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TW POCD I’m really freaking out because I just had a random thought that I think was an intrusive thought I’m not entirely sure but it was soooooo disturbing! I had a thought about a family member that OCD likes to attack a lot. It was about my niece who’s staying with my family next week and I don’t think I’m going to be able to handle the intrusive thoughts. I really don’t. I’m already having them and she’s not even here. The intrusive thought was about going to a store that she likes to go to and in their Halloween section they have this green wig and I thought at first it would be hilarious and silly ya know but then I had a horrible thought that it would be “sexy” or “hot” if she wore it and now I’m very disgusted and freaked out. I’m just venting but I’m really upset now and I don’t know what to do. I’ve also struggled with when I have intrusive thoughts like that, that I actually feel like it’s real and I do actually think that but I know deep down it can’t be true because that’s just not who I am. I really care about my niece and would literally do anything to protect her and make sure she’s safe and try to be a good role model to her. OCD just really sucks man 😭💔

Holy Moly! As if unlocking a new theme, real event ocd, wasn’t hard enough, my body decided that today is the day to have a side effect from changing medication…anxiety 👍🥲. I am currently in my room trying to keep myself calm but good lord it isn’t working very well. As a few people on here have probably heard from me recently, I am struggling with some bad choices I made in the past (some in the recent past). For the life of me I can’t stop asking myself why I did that repeatedly. It wasn’t a mistake I made once and moved on. I don’t think I thought it was a big deal at the time ( which also concerns me because why would it not be a big deal back then). Plus some people mentioned the topic in question in their posts the last few days which has just sent even more alarms off in my head. Gosh I would do anything to go back and stop myself. More than anything I wish there was something I could do to make up for it. I am so scared it means something bad about me. I feel like such a horrible, sick person. Medication changes and new obsessions are such a horrible combination.

Has medication helped any of you ? I’m looking into it because I feel like I just can’t cope anymore everyday is a struggle for me to do anything with my kids or around the house cause I feel so trapped by my thoughts I really feel I could benefit from it.

Ok so I seriously need some help here: I haven’t received the help that I need but I have done a ton of research and have a great understanding of intrusive thoughts and what they do and do not say about us as a person. My themes have varied from POCD, HOCD and ROCD. I have been terrified of losing control, prison and anything in between. Lately, I have been hyper-focused on the story of Gabby Petito. Like I do somehow do that very thing to my significant other. Even though I have no “urge” to hurt them, or desire to, I somehow believe it is my intention and my capabilities. It’s tearing me apart. Due to all of this? I have contemplated suicide, I have had thoughts about not being around anymore. And yes, all my thoughts center around, “well How do I know for sure they don’t mean anything about my true self or my true intentions?” Any help would be appreciated, even if it’s reassurance at this point.

My therapist gives me exposure work to be done at home but I don't do them So when I told him,he gave me the option of pausing our sessions for now until I have the will and courage to get better and tbh I don't have the strength to face my fears I don't know what to do,should I continue the sessions even though they may not be beneficial as I'm not cooperating with him or should I gain strength and have the will to get better firat then resume the sessions? Would really appreciate your advice

One of the hardest things for me to accept is that maybe my brain is doing all of this to me and that none of it is real.

Guys idk. This doesn’t feel like ocd at all anymore. It’s not really thoughts today it’s feelings. And it feels like I want to. I can’t even get myself to argue. It feels natural. It’s like my ocd is gone and this is it.

Hey, I'm brand new here. I've been in therapy before for OCD and anxiety however my therapist seemed to get upset with me and my roadblocks. He did not seem to understand "just right" subtype and kept asking me questions to which I had no answers for because it simply did not apply. It was also extremely difficult to do exposure therapy because my OCD is embedded in daily routine and tasks. Having someone dump dirt on my floor was not going to elicit a flare because the interaction had been planned that day. I was blamed for not wanting to get better. I need someone that understands that "my rules" for how I live my life are in place simply because I do not know how to live without them - without I feel out of control and chaos and my brain just gets stuck for reasons I dont even understand but it's extremely discomforting and debilitating. Theres very little fear-base (ie: Im afraid I dont have my 3 cups of coffee, I will fall asleep spontaneously or If I dont check the curtains 3 times, the sun will burn a hole in my floor and set my house on fire) and more so rooted in a "just right" feeling which has ties to moralistic, perfectionistic, and affects relationships. It's more I check the curtains because it just doesnt feel right - or how do I know they are positioned "just right" if I dont? I religiously use my turn signal even when turning in and out of my own driveway because that's RIGHT. Sometimes it's a law that dictates it or moral code and other times for more Neutral things I've set my own "laws" in order to navigate the "gray" areas that I do realize are not normal or needed. However if I do not follow them or am unable to (ie: it's time to vaccum and my vaccum breaks), I shut down/meltdown and intensely feel anxiety and discomfort that's nearly unexplainable. I know logically if my vaccum is broken I can clean my refrigerator out instead or move onto another task but OCD illicits such strong anxiety and discomfort that it send my brain into crash mode. I know it's ridiculous but I cannot move on until the vaccum is fixed and I can continue the ORDER of routine. If it takes along time for the vaccum to be repaired, I might feel as if I have to "start all over again" instead of picking up where I left off...which is again, time consuming loop that causes very little accomplishments and things that do not have to be re-cleaned again to be re-cleaned in the specific order of my routine. I do hang onto items longer than needed and have a fear - based lack of spending I've been trying to work through. I have plans to purge my closets soon of clothing I've hung onto for over 10 years, but it sometimes is to the point where it affects my self care (Ie: I refuse to buy myself underwear because I am afraid to spend money even though my underwear is holey and barely held together. I cannot "afford" to buy food because what if I need the money for a bill?") - this has been easier to identify and work through but I'm still recovering. I also obsess over the past concerning familial childhood relationships have an abandonment root for me. I repeat myself verbally and written word when upset or when communicating with people and they often get annoyed - I believe it's because I never felt understood, valued or heard and I want to make certain they understand me clearly. When everything else falls apart I dive into answers online, medical, self help, history and stories....I look up facts, cases, ect ect and because theres always facts to learn it helps quench the extreme need for "just so" answers. But I tend to get lost and lose track of time. BUT "just so" root type has been extremely difficult to treat and function with. I end up feeling like I'm failing, I hold guilt for not being able to take care of my family and things "normal" people can handle or accomplish. I'm frustrated with myself but I also know my family is frustrated with me. I get irritable and shut down and can accomplish anything when I get roadblocked...its like my brain cannot compute how to navigate without the exact order and routine. My inners feel like a 3 year old is temper tantruming uncontrollably inside of me and its extremely distressing. I want help. I just need to know I'm not alone and I'm in the right place with people who understand the subtypes and MY specific OCD. I cannot go through getting blamed again for not trying hard enough by a therapist when I am fighting with everything I am every day and I am exhausted. I'm here now because my quality of life has been greatly diminished amidst transitions in life right now and change in familial dynamic that's prevented my normal routine and sent me into chaos. It's going on 4 months and I thought I could navigate it with time, but it's not gotten any better and I need help to get my life back on track on way or another. Thank you for getting this far if you have. Advice, comments, thoughts welcome.

Misdiagnosis is a huge problem and barrier to receiving the right treatment. Who else out there has been misdiagnosed?

Having a bad day today. Started ERP Monday. My anxiety has gone down whilst doing them but today I woke up with the compulsions going at full force. Going over conversations ober and over...listening to ERP and a voice saying no people dont think bad of you because it has been 2 years since you told them your thoughts..... I HATE this episode. I just wish I could realise that the two older people who I told my intrusive thoughts to about their grandaughter 2 years ago KNOW for sure it was OCD thoughts and nothing else. My mind is telling me all sorts.....I have never worried about what they thought for 2 years but now I do because they have fallen out with me over covid. I am listening to a loop tape which says 'do they think my OCD thoughts were real' and then another one that they think I am a 'p'. I feel like giving up. Please if anyone else has had this type of OCD thought of what people think of you PLEASE could you tell me how you got over it? I am just sooooo anxious today. Is this because I have been doing ERP all week? I cant do this anymore. I wanted a peer support but still havent got one...... i dont know how much more of this i can take, honestly xx

Can ocd cause psychosis?

Hi everyone! I’m new to this and also new to OCD and my fear. A few months ago I was triggered and developed an intense fear around developing schizophrenia. It got so bad but I didn’t know it was ocd until only a few days ago and I started seeing a therapist that I found on this app. She wanted me to start doing the exposures and I was like “oh I can do this, piece of cake!” Yeah NOT!! So one of my exposures was to google about it (which is what initially caused me to be triggered and spiral in the first place a few months ago) and now I’m so worked up and questioning that how can this be healthy for me to constantly expose myself to my fear? Like it’s terrifying!! Does anyone else have this fear? I feel so alone with it and don’t know how to talk about it without being labeled “crazy” which of course is my biggest fear 😭 I’m not necessarily looking for reassurance (at least I don’t think I am) but more support on how do I get through these exposures when I think they are hurting me more than helping me.

I need some advice. How do I tell my boy best friend that I don’t want to go out with him at lunch. He is CONSTANTLY nagging me to go out with him at lunch, and since he has told me how much he likes me, I’m just very uncomfortable around him because I have rocd and can’t date him. I am also very uncomfortable because of how flirty he was being toward me, and I just don’t do good with flirting. I just don’t want to go out for lunch with him, but I’m worried he’ll get upset because he can get a bit sensitive. He knows about my ocd, he just doesn’t get it. Being around him lately has caused me a lot of anxiety, and discomfort, and I don’t know why. I just don’t want him to think that I don’t want to be his friend, because I do. I just need time to process this whole thing, and I think I might need to do that away from him. It doesn’t mean I want to end our friendship, I just think I need to gather my thoughts and figure out how to go about our friendship. Any advice as to how to go about this, I will take anything I can get. Thank you very much guys!

How can I overcome porn addiction? I have soocd and I'm addicted to lesbian porn

Meditation has decreased my OCD by upto 70-80% in just 10 days. I suffer from Harm OCD. I have had depressive episodes of OCD where I couldn't even have the energy to walk. Been meditating since 10 days and the result have been more profound then I ever anticipated. My rumination has decreased by 90%. When I used to get intrusive thoughts, I would get totally consumed by them but now it feels like I am floating above them. The anxiety is still there but this time it feels more like I can observe it from above and eventually it dissipates. I have also been happier than I was even before I got diagnosed with OCD. But please, if you want to meditate don't start meditating with the intent of getting rid of OCD because with that thinking you won't. Meditation should be done for the meditation itself. Just like when you listen to music, the music itself is the point and not the end or the beginning. You need to have more meaning to it. For me, meditation was more about leading a spiritual life and on the path of experiencing enlightenment. If you are meditating to remain healthy, I am sorry, that's not how it works. Meditation is not a pill you take to get healthy and become happier, they are the by product of it. Like I said, don't meditate with the intent of getting anything out of it. This is why, spirituality gives more meaning to the meditation. I can suggest you some sources to get started if you're interested. But please do take care of the above. This may not 100% gurantee you will be able to decrease your OCD but I believe that it will and only if you understand the above and commit to doing it. Ah... It's a relief indeed! Meditation has transformed my mind. Don't mean to exaggerate but I know, I can feel how much of an impact it made. Being able to concentrate on task without having to ruminate on these thoughts has been the greatest feeling of relief. “To remain stable is to refrain from trying to separate yourself from a pain because you know that you cannot. Running away from fear is fear, fighting pain is pain, trying to be brave is being scared. If the mind is in pain, the mind is pain. The thinker has no other form than his thought. There is no escape.” - Alan Watts

MOTIVATION/QUESTION: There is sooo much reassurance seeking and really triggering stuff that gets posted here, and I was hoping to remind myself and us that we ALL know seeking reassurance does NOT help long term. Does anyone agree with me about this? We’re all in this together and we can get through it but I’m trying as hard as i can not to seek reassurance. I hardly go on the community board here anymore because it seems like everyone posting is asking for it in one way or another. “Am I this? Am I going to do that?” Today I’m going to resist the urge to seek reassurance. Who’s with me?

Can ocd fake clarity moments? I woke up this morning and i felt like myself and I looked at him and felt nothing and it was like I came to terms that I don’t love him. It felt like clarity and natural. But then I began to get really nervous and crying saying that can’t be true but I feel like it is. Because im back to being calm and that’s lingering

Hey guys, any feedback on meds would be helpful. I’m currently 9 months pregnant, have been taking Zoloft 200mg for 4 weeks. I know you have to take it for at least 6 weeks or it’s considered a failed trial. Still struggling a bit and want to go up after 6 weeks or switch to a different med. What meds have you guys had luck with? I did Prozac 40mg pre-pregnancy but it didn’t work during pregnancy and they couldn’t safely increase it. Baby should be here in 4 weeks so I can try other things after that as well.

Somebody please reply to me. I need to talk to someone right now. I saw a small kid and I thought that kid was handsome. Then I suddenly had a thought like that kid is totally my type. Why did I think like that. Am I a pedophile now? What should I do?

So I’m incredibly anxious as I’m going back home today after being with my partner for a week. I think for me going home is always a trigger because that’s where I had my panic attack that began this all. I’m often alone with a lot of free time at home, which can mean my brain goes into rumination & intrusive thought city and I can feel pretty out of control. If anyone has any tips or suggestions for how they manage their ROCD, when they know their about to enter an environment that is highly triggering I’d be massively grateful. I’ve already completed my morning meditation, I spoke to my Doctor yesterday about everything for the first time I’m really proud of myself for being afraid but taking steps to get the help I need. But I am feeling really anxious & fearful, as I’ve been doing pretty okay whilst I’ve been here.