Has anyone ever used 5 HTP for OCD or other mental health issues? What was your experience like? Did you feel it helped? Are there any other remedies or medications you’ve found useful?
i have really really bad existential ocd and dpdr. today i had a frightening thought of “what if reality is fake/what if your in a coma” and even though i got a little scared i told myself “maybe, maybe not. it’d be kind of cool if i was imagining all of this” and went back to what i was doing and the anxiety didn’t build up like it normally does!!! one step closer to kicking ocd’s ass 💗
I had my worst panic attack maybe ever on Wednesday morning completely out of the blue (after a looong stretch without panic attacks) and since then I’ve been struggling to feel normal. I just feel very dissociated and brain foggy and I keep making stupid mistakes and forgetting things. Then my brain tells me that I’m finally losing it and that I’m a danger to everyone and I’m gonna start blacking out and doing bad things or saying awful things without thinking. I just feel like I can’t focus on anything and I’m SO painfully aware of it. So ironically I CAN focus on my lack of focus 😭
i don’t hear much about christian’s that face ocd and their struggles. recently my ocd about religion and existential questions have been HORRIBLE. i keep thinking about if reality is real, what happens after death, what if i’m not christian enough and go to hell, and also what if i died and this IS my hell. just irrational fears about it and i love jesus he’s been with me throughout every phase of my life and has shown me unconditional love as he does, but i feel like a terrible christian for doubting him. i also just feel like my ocd causes me to not be aware when i sun because i’m so scared of being a bad person i feel EVERYTHING that i do except for praising him is a sin. i’m so tired :(
It seems I can't help be be bothered by the thoughts rather then let them be and move on I really need to calm down and the flashbacks are not helping :(
Hello! I have “suffered” with existential ocd since 2021 lockdown, I am typing this message, to hopefully get a better idea on how to deal with this “disease”. If anyone could give me some tips to dealing with this, it would be greatly appreciated! Thanks L
As with any recovery you will probably have these and me right now I'm having it but I'm really noticing how less intense it is in comparison to previous ones I hope you all have a good day and speedy recovery no matter if you fully recover or partially recover :)
Keeping the post vague to avoid triggering content, but I seem to have a “battle” between the logical half of my brain, that is more accepting of existential topics, and the “fight or flight” part of my brain that just keeps triggering the anxiety anyway. Has anyone else had a similar experience and has medication helped this at all?
Recently during an ERP exercise I felt like a stronger than usual urge/anxiety to act on the intrusive thought. More so I’m just venting since it’s like I’ve done the exercises before and its been good but sometimes you may get an urge/thought that feels strong and it throws my mind into a loop on why I just had that image/urge and doubting how I feel or my thoughts. Has anyone else experienced this?
How did you find out that you have existential ocd?
i cant afford therapy but so desperately want to try and help myself. ocd has been with me for so long and i’ve had the longest ocd flare up i’ve ever had recently (it’s been really bad since january) so if anyone has any tips on how to help myself please share. 💗💗
ocd makes me feel so irritable
Does anyone have any tips when I’m experiencing this?
If anyone could provide some advice on this- I have this weird thing where when I’m home I feel okay and normal, when I’m away from home even if it’s only an hour away i experience really bad derealization. I feel this anxiety when im away from home where I am scared that im gonna snap or go crazy from my anxiety/derealization and I can’t go home right away since it’s my safe place. This upcoming weekend im gonna be almost 3 hours away from home w my friends for Memorial Day weekend. I am excited and I’ve done the trip before, but I am really nervous. I don’t like long drives & I know im gonna have waves of derealization, when im busying myself it’s fine. But it gets worse at night when im about to go to bed and im away from home, during the day it still lingers but not as intense. Im not sure why this happens or what to do, but I need some advice or tips before I go.
My mind has been improving although still defend strength intrusive thoughts I can feel the theme and my overall OCD falling apart as if it can't go on anymore of course that's no guarantee that I'll be fully over it soon or anything but I expect to continue to improve and maybe even fully recover within the next few weeks (given stories from people suffering my level of OCD issues) I wish you all to have a good day and to recover and also I will update you on better or worse when possible! :)
Did a ton of research related to root cause of OCD. May not be everyone’s preference and if meds help no shame —- but this is just what I found and what I’m motivated by to help me get better : . : 1. Neuroinflammation (all the rest are linked back to ) 2. Pandas 3. Dysbiosis 4. Heavy mental (aluminum mercury copper) 5 . diet sugar glutamate and gluten ) 6. Thyroid problems 7. SSRIS 8. Mold 9. Vitamin deficiencies B12 magnesium d
How do you manage thoughts about your ex
So last night I saw my boyfriend blocked an email , and me being toxic I unblocked it and texted it to see if I would be able to see a conversation, WHICH HE DIDN HAVE A CONVERSATION . But now I asked myself and I think I didn’t block it but I believe I did ! I’m sure of it but it’s tryna convince me that it wasn’t me .
Actually the last few days my Harm OCD has been really quiet. I have figured out a while ago a lot of my themes actually come put of a deep fear for death and I notice that my fear of death has become an obsession on its own. I spend a lot of time wandering about death and the meaning of life (basically existential OCD) however I find it really really hard to fight it. Before I know it I'm ruminating and can't get out of it because it's such a real fear that I know other people struggle with as well so it's harder than more irrational fears like harm OCD... anybody who's struggling with this and if so how do you practice ERP or do you have any other tips?
I already had cleaning, sexual, existential OCD and finally, when I thought everything was getting better, I started to have philosophical thoughts but that leave me deeply anguished, anxious and have led me to the feeling of panic. The thoughts are kind of weird too like for example “I am a whole individual unique person. I know I live in society but like there is the shared world and my internal world and whoa what a responsibility and like what a lonely experience, am I going to handle it?” And I also feel guilty and crazy and as if it would be easier to not have thoughts at all
how to stop constantly looking for reassurance other than the “maybe, maybe not” techniques :( it’s getting hard
Mental Compulsions are automatic? I’m letting them be and trying not to be judgmental and engage or have any sort of emotional reaction. Lots of hypothesizing , checking, comparing. It’s so sneaky . I try to disengage with it as soon as I realize. Will this go away over time? I feel like I’m doing something wrong.
since people with ocd basically have false alarms, how do we know when it’s something serious? like i have health concern really bad and i freak myself out, but what if the one time where i don’t and try to stop the compulsion it’s something serious?? how do i know it’s just my ocd messing with me or if it’s not??
I thought it was an anxiety disorder back in 2018 when I first got diagnosed ….
my biggest thing is reassurance. i come on this app all the time for reassurance. i feel like reality isn’t real and i’m in a coma or a dream and i’m isolated and alone. every time i see a coincidence which i’ve been seeing a lot i question reality and convince myself i’m making it up and i NEED reassurance or i’ll spiral. idk what to do. “maybe, maybe not” doesn’t really help me anymore. i feel so alone
So days where my intrusive thoughts won’t bug me as much or give me anxiety… I still have extreme anxiety… which makes me feel like a bad person, I have no motivation to do work, talk to anyone… everything seems fake. The anxiety is so high it pretty much forced myself to give me anxiety and give me urges to do something out my character. This is so hard… it’s been almost a month and no improvement. I feel hopeless. This happens everyday and I can’t seem to get out of the cycle. The anxiety causes me to get more sticky intrusive thoughts and it’s so weird confusing feeling.
I’ve had experiences over the course of my life that I now know are OCD. When I was 8, I became obsessed with hearing myself swallow. I felt like I was losing my mind and self to the obsession. I talked about it, went to the doctor, etc. and I have no memory of how it resolved. When the thought would enter my brain, years later, I was able to brush it off and remember that I had conquered the thought. When I was 13, I saw a horror movie that I found deeply disturbing. I obsessively replayed the images from the film in my mind over and over again. I started to lose sleep and disconnected from my friends and family. Eventually, I talked to my mom and we worked through the fears. When I was 21, I started to obsess about hell, eternity, existential questions, etc. It was a really dark time for me and I wasn’t suicidal, but definitely had a passive death wish. I was deeply disconnected from the world around me. This episode lasted for several months. I lost weight, I was barely functional, and I couldn’t take care of my daughter who was a year and a half old. I finally left that episode when life got so crazy that it distracted me from the obsession. Now, at 29, I’m having a terrible episode. It started with obsessing over stimulation theory, then moved to free will, then spiraled to not feeling real/questioning the reality of the world around me. I’m incredibly disconnected from my loved ones and my surroundings. I’m a teacher and I’m having a hard time doing my job and participating in my family. Here’s what I know for sure: this is going to pass AND it will come again. The thoughts have gotten scarier because life is scarier and the older I get the more things there are to consider. I’ve been living with the condition untreated and without therapy for 29 years. Now, at least I have the language to express what I’m feeling and I’ll be able to access treatment specific to my illness. Today isn’t a good day, but there will be better days ahead.
The impact this show has had on my mental health in hindsight is quite astounding
Hello everyone. I’m 25 years old and I suffer from OCD since I was 14. I do psychoanalysis and it already helped me a lot with health ocd, sexual ocd, clean ocd etc… I was a lot better. Well, my husband is a consultant and he began traveling for 3 days every week. This triggered me into existencial OCD. I already had some in the past about wanting to know the meaning of life, and I got much better with it. Well, now I’m suffering with the fear of being alone. And I start to have strange thoughts. What's bringing this feeling is a thought that I condemn and find strange but I don't even know how to formulate it properly, which is: "do I know how to be?" “Do I know how to be a person alone, individually? Will I be alone? What guarantees me that I won’t?” “How does everyone else handle the helplessness of being someone unique?” “Having that thought then makes me crazy?” It’s so hard. I would appreciate if anyone could say something to comfort me. I feel crazy, childish, unprepared and as if everyone else knows how to be a person and I don’t?
Recently I’ve Started to notice every time I drink coffee or anything high in caffeine, it makes my ocd a lot worse. Today hasn’t been great, I’ve been feeling incredibly anxious and overwhelmed.
I’m 24 gonna be 25 and never had a boyfriend in my life. This year before my OCD episode I was going to live my life and loose weight and get into dating. Now I gave harm ocd flare up and I feel so miserable. Back in college my ocd flared and asked for 4 years. I feel so miserable and a loser. I was doing so well by losing weight and this flare up happened out of the blue. Feel so hopeless and scared and anxious. Leaving the house is a struggle for me.
I’m actually so proud of myself because I was having a big OCD crisis after a long break, who was like my first one but also the worst one I had in my entire life. I almost had a panic attack, thought it was the start of the end again. Even if this started by a compulsion.. it’s the first time I’m facing the fear, accepting anxiety and giving me unconditional love. Even if it’s my very first win since years this show that all I learned was worth. Thanks NOCD for existing. And for anyone reading this: your patience and work will pay, before today I thought there will be no cure for me, no hope just struggle forever and I know it’s will NOT cure or make my obsessions go away forever. But I want to learn how to face my fears, and to let people who struggles like me to know that no matter what I love you and you deserve to love yourself too.
does anyone else feel like a different person when they’re in their OCD/anxiety and when they’re not? even if the thoughts are still there i just genuinely feel like a completely different person when i’m not functioning with high anxiety it’s so odd.
Does anyone have certain thoughts that comes along with certain music or like have a vivid imagination of scenarios that you want to happen in your head while listening to music ? Hard to explain I heard it can be considered maladaptive daydreaming
I’m scared that I’m starting to mix up my daydreams with reality. I’m overthinking a bunch and im scared that I’m going to mix up my dreams and daydreams with my reality. I know I sound irrational I just don’t know what to do.
Read this article and I’m confused ….. pls lmk and clarify someone https://psychcentral.com/schizophrenia/ocd-and-schizophrenia#:~:text=But%20while%20OCD%20doesn't,conditions%20involving%20psychosis%2C%20like%20schizophrenia.
okay so i’m about to have a breakdown and i’m really scared. after experiencing derealization a couple weeks ago i’ve been anxious about being in a dream or a coma and just not knowing it, and every time something is a coincidence it freaks me out. like if i’m thinking of a tv show and then i see something about it the same day, i feel like that’s a sign i’m in a dream or coma and making everything up on my own and especially recently i’ve been seeing a lot of coincidences happen and a lot of things related to comas and reality being fake are showing up around me. and now those fears are spiraling and making me question reality as a whole. i’m really scared and i just need some reassurance. i know i sound stupid. i feel stupid.
I’m getting triggered at a lot of NOCD posts here … relating to harm ocd and although I relate to a lot of you guys… I saw a post which i commented on and it really triggered me and now I’m feeling uneasy. I will still be back but I think we should also share our positive progress to give others home
I love seeing my therapist. He gives me such cringe worthy ERP homework, I’m learning that I can do hard things. Any time I tell him about my wins for the week he says: Great! Now we get to practice the opposite. Which always makes me sweat.
Can anyone share any positive stories here at NOCD relating to harm and suicide ocd? How has erp helped if most of your compulsions are mental? Constant fear of another urge happening?
Hi NOCD community! I have this “self sabotage” intrusive though, or maybe it’s a compulsions since I seem to be active in this process. Every time I hear of an exposure exercise with my therapist I have this sort of magical thinking that it will be the exposure that makes me feel a big difference in my symptom relief. Then I gotta let my inside Debbie Downer come out and say “No, this is goofy and you are negative and will always be, this will never stop”. Anyone dealing with these “self sabotage” thoughts? Sometimes they seem to be made purposefully by me even though it’s intrusive and I know I need to avoid talking to myself like this. It’s as if it’s some sort of compulsions I do when I am really feeling down and loosing hope, but try to motivate myself: then the “self sabotage” barges into the situation. It’s as if the logical me knows what he wants : to be happy and manage my OCD and Depression. But the “current” me is so used to negativity, pessimism, Harm thoughts, and depression that he will do everything to throw sticks in my wheels, demotivate me and discredit good things that I do. Any thoughts? Anyone living the same situation? Anyone with success stories to share?
Hello I am looking for a virtual ROCD support group. Does anyone know if one?
Does anybody have any advice when you experience depersonalization and derealization? I feel like it sometimes blends in with my existential OCD and my compulsions are mostly mental, although I think sometimes I use this as one & Nathan Peterson videos sometimes.
When I got my way into recovery, one of the things was to identify thoughts as “OCD thoughts “ But it was not long until I realised that I was making this into a compulsion! So I get a thought, I get anxious, and I say, “oh it’s just OCD “, then I expect it to go away, but it just won’t. The mistake I’m doing here is rather than stay with the anxiety and the thoughts, I want to make it go away (or control the thoughts) which is a compulsion in hiding You see the difference? Compulsion: Doing something to make your thoughts/anxiety go away. ERP: Doing an exercise to stay comfortable with your thoughts and emotions without wanting them to go away. The difference is subtle, but when you don’t know the difference, you end up in the rabbit hole, going round and round. Anyone else has this experience? Everyday with OCD seems to be a learning experience
does anybody ever get a stream of intrusive thoughts and then you try to just ignore them and then you just start spiraling. then you feel like you’re going crazy, and all the sudden you’re convinced that your going to loose control and go crazy. i don’t know if that made any sense but it’s a super scary feeling and i don’t know how to work myself out of those moments, all i want to do is just disappear or check myself into a mental hospital😭
I had a day where I was feeling so good that I thought to myself that surely something bad was coming my way because things don’t stay good for long and sure enough something happened that makes me feel like my world is crashing down on me. I had a friend once look at me and say “I am so happy, something bad must be coming” and we got into a terrible car accident the next day. I’m so scared to have bad thoughts because I feel like they’ll come true.
does anyone else’s intrusive thoughts push their way into everything you think about i am struggling
Sometimes I spiral because I feel so guilty even about the smallest things like not washing my hands before shaking someone’s hand. But I feel guilty about mostly everything I’ve done in life. And I feel like a terrible person all the time.
I am so fed up with these thoughts. Anyone gets existential OCD too?
Hi all! I did 2 months of intense ERP and I have felt great for the past few weeks. Not anxious at all really anymore and the thoughts have reduced/don’t bother me. I feel so happy and free again. So now, I am asking for those in recovery —- how do you make sure you stay well and don’t relapse? Any tips? Thanks! 😊
I’m so invested in helping others overcome this as Im in the process of overcoming. One thing that has helped me to so much is learning to recognize when it’s OCD/intrusive thoughts then mentally separating yourself from them!!! Hope this helps someone!!!
I’ve been out of work since December when my OCD just got the best of me. I still have my days and currently having a bout of anxiety but I’m excited to go back to work and feel it will be good for me to get back to normal. Any thoughts or advice for me!!
I’ve had DPDR for about 8 months now, it’s just terrifying. I know nothing is wrong with my brain. But I feel like a completely different person. I feel strange and unlike myself. I’m not interested in doing any of the things that bring me joy - travel, socializing, weekends out with friends. I feel like I’m stuck in a fog and living a completely different life than everyone else. The world feels 1 dimensional, unreal and uncomfortable. It’s very hard to verbalize but it’s like I haven’t felt calm in so long - my body is always scanning looking for danger, my thoughts, my environment, my body. I can’t focus on the things that I love because I feel just so unlike myself. I feel trapped in this state and am trying so hard to not do compulsions and focus on work, meeting friends. I’m moving out and far away from home in 2 months - I want to get back to a better place before I take this next step. My DPDR was so bad 6 months ago I thought I was permanently drugged. It’s gotten better but that sense of self, and being present in my body & reality is still not there. My brain is constantly telling me that nowhere in the world is safe because it all feels unreal and uncomfortable, if that makes sense. It’s left my completely grid locked in my own mind. How can you envision a happy future when you feel like you’re trapped in this experience that won’t end? The thoughts just keep coming, and the vicious cycle continues. It’s the same thoughts and feels day in and day out. I just want to get better. I just want to feel safe and secure again. I just want to feel like life is real and meaningful - I want to feel alive again. Everyone says the more you focus on DPDR the more it stays, but how else can I avoid it? It’s my experience for so many months, I don’t remember what feeling normal feels like.
*repost* i told my therapist that i personified my ocd and named it “Stephen,” and she suggested i draw him and include a list of his values. upon reflection i realized that he doesn’t really have any consistent values beyond being a total d*ck. i hope this can make someone laugh or offer some much needed perspective
some days I feel so dissociated and disconnected from the world that I feel like I can’t imagine doing anything like I can’t imagine the stuff I usually do or feeling right again like I get randomly weird feelings that I can’t explain into words I just feel odd ? And unfamiliar with everything and it makes me feel like the world is ending or something because I feel “ limited “
When I started therapy and medication management a year and a half ago, I was at absolute rock bottom. Suicidal from insomnia, intense mood swings, and severe anxiety. I’ve been working with psychiatrists and therapists for the past 10 years, even hospitalized for what was definitely existential OCD… and none of them ever spotted I had OCD! I recognized some of my symptoms on an instagram ad for NOCD… and boy am I glad I did! Not only does my life make sense now, I was able to get the help I needed… Instead of being treated for “delusions” and “bipolar disorder” I received non-benzo anti anxiety medication, and a whole lot of NOCD therapy. It’s amazing how quickly I’m able to spot OCD in my brain and stop it in its tracks. I used to ruminate and compulse all day about so many various topics, genuinely believing the thoughts. I also didn’t know about my diagnoses… so I felt so so very confused. Until now… be patient. Try different medications with therapy. and BLESS NOCD!!!!! I am free.
Healing started slowly but now I’m noticing the major progress I’ve made. After months of severe anxiety, grief, EOCD, and DPDR, I made a promise to myself to do whatever it takes to recover. I’ve been doing exposures and practicing acceptance and mindfulness every single day. Today I pushed myself out of my comfort zone to drive on the highway and take my mom on a surprise road trip and we had a wonderful day today. My rumination has gone down 90% and I am feeling alive again. Seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. Hang in there, recovery is always possible. Sending love. Also this is a pic I took today :)
I’m not here for reassurance I just want to ask people for advices for ERP for existential/solipsism OCD. So basically my intrusive thoughts are that I’m the only one real consciousness person and everything else is my imagination. Please for some advices.
Sending peace
i doubt religion and god everyday. i’ve been a christian my whole life and this is ruining me. the thoughts make my doubt and fears SO real. any tips?!
Hey all, hope you’re doing well in your OCD recovery! I’ve struggled with this a while and just started ERP about a month back. My focus is to attack this condition from all angles. For those that have recovered or are recovering what other things helped in addition to ERP? Any natural supplements/vitamins/pills? Any other exercises? I’ve heard of things like 5-htp and Zoloft. I’m not opposed to prescriptions but rather start with ERP and natural remedies. Probably doesn’t make a difference but I’ve tagged my subtypes. Praying and hoping for the best for all of us on this journey!
Acceptance is not agreement. Acceptance is allowance. Allowance allows thoughts to flow without judgement and you’ll start to see a decrease in thoughts coming back strongly.
I know my question is not related to the community issue sorry for that I’m 26 Years old in my entire life since childhood never eat meat maybe sometimes as I remember In fact, I cannot eat meat my nature is like this I didn't even think about it because I thought this is not important now I read in many Medical articles that Stuttering has link with diet could be this is the reason that my brain and my mind function differently because of the nutritions and chimicals ? I have OCD and Social Anxiety which is all caused by stuttering and I suffered my whole life because of this problem
With dedication to recovery I have been increasingly feeling better each day and I’m feeling super hopeful right now. Sometimes the existential ocd hits really hard but I bring myself back and force myself to keep disregarding rumination, going on with my day no matter what and the intrusive thoughts are becoming fewer and further between. I feel probably 30% better than I did yesterday. Hang in there everyone, I promise it gets better, just take care of yourself. ❤️
Does anyone struggle with ROCD and Black and white or all or nothing thinking? I'm literally ruining my friendships...
please comment tips for this theme!
I can't tell if this is a new theme or if I'm actually experiencing depersonalization. I do have like a fear of it. But I looked din the mirror and I thought that maybe I didn't recognize my self. I felt like I looked a little blurry. I keep looking in the mirror or on selfish mode on my camera. It is bringing me anxiety but not much like my harm thoughts. I feel in my body but also kind of like I'm watching a movie. Idk
Great meditation that is ERP friendly :) https://youtu.be/hgUKW25wVt8
So I feel out of it and my body feels numb. It’s freaking me out but I’m trying my best to be calm.
Any tips about feeling uneasy about just relaxing? I have been trying to control my ocd for months .. almost feels irresponsible to just sit and relax and do nothing - do I just sit with the feelings and try to be present ?
Why do people laughing and ignoring me when I’m speaking Because I stutter I did not choose to be like this It also hurts me a lot If I didn't stutter I did not suffer from social anxiety and OCD😭
Dealing with grief during recovery is a challenge. When I start to make strides in silencing OCD then the grief hits me so hard. I am learning how to heal myself, if anyone has advice please share ❤️
I know this may not seem like a big deal, but it really sucks, because I am in love with someone who has been in my life for five years now. I know rationally I feel nothing for this other person, they didn't even cross my mind until a single stupid "what if?" thought, and now my head tells me I'm unhappy they are married, or have a child, and I wish I was with them. It makes me not want to be around them at all. I keep checking my thoughts or arguing with them, which is making it cyclical as i seek reassurance. I know I shouldn't but I don't know what to do instead. My head keeps telling me I'm lying or just being delusional and trying to kid myself
Is anyone else just triggered by everything sometimes?
How long do these last for? Just feel like something bads going to happen. It’s a crap feeling but I’m doing good at resisting compulsions!
I’m going to assume something about you.. and correct me if I’m wrong. We all don’t want to have OCD, right? That’s why we’re on this app. That’s why we’re going to therapy. That’s why you’re reading this right now. Well what if I could tell you a tip that would help you not have OCD anymore? A lot of people assume that not having OCD means not having intrusive thoughts. But that’s not true- most humans have them, if not all. Rather, not having OCD means that you don’t do compulsions. You might still have anxiety, you might still have intrusive thoughts…. but you don’t have the behaviors of someone with OCD anymore. So when you ask “How do I recover from OCD?” - here’s what you need to do - cut down on and eventually let go of behaviors that give you OCD - rumination, meaning making, mental review, seeking reassurance, repetition of actions, etc. Because by letting go of these behaviors - you are naturally accepting uncertainty. When you get an intrusive thought and you don’t ruminate about what it means, you are naturally accepting the fact that it could have meant or not meant any number of things. So when you catch yourself in an OCD spiral or right after you get an intrusive thought- (and this has MASSIVELY helped me) - tell yourself “I’m not allowed to do anything about that thought”. I’m not allowed to direct attention to it, I’m not allowed to try and figure out what it means, I’m not allowed to reassure myself. I see it as a thought, I do not attribute meaning to it, I accept its presence and I WILL NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. And in not doing anything - you now have the behavior of someone without OCD. Because think about it - if someone doesn’t have OCD and they get an intrusive thought - they don’t ruminate, attach meaning to it, worry about it, try to seek reassurance that it’s not true - they simply pass by it. They let it be. Examples: If you have HOCD - and you see someone you find attractive - you’re not allowed to ruminate about what that means about you. If you have Harm OCD - and you hit a speed bump - you’re not allowed to ruminate about what that means either. If you have ROCD - and you get annoyed at your partner - you’re not allowed to ruminate about what that means either. Separate the experience from the meaning your OCD is trying to attach to it. OCD is the glue that tries to attach your worst core fear to an amorphous experience - it wants to attribute the scariest meaning to it - but you don’t have to let it. Put the breaks on by holding up a hand and saying I’m not allowed to do anything right now. This will also give you insight into your compulsions - as the urges you have to act tell you if you frequently reassure or ruminate without realizing it. Let there be an empty space, after the intrusive thought, and see how that starts to change your mental landscape. So try this next time. Tell yourself “I’m not allowed to do anything mentally that someone without OCD wouldn’t do.” And the more you do this, and remove yourself from the OCD spiral - the more you will recover. Set some rules for yourself: 1. I do not argue with my thoughts. 2. I do not talk back to my thoughts. 3. I do not interfere with my thoughts. 4. I do not try to get rid of my thoughts. Instead, I: 1. Let them be. 2. Say “maybe” 3. Watch them go by. 4. Accept their presence and direct my attention to what I want to focus on. Let me know if this works for you!! Stay strong❤️ you got this.
I live a state away from my family and whenever someone is coming to visit me, I get so anxious. Like the idea of someone coming over and depending on me to make the plans is so nerve wrecking. & this is my family, people I can be honest with about my nervousness and they know how I get. However since my best friend came to visit me a couple months ago, it was during a mental health breakdown I was having (crying spells, severe anxiety, couldn’t leave the house) so I feel like I have some ptsd that I’m going to feel that way again when my sister is here. Anyone have suggestions for coping w my uneasiness?
Anyone that got erp for a specific ocd theme …. Did you guys experience the same theme flare up again? or is that rare
Has anyone ever had issues falling asleep because of OCD? Any tips to work through it?
I don’t get why it’s not considered as curable? Why is that. What’s the difference btwn recovery then?
Last night I was tired of playing Hogwarts legacy, and I thought “I’m tired of this game, maybe a day off, and now I’m playing it and now I feel like I’m breaking a promise, like I’m condemning myself for it. Is this normal for someone with ocd? what should I do?
anyone else get this? this triggers most of my panic attacks
Today was the first day in 4 months I blasted my radio and sang from my lungs and felt happiness … a pure happiness again. My healing journey hasn’t been linear, but I can say things DO get better and only will continue to. OCD doesn’t define you . You can live a beautiful life once you learn that you are not your thoughts , let go of the reigns, and trust your inner wisdom to guide you. I promise you it gets better. ☀️ People with ocd are the strongest people out there. You have the courage to get through this. The hardest thing I did was switch to sarcasm when the thoughts came my way “oh I’d love that!” “Oh yes that’s true” BUT once I started trusting my inner wisdom, it got easier. I KNEW at my core they would never happen and this was the only way to fight back at the bully. Even at my darkest moments (I didn’t even know what ocd was at one point during my struggles) my inner wisdom is what guided me through me safe. I also knew learned that physical sensations were a love letter from my body saying “ hey this isn’t right , switch your thinking!” Your body loves you. It wants to keep you safe. Your little pea brain though, just doesn’t know the difference. Keep that in mind as you work on healing. I love you all . You ALL deserve a beautiful life of happiness, and peace. And from someone who’s suffered— You will get there. Xo
Sorry to ask, but does anyone else get worse and more intense intrusive thoughts when they’re on their period? 😅
I saw someone asking questions about Lindsey Clancey and how she lost control and had thoughts about hurting her kids and actually did them while she was on anxiety meds holy shit this scares me so much. Because I’m sure a lot of people with Harm OCD has actually felt real life urges. That’s one thing that’s causing me flare my anxiety up and I personally never want this horrifying DISORDER AND BE FREE FROM IT. Now I feel like these urges should be acted out on and my brain is telling me oh OCD is just an excuse to stop you from doing these - wtf so I do someone help me
Does anyone here know some telegram or zoom support gropus or something like that?
I have horrifying harm ocd thoughts and anxiety. Sometimes I feel like I’m gonna lose control. So scared to step and hang out with my friends while I’m anxious as hell. What do I do :( someone please help.
OCD can make us feel less than and that perhaps others would be better off without us but regardless of the feelings we must push past this and be as gentle and as loving with ourselves as we possibly can. OCD recovery is a tough journey but never the less we can learn to love ourselves a little more each day. Stay strong.
any stories they wanna share? Anyone recovered without meds and no flare ups
Title says it all. Didn’t even make it to 90 days. So lost can’t stop ruminating about the next worst thing to happen. I think the reason it happened makes me more upset. Lack of initiative and slowness. It’s horrible because I know I work hard but I don’t ask for help or communicate so people perceive I’m not doing anything. I don’t know where to go from here and I’m trying to hold it together. Why does it seem like I just can’t do anything. I just can’t right now.
Guys please please the thoughts I understand are easy to ignore but the urges feel so real. I’m going to take the train tmrw but the urge of either jumping in front of the train and pushing someone else is making me sob. They feel soooooo real WHAT DO I DO IM GOING CRAZY
Anyone have resources for existential ocd? It’s making my harm ocd harder to deal with .
