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Sometimes I'll see sexual content throughout the day. I have a crush on someone but I feel like it's lessening a bit because we aren't really talking. I doubt she feels the same way back but it's still kind of there. I still see sexual things online and it's mostly not intentionally. I've been mindlessly scrolling Instagram and sexually implied things have come up, whether it's fictional characters or celebrities. I even have thoughts about sexual things like porn. It feels like I'm slipping. I really don't want to watch porn but I've been feeling so low and worried about my health concerns I've just been mindlessly scrolling Instagram with nothing else to do. Now it feels like I'm hurting this person even though we aren't even in a relationship or that I'm being unfaithful to myself. Don't know if this is ROCD or if I'm just not ready for this at all

As most of us know, any form of birth control can have many side affects on how we feel. I was wondering if other women out there have had worsening symptoms of OCD or anxiety when you’re on birth control. What kind of birth control are or were you on if you don’t mind sharing. What works best for you? I believe my emotions are really intense which makes OCD even worse. I’m considering trying another method/brand.

I feel so tired of this heal concerns and contamination OCD. Before Christmas I ordered some makeup from Sephora in Sweden, I wanted to try the Rare Beauty makeup. So when I got my package I noticed the box was 75% opened from the glue sealing that boxes have just above the strip that means to be pulled and open the box. It seemed mire a like problem with the glue from the box. But sadly for me it wasn't like that. I almost immediately started to think: what if someone has opened the package? What if someone has used it? What if it's contaminated? What if someone opened it to put something dangerous there like some biological dangerous thing like spores from some bacteria like Anthrax? I know it's too exaggerated. But in my mind feels like there's a chance for that, since there's always evil people who tries to harm others with aby excuse like being exteeme religious, political ideas or some prejudices, racism etc. So all of that made me BELIEVE something it's wrong with the makeup. All the boxes look good and clean. But as they don't have any stickers to seal them. I also thought what if. I cleaned all the makeup bottles but I haven't dare to open or try them, they have been there in a safe place in the living room since before Christmas until now. I Still struggle as I can't drop that believe away. I ordered it once more, I got it today, and the package was even more open this time, just like 2% of the box was closed. I decided to call to Sephora, I told the woman at the customers service about my condition with OCD. She was so kind and said she was going to investigate with the warehouse. She asked me for some photos. She reminded me I can return everything as long as I haven't used it. I have considered to return everything, but I feel almost stupid that I won't be able to use the makeup even when I'm so eager to do so. If I return it I will OCD to gain over me. In fact I don't seem to find anything that is really perfect or good enough. If there's someone who could please tell me what has worked for you when being so extremely overwhelmed and så red about something being contaminated or dangerous. I'd like to get some opinions and advices in what should I do? Does this sound even possible for you? Am I letting the OCD take so much control over myself? Thank you

Huge TW for health and disease-related OCD and mention of fear of a pet's death Hello everyone I'm new to this app and wanted to make a post introducing myself by telling of a recent story that made me realize that what I thought was just anxiety is probably full-on health OCD. This all happened last month. I always wanted a pet so I made the decision to adopt a very sweet cat I met at a shelter who was instantly attached to me at the hip. She didn't scratch much and I never saw her bite or hiss, very mellow and gentle and she loved attention. I did all the research, bought everything I needed and I was good to go. However, on the first day I saw blood in her poo and this sent me down a spiral. I asked a vet about it during her check-up and everything came back normal. I still couldn't stop worrying about if she had a disease that would make her suffer and I wouldn't have any idea and she'd just be dead the next day (cats are experts at hiding illness) or that it could even be passed to me, even —I don't want to say the name but it starts with an r and it's very deadly— became a near constant worry even though she had ALL her updated shots, perfect health-checkup at the vet, and there was just literally no way on earth it was possible for her to have it. I was constantly obsessing over both our health, and even before I got her I would obsess over my own health with freaking out about getting cuts or getting sick from people in public, etc etc. the list is literally ENDLESS. I thought I was slowly healing from it which is why I thought I'd be okay with having a pet. After the worries were just not calming down, with a heavy heart, for her and my own sake, I made the decision return her to the shelter and it absolutely broke my heart. She didn't deserve that and I still miss her everyday. I still hope she at least was able to go to a good owner without these types of issues. Man I just want to be able to have a pet like everyone else does without having an awful time.

So I'm afraid of everything. I often have panic attacks daily sometimes multiple times a day. I was diagnosed with illness anxiety but my therapist refuses to acknowledge that it is OCD. Obsessive thoughts about getting sick and dying. Obsessive thoughts and fears that are so severe its turned unto thantophobia. Even dying my hair at home now which I've done for over a decade is sending me spiraling and making me think I'm going to die. Dr Google and I have a really toxic relationship and I'm just so tired of feeling misunderstood and misdiagnosed. Repetitively checking my heartbeat, symptoms, finger tips...focusing on my breathing sends me into panic too. I'm also extremely superstitious and it's caused fights between me and my loved ones. As well as pattern recognition makes me feel like something bad is going to happen. I'm just over this. I want to get better.

Does anyone else have OCD surrounding their heart rate and blood pressure. I had a traumatic experience about a year and a half ago and ever since then I have been consumed with checking my heart rate because it would be high (120s up to 160s) that seems to come out of nowhere. Ex. If I didn't eat for a long period of time and consume a large carb meal I would have a heart rate into the 130s about half an hour after eating and then would panick and make it worse. This also led to me checking my blood pressure and have high readings ex (160/107) when I'm obsessing. When I am calm and not worrying excessively (which is not often these days) my pulse is normal and my blood pressure is ok. The compulsions to reassure myself are trying to prove that I am ok are overwhelming. If I check and my pulse and BP are ok I feel relaxed and a sigh of relief that only lasts a few hours or a day or so, but if they are high I freak out and feel like I am going to die and something is very wrong. I have had my heart checked extensively and other tests as well and yet I still have trouble shaking this feeling like there is something wrong they haven't been able to find or figure out. I am a RN and I swear it makes it worse because I'm terrified of every medical thing it "could be" or "what if". I just want my life back and stop worrying about my pulse and blood pressure every minute it feels like of everyday. Any suggestions, words of empathy or help would be greatly appreciated. I hope I am not the only one that has ever had these thought or feelings. 😭

I just threw up again and am so so tired now ... my doc told me to go for endoscopy test cuz she can't pin point why I've been throwing up since 5days

So I’ve had to stop ERP since November because of insurance BS, but will be picking it back up in January. I’m terrified and think it’s not going to help. I have health OCD and my distress levels are directly linked to physical symptoms, so until I have those symptoms checked out, I typically just stay in the worst distress I’ve ever felt… Would anyone want to share their experience with ERP? I think maybe if I hear some success stories I’ll feel better about my appt next week. Thanks everyone.

I'm constantly worrying about my health because of a regret I had one day along with other health concerns that I have. Though I can't stop actively worrying about this one concern that I have because I get thoughts that say I'm going to die because of it one day. The only way I can get rid of it is if I Google for something that will eventually give me short term relief. But sometimes, I run into very very unsettling, disturbing, unwanted results that trigger my POCD and it makes me not want to do the compulsion and I end up feeling worse than before. I hate when this happens.

Does anyone ever think they’re doing good and than life gets incredibly stressful and their OCD kind of gets out of control? The last year I’ve done really good with keeping my OCD in check. Of course it never fully goes away but I manage my intrusive thoughts well and have felt pretty good but life has gotten really stressful for my fiancé and I and things with my kids has also been stressful and for the past two weeks I feel like I’m losing my mind all over again. I have panic attacks and problems sleeping. I watched a scary movie with my fiancé which I usually love to do but now I’m stressed and anxious thinking I could be a schizophrenic and that I’m losing my mind and am gonna go crazy. I know these thoughts are irrational but then there’s always that part of my brain that’s like “are you sure?!” Which makes me spiral all over again. Idk I just feel so defeated because things were good and now they’re not.

I swear to all that is holy, it feels like OCD will kill me. 😭🤦🏼‍♀️ I primarily have health OCD, that is connected to physical symptoms I have. Right now it’s focused on stomach pains. But not just ANY stomach pains, it’s these certain stomach pains in one specific area of my stomach up by my right rib. When I feel them, I absolutely freak out thinking that I have some kind of awful c*ncer. As in, panic rising, most terrified feeling I’ve ever had. And that feeling will hang out for HOURS. I respond with go away ocd, maybe it’s true maybe it’s not. Focus on something I value. The rumination is really hard to control but I’m really trying. Nothing seems to make this awful feeling go away. I have an appt with my doctor on Jan 12 to get it checked out (though I’ve been to urgent care recently for it). My partner and dad both say that they also have very similar pains that I describe and in the same area (yes I know, that’s reassurance but when I’m in a full panic attack…I don’t know what else to do…) But I just can’t stop worrying about it since it’s present just about daily. It impacts all aspects of my day because I’m worried that I’ll trigger it. I’ve stopped eating certain foods. Stopped any kind of hard workout. Don’t wear certain kinds of clothing. And I don’t think I’ll be able to get past this until I have some kind of test that proves I don’t have c*ncer…but that’s also reassurance and ffs, what happens when I switch to the next symptom? So far since June I thought I had breast cancer, throat cancer, colon cancer and now this. I just can’t get past that a symptom IS PRESENT. Therefore something must be wildly wrong (or so my OCD tells me) All of this is super connected to the fact my mom died from breast cancer 6 years ago. She went to the doctor for a drooping eyelid and it was breast cancer like wtf (granted, she hadn’t had a mammogram or been to the gynecologist in 23 years….and ignored 3 breast tumors for YEARS). So the trauma for me is real that the same will happen to me. I feel like a complete crazy person and reading through this post makes me see how much the OCD has taken over 😭 I really don’t think I deserve the conquerer badge AT ALL. 😭

my libido has been extremely low since i started antidepressants about a year ago. if i become aroused, it lasts for a very short amount of time and causes cramp-like pain. i’ve had a bad experience with a tampon that caused me to begin to blackout and almost throw up, and now the idea of penetration makes me extremely anxious and uncomfortable; sometimes it’ll cause me to feel these symptoms. my mom had endometriosis, so i know that i may have that as well, but i want to know if anyone has experienced anything similar.

is this existential ocd? so basically i’ve had rlly bad moral ocd for a couple of months, and before that i had horrible health and harm related physical compulsions so bad i couldn’t sleep bc i couldn’t sleep in a certain position or i thought smth bad would happen to me. and i always had bad intrusive thoughts but nothing that haunted me as much as this. So my morals are rlly important to me and i consider myself a good person. But one intrusive thought said “since life is meaningless morals don’t exist they are just a made up concept.” I had severe panic attacks because of this and i felt like a horrible person. I couldn’t sleep and worry was on me constantly. I did mental compulsions like repeating, rumination, and some physical compulsions too. I also am doing a lot of avoidance bc this triggers me sm. I’m kinda worried i’ll start believing this even though logically ik it’s nonsense bc ofc morality exists but omf am i worried. i’m trying to not do any compulsions but pls anyone with advice?

Ever since mama and dada had an argument few days back, I've been throwing up due to stress. Things have gotten so weird.. idk I feel weird for some reason.. I can't take family drama anymore, it instantly makes me sick and not just mentally sick but physically. Now my mind's going back to the days I've been in hospital and this one doc said that due to all this stress I'm gonna get diabetes cuz I've already gotten PCOS and I might be at a higher risk of being a diabetic... Idk I hate feeling this way my mind won't shut up I want to sleep

I was reading that Spirulina is a cyanobacteria and that it can repair the Myelin Sheath a bit. The Myelin Sheath is made partially from Cholesterol and B12, so eating steak and eggs is actually good to help repair the brain believe it or not. B12 and Folate are important in maintaining/building DNA and they work in synergy with one another. My OCD has went down 90-95% working on building the Myelin Sheath and repairing the microbiome/Gut....but I also take high amounts of Clomipramine/Anafranil and I now basically feel 90-95% normal. No more impulses that I don't really have control of, I have 95% control of my obsessions and compulsions too. It's like God almost healed me as a Christmas Present!! Take supplements of B-12 in all forms, take Methyl B-12, Hydroxo B-12 , Adeno-B-12 (these can all be ordered at www.seekinghealth.com) and believe it or not Cyanocobalmin is a good/great form of B-12, in one article it says it's the bodies most usable form....but those that have Methylation issues/MTHFR gene mutation may want to limit cyanocobalmin until they get there Methylation under control. If you don't know about Methylation please check out www.mthfr.com /Dr.Ben Lynch who also runs Seeking Health website and sells excellent supplements. If you have Mthfr, limit the synthetic form of Folate/Folic Acid and use Methyl B-12 and Hydroxo B-12. I am not sure about Cyanocobalmin I read mixed results on Cyanocobalmin one article saying effects Methylation but another article says it's best/most absorbable form of B-12 so I have to do more research. We need to build the Myelin Sheath up and repair the Gut through Probiotic Supplements and Yogurt/SourCream/Cottage Cheese/Buttermilk and Fermented Foods like Kim Chi, Sauerkraut (Sauerkraut is great! for the gut and Kombucha/ and I think Wasabi is fermented. If you have Severe OCD you will probably need SSRI's and Clomipramine. I know I am not a doctor and can't really give medical advice but I have lived through this OCD Hell since July 2007 and know what it feels like. I had/I guess still have to a degree POCD, Pet OCD, HOCD, Scrupulocity and Pure "O"....my Myelin Sheath and maybe Gut must be really messes up because I need 2 forms of SSRI's Sertraline at the max 200 mg and 40 mg of Fluoxetine and High Amounts of Clomipramine 150 mg. I even take 8 mg of Perphenazine as I have a little Psychosis, it must be the lowered Myelin Sheath-B-12 issues but again I am taking atleast 3 grams of Spirulina everyday and sometimes up to 10 grams and almost all forms of B-12...so if you are vegetarian you may especially need it. You might even need b12 shots from a naturopath or however you can get them. You need vitamin b-6 and Folate (Methyl Folate) to also help with Nerves and DNA repair. Again I know I am not a doctor but I have had OCD for close to 17 years and have done some goofy things in my OCD, OCD is so hard to control om a daily basis when it is severe and for some reason my brain has attached to some of the more taboo OCD themes. I am just trying to help people get out of this OCD Hell and trying to get back to a normal life, My OCD is so strong ERP Therapy doesn't really work for me. I have done a decent amount of counseling and even some on here and did one thing so weird I could only tell an OCD counselor. I believe in God and pray to him daily to help me and forgive me of some of the weird things that I have a few times and many things I have almost done.....OCD can be very hard to control when it is severe. I just want to say stay in the fight and Clomipramine and Fluvixamine can be a life saver for some. PM me if you have any questions, I am a nutrition and supplement need. I think eating steak (I really like Chipotle's Carne Asada) is really good for the nerves and eating eggs on a daily basis is good because it has Choline, B12 and a bit of Cholesterol which can be good if not taken to extreme and many other Vitamins and minerals are in eggs. Stay strong and God Bless!!

Hi! Sorry to bother you guys, but I’m really scared right now. So basically, my throat and glands started hurting yet seer ray before I went to work and I just work up in the middle of the night with a stuffy nose and my throat hurts a little more. I looked at my throat in my phone camera and it looks kinda swollen now and I’m really scared that it’s gonna close. But if it was going to close wouldn’t it have happened already? Please someone respond, I’m really scared of getting sick.

Last night I realized I need to stop thrifting & shopping at vintage clothing stores. I actually didn’t realize this my friend helped me, (he does not have OCD). A lot of my Contamination and Health concern OCD doesn’t show up with nature, it shows up with the people im around and what they do. I would LOVE to be someone thrifts nice clothes and shops for good vintage items but recently after purchasing 4 things from a vintage store, that dream had to walk out the door. The items I bought were: A fur collar, two 80s tops with puff sleeves, and a hand crocheted vest. No matter how many times I washed them I could still smell the scent of the store I bought them from which was, Warm, Dusty, and Claustrophobic (I dont know how something can smell claustrophobic but trust me they did) Other people in my house say they smell normal but I knew it was there and became very worried about getting sick or breathing in someone else’s Skin, Rot, or even Mold spores. Anyways, against my better judgement I threw away the fur collar holding it in a bag as far away from my body as possible, and put all the other clothing items in the darkest furthest corner of my closet after dousing them in perfumes and anti bacterial spray. I opened all the windows in my room, turned on an air purifier and two fans to the max, and turned off the heater, for maximum airflow. This left me freezing all night but it was the only way I would’ve slept in the first place. I have no idea how to handle this in the future so for now, I’ll just stick to avoiding the thrift all together.

Hi does anyone get a feeling off a skipped heartbeat/early heartbeat with there anxiety/ocd I have been drs and they said stop caffeine which I did and it still happens, they can’t see anything working with my heart on ecg etc so wondering if it’s can possibly be ocd/anxiety. Thanks

I feel like I’m living in my own personal hell right now. Everyday, all day, my thoughts are focused on food. My brain is stuck in a cycle of fearing eating and I want it to be over, but I don’t know how to get unstuck! It’s basically like, “Okay the wife told me that we’re having pizza for dinner tonight… but am I in the mood for that? Will I have an appetite for that later? What if I don’t have an appetite and I try to eat it and the texture feels gross in my mouth and I gag or vomit? What if the smell of the pizza makes me feel nauseous? Oh god, but if I don’t eat dinner my blood sugar will get low and it’ll make me feel worse and I’ll get more anxious, so I’m gonna have to eat the pizza to feel okay, but now the pressure of eating this pizza is stressing me out!!” And it’s like that all the time!! I’m trying to push through and not pay the spiraling any mind and just eat like normal, but it’s hard when something that’s such a simple task feels like a herculean struggle, and it doesn’t seem to be getting any better :(

So my biological father had a talk with me a couple hours ago. I’ve been trying to process it and honestly it’s not affecting me as much as I thought it would. Anyway so here’s what happened: he told me that I should be careful what I claim. (For context I told my bio parents that I had ocd and possibly schizophrenia due to some signs I’ve noticed) he thinks I’m making this up, to quote this bastard; “I don’t know what game you’re playing…” and he also said that I might’ve been influenced by social media and im attention seeking. In the car he also said that if word got out that I do have a mental illness then no one is going to want to work for me or want me on the road (now I’m not learning how to drive anytime soon, I’m 16 and was supposed to learn this summer because next year I’m going to college) but that’s not the worst of it. It’s the fact that he said I’m causing THEM problems by having mental problems and asking for help. Help that I really need because I have tried to take my life and cut myself a few times now. I’ve also resorted to drinking to numb the pain. But now I’m going to have to tell them that I am in fact fine and have no mental illness because even though I need help, I value my freedom to get away from them than I do getting help. He has told me to go to hell and that he doesn’t care about me multiple times and every time I knew he wasn’t lying when he said he wished this would happen but now there’s no denying it. He never cared and will never care. My bio mother lets this happen and tries to convince he he’s a good guy who does these things because he cares. Someone who cares about me wouldn’t do this. Both of them can go fuck themselves. Thank you for listening to my rant talk 😻🫶‼️