties that she was a minor on the 18+ sexual server... and that I ERP'ed with her not knowing this... Im genuinely feeling shocked and sick to my stomach right now... they don't have their age listed on discord or anything, but they joined 5 years ago and it was 4 years ago that we ERP'ed... god I feel disgusted and horrified right now... someone talk to me... please.... in the past, I have been catfished by a man pretending to be a woman, had a minor on a dating app who lied about her age and i unknowingly flirted with her because I assumed she was 18+ and her bio said so, and sent an 18+ pic to a "woman" online who now I suspect of being a catfish... this is the reason why I'm so scared of whether or not I unknowingly inappropriately chatted with a minor without knowing... it genuinely scares me... Its making me think that I unknowingly inappropriately chatted with a minor in the past without knowing and it genuinely triggers me... I have tried to go back through most 18+ online interactions ive had with women online to make sure they didnt lie or they confirmed their age... i have two situations on discord that trigger me that ive posted about in the past... and a couple have deleted their discords so thats triggering me really bad... most who deleted their discords were verified but still... why delete your discord, you know...? for context i was on 18+ explicit discord servers meant for sex that you cant just join regularly on iPhone due to it being for adults only... Ive also been to a website dedicated to adult 18+ literature... they also have an 18+ chat room where you can talk to other users... i know ive made stupid mistakes going on here... i wont deny that... and now im paying for it with the uncertainty... veterans of the site, who have been on there for over 9 years, have told me that the chances of a minor lying about their age and coming onto the chat portion of the website are rare... but it still triggers me all the same... Im scared of someone one day in the future accusing me of doing horrible things like unknowingly inappropriately messaging minors, or have my worst fears of unknowingly explicitly messaging a minor confirmed to have happened and I didnt know about it...

I want to beat ocd because I feel like ocd is stopping me from growing and making my life better and I over think to much and I just want to make my life better over all and not only do I over think I always try to be perfect by trying to cover up things while I still haven’t healed it so it’s kinda like there being a whole in a wall and you paint over it yea it looks better but its still the same and is still a problem. And I’m Christian just that I feel like I don’t pay attention to it enough and I’m scared something bad will happen to me if I don’t

(EDIT: Just to clarify; i don’t currently have a therapist through NOCD, this was in person where I live.) Has anybody had a really bad therapist experience that made your OCD symptoms worse? I’m in the middle of a horrible flare up of ROCD, and my therapist who helped me find out I have OCD left last month. I had an appointment with my new one today, which I was looking forward to. I go to the appointment, and the first thing she tells me is, “you’ve been in therapy quite a long time… what exactly is it that you’re looking to happen?” and just something about her phrasing felt odd. She said, “I’m just unsure what to do with you, help me get a better understanding.” So I tell her I want help managing my OCD, and I very quickly open up about my ROCD because i was dying to externalize it. Very quickly I also start crying, she said she isn’t used to people crying in the first session, that ut usually happens after a couple. After explaining that I don’t want to break up with my boyfriend but I’m fixated on persistent intrusive thoughts, she gives me a funny look and says she’s never heard of ROCD before, that that sounds like anxiety or self sabotage. I told her that ROCD is categorized by constant rumination, googling genuine doubts vs anxiety, checking feelings, etc. She said, “Oh, so you always do that when relationships are ending?” Hearing the phrase relationship ending triggered me and really fed my OCD’s voice, because I don’t want this relationship to end. She then asks if I have any other things I focus on and I told her I have health OCD and explained to her the constant googling of symptoms. She said, “you’re a teacher, surely you know not everything you see on google is accurate. That seems like it’s making you more anxious.” I said that I know that but I can’t make myself stop when I get anxious. All in all it was just awful, and really made me question everything.

I’m really struggling today with guilt over thoughts of finding someone attractive. I was trying to expose myself and when I looked at the person I had the thoughts and felt like I was attracted to them. I couldn’t get it out of my head. It felt like real attraction but then I feel so anxious and guilty and tell myself it’s just ocd. If it is real attraction I want to accept that but if not I want to beat the ocd. I just want to confess to my wife but that would be triggering to her. I’m at a loss

Loneliness can be common this time of year, even when you’re surrounded by people. OCD often adds another layer to that—which is why community is so important. This thread is a place to share words of encouragement with each other, because knowing that someone else sees you and understands can mean a lot. 💌 If you feel up to it, leave a supportive message for others who might be struggling, or share something that’s helped you get through hard days. 🫂 And if you’re having a difficult time right now, feel free to share what’s on your mind. You’re among people who get it, and you're welcome to show up exactly as you are. This community is here for you.

my parents have bought for me some really expensive things and i feel so very guilty and spoiled and like the worst person in the world. i feel like i don’t deserve it. and please don’t get me wrong, i am grateful, i really try to be as grateful as possible but this feeling of guilt is eating me alive and my brain tells me so much bad and kinda stupid things for example that i’m the very cause of all the world’s economical problems though rationality i kinda understand that this is impossible and untrue. please tell me what should i do? am i really a bad person for accepting all this gifts?

(This is for my fandom girlies/people and lovers and overall into fiction if there's any on this app) This isn't really a serious post or anything- I'm not stressed out about a certain thought at the current moment besides the usual OCD, (Which it better STAY that way ! 🥲) But for any yumeshippers/selfshippers out there- do you guys ever have OCD about it or no? If so how's your guy's experiences?

My girlfriend and I had been broken up for awhile now. Our timeline is kinda all over the place, but the last time we spoke was last January . So it’s almost been a year. I know emotions can be all over the place… one day you miss them , and the next you might not care as much. I recently been thinking about her and she’s been in my dreams. I also started a new job at the mall and I really like it there . There’s this guy that looks at me and I’ve been looking at him. He’s cute but im attracted to girls. He starts convos w/ me and he’s really nice and the last thing I wanna do is mess with him . He seems really genuine. He recently asked for my Instagram and we been talking a little but nothing crazy. I feel like he might like me and be interested and idk how to describe the feeling but it’s like I’m more confident around guys but when it comes to girls they make me nervous and my stomach gets butterflies. Idk for the longest time I didn’t wanna download tinder bc I felt guilty about moving on and I feel like I wasn’t ready to . I consider myself religious and I don’t wanna repeat the same mistakes I’ve made in the past. Not sure if it’s my ocd or god but it’s like something telling me not to explore my options. I’m also PMSING so I feel like my ocd is flaring up. I’ve been doing really good w/ being by myself and yes it is lonely sometimes but idk I feel like I wanna explore and have fun. Sometimes I get scared bc what if I fall for someone whether it be a women or a guy and I end up catching feelings? I think I’m scared to catch them bc I catch them fast. I don’t wanna long term. I want short term. I wanna be able to just explore and not have labels on anything. I’ve never done that but I noticed I like the attention people give me. The lust I think. But I don’t wanna disappoint god. Even texting this paragraph I’m getting teary eyed bc I don’t know what to do. Part of me wants to stop talking to that guy bc I feel like I’m leading him on. We both parked on the 3rd level at the mall and we were talking and I kept talking to him cuz I didn’t want the convo to end. Like I wanted him to ask for my Instagram and he did. This is what happens when I want to explore and see. When I’m just alone and to myself I’m fine. There’s also this stud (girl) who’s at the mall who works in the shoe department I have a crush on. Work crushes and just dating at work can lead to problems I feel like. So I’m already thinking about things that haven’t happened yet. Like what if I start talking to this guy and the I feel sum or what if her and I start talking and now I have a conflict? I mean obviously I wanna be open and honest and will be but I don’t wanna feel like I’m “for everybody.” You kno what I mean? I know I don’t want anything serious bc of OCD. OCD messed up my relationship and maybe that’s why I don’t want anything long term. Of course I have goals and wanna focus on work. Ugh I might just stop talking to everyone all together. I matched w/ someone on tinder too and on my bio I said “short term, nothing serious etc.” and she knows that. She said she’s willing to let it slide or something like that. But she hasn’t texted me back after I asked where she’s from. And listen maybe she’s busy or sleeping but I’m like is it a sign from god? I don’t wanna go backwards and repeat the same mistakes I’ve made in the past . I feel like it’s early to tell this guy everything. All he did was ask for my Instagram and said that when I’m free we can go get food and he’ll pay. But I feel bad for him paying. I might just end up paying for myself. Idk can someone help me? Maybe if I get a second or third opinion on what’s happening my kind will settle down. Not sure if this makes sense to anyone but hopefully someone can help me. Also side note, at first when the guy was bringing up food I wanted to say no because I didn’t wanna seem rude but I am kinda interested in going. I do feel sum but it’s not how I feel w/ girls if that makes sense. I don’t wanna put myself in a prison state… meaning I wanna be able to live my life and see what happens. But I wanna remain faithful and wanna remain obedient to god. He has helped me get to where I am today and I don’t want him to give up on me. And I don’t wanna not be able to hear him anymore.

My amazing girlfriend made some couple of questionable friends from work. We live in different states but have been trying to save up money to live together. Something that I wouldn’t bring up but is relevant to the situation is that my girlfriend is transgender and soon, her appearance from hormone therapy will take form and she’s thinking her grandma is going to kick her out. I’ve offered everything in my power to help her in case that happened, which she was very grateful for and we’ve tried to find an easier solution. Two of her coworkers who are in a relationship offered to get an apartment with her and share the expenses, which I was hesitant about especially since I wasn’t present, but I agreed that if it made the circumstances easier, then we can consider it. That all changed when my girlfriend went to the movies with those two friends, and they admitted to drinking & driving, took her out into a parking lot and did a drug deal WITHOUT informing her first, and then, had the audacity to talk about how they both had sex with a friend when they got drunk (after discussing drinking plans with my girlfriend.) They know she’s in a relationship with me, and my girlfriend was extremely uncomfortable and left and told me immediately. I’m furious, not at her, but just at the situation, and tried my best to not seem like I’m skeptical of her or anything. I’m furious that those two friends put her in that situation, but these are my girlfriend’s only friends in her area that accept her identity, however, I am absolutely certain that they are testing the waters to see if they can try to do something with her, which makes me and her uncomfortable. She said at the very least, she’s gonna set boundaries, or cut them off, but I feel like even if boundaries were set, I can’t feel comfortable with that anymore. Not because I think my girlfriend would cheat (even though my brain tries to get me scared about that), but because I feel as if those people will take advantage of her or try to do something. I just need advice to manage my emotions while still helping my girlfriend with this situation.

I think I might finally get out of this flare up soon. I’ve been absolutely terrified of having sexual images cause of my hormones making me anxious before my period. I got stuck creating images of myself to try to protect myself and they kept backfiring and I kept accidentally imagining things I didn’t want to. I’m wondering what to do about the guilt of having accidentally imagined things I didn’t mean to. It’s still my fault but what do I do? I’m hoping it doesn’t make me a bad person. I just was so scared.

Hey so, idk if this is ocd related or no but I just need support and help. I've been talking to a guy for like 2 or 3 weeks, he said he likes me a week in and we started flirting and basically almost getting official, planning valentine date and stuff. Then out of nowhere he says his ptsd got bad, we decided to take a break, my anxiety and ocd got bad thinking about hid past. Basically a lot happened and it was bit overwhelming. I crashed down, cried and well almost a month passed basically no talking. I just accepted we ain't a match and texted him to clear things and say I appreciate him but we just don't match. He just kinda said oki thanks, hope you take care and you can still text me as a friend with smiley faces. Now this kinda relieved me knowing he ain't hurt but also made me upset he didn't seem to care ad much as I did. I was crying almost every night because well I did genuinely really really like him (I'm demi, I don't date really and when I like someone I LOVE them). So I'm upset for once again having bigger emotions than someone and not seeming as important in someone's life, someone I thought loved me and told me they loved me like crazy couple weeks ago and how they want me in their life. And now he just saying oki bye like nothing. Yet I feel bad for feeling upset because idk if its valid? I always struggled understanding what emotions are appropriate when and I was always told I'm overreacting so now that I'm grown I don't trust myself and idk what I'd valid to feel rn. I'm kinda lost and sad and mad at him yet also at me for trusting someone once again. This kinda was my final blow and now even tho I have people who like me and even conffesed but I feel disgusted by a thought of trusting or flirting with anyone again or being close to them. I'm so hurt by everything. There's a whole other story where I got rejected and I'm still friends with him and that whole stuff still hurts too especially with him still constantly bringing up his ex yet nit getting much support from him. Idk I'm just so lost and unhappy with me falling for people so fast and hard while they don't seem to care. I want love where I feel safe and treasured but at the same time I wanna stay away from it so I'm just lonely and sad :[ Sorry if it was a mess