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Hey all, I was wondering on what it looks like to you to accept your anxiety and let the intrusive thoughts flow? I’ve heard this a lot but to me this prolongs my anxiety. For context I’m struggling with intrusive thoughts of beastiality and wanting to go watch it and it’s giving me high anxiety, I’m trying to accept it but I feel like it’s prolonging the anxiety.

I hate whenever my mind finds a memory that shows "proof" that my real event is worse than it seems and I'm not remembering the timeline correctly. My mind instantly goes to doubting which obviously I try to say no no shut up that doesn't prove anything. I know I should just leave it alone but god dang its so scary :( Anyways just needed to vent I guess. How is everyone's night/day ?

Hi guys, I’m Ali, 23, bisexual with preferences for men. My rocd (which feels unfathomably hard to handle) has taken on a new face this time with obsessions about me not actually being bisexual but just a lesbian who’s been lying to themselves. It’s really distressing. I’m deeply confused about what’s real and what’s not and finally dipping my toe into ocd treatment after suspicion of it for 2 years is a shock to my system. I’m in love with my partner who is an incredible man but the fear is starting to overshadow my joy so something needs to change. The last time I’ve been in as a bad of an emotional rut with this was two years ago. Is anyone else really bothered about the lack of bisexual experience being documented in this particular field? There’s so much to unpack. I’m scared I’m going to lose someone who is actually good for me. I’m trying to ask for reassurance in a way that’s not gonna set me back, but damn will I ever get better?

i’m starting to believe recovery from real event isn’t possible. many peoples real events are blown out of proportion over small things they’ve done but mine is genuinely something bad and wrong and immoral that i regret deeply and would never do again and i do not know how to live with myself bc i feel like not confessing and just sitting with this is me avoiding accountability i also feel as if the person attached to my event, who i have a close relationship with, i feel as if i am manipulating him and not giving him the moral authority to decide whether or not i should be in his life bc of what i have done any advice would be great. this just feels unbearable

I think my ocd is spiraling or flaring up ig bc I got anxiety, worried and sad abt somethings and then that became me being abt more things like ocd related yk so one reaction caused/lead to anohh th Ed and I just keep on thinking abt past stuff as a kid and what I thought and I feel guilty bc now I’m having thoughts abt ppl in my childhood that I grew up with and I had certain thoughts abt them when I was remembering stuff abt them and now I can’t tell if I sexualized them as a kid or if I’m a pedo for thinking that as a kid?? But those thoughts didn’t register my mind then. But I’m worried that now that I’m going back to my past memories it’s like I’m noticing things that I didn’t really notice or more like I’m fixated on it now like a certain body part or something and I’m worried bc I just kept on going crazy though after thought and confusing myself between if kids can be a p at a young age and I’m scared I was bc Of experiences that I didn’t know I had popped up in my brain and apart of me knows I shouldn’t worry bc I was a little kid but sometimes it worries me bc I felt like I knew what I was doing but I can register is that I kinda just didn’t know Wtf I was doing and well idk, I kept getting groinals and just awful thoughts on why I thought that or how could I say/think something in my brain?! And I’m scared that I’ve always been a p.. and that’s why I’m having these thoughts :( bc I’m denying who I am Yk when I don’t want to be this but it always feels like otherwise and I’m scared that I’ll become my abuser and keep comparing how if I’m having this type of experience with the awful thoughts,feelings etc then I’m thinking that’s what he was thinking but kept on denying it himself until he couldn’t take it anymore… and just gave in to his nature I’m scared that I’m like that or it’s going to be like that, when I want no trouble or anything to do with but I always have these feelings and thoughts and even urges that feel and tell me otherwise and I’m literally getting groinals as I’m typing this :/ ugh just end my life.

Have struggled with this for months now, obsession with the fact that i might be attracted to my mother. Ive previously watched incest porn which i think is the main driving force, and although online research has led me to believe the reason is purely based on it being taboo and porn addiction leading you to more extremes the more you watch, it still massively bothers me with the classic ocd ‘what if’. accompanied with regular sexual intrusive thoughts about my mother, which completely disgust me, and as i have spiralled deeper whats been described online as ‘groinal responses’, which further my deep shame and guilt. initially having a conversation with her relieved these thoughts, as they made me realise that it was just ocd and that of course im not attracted to her, thats my mom. but as it has spiralled its been difficult to even talk to her anymore due to my shame and guilt, with a recent attempt causing me to burst out into tears. i regularly come to the conclusion that of course its just ocd, etc, but i somehow bounce back every time due to how prevalent the question is in my mind, at all times, and particularly due to the porn thing (i am obviously no longer watching any of that type of porn to be clear). This has led me to suicide attempts due to not being able to live with myself if this is true, and heavy research into chemical castration. i really just want to be able to have a normal relationship with my mom. please help.

Hey guys I have rocd and I need advise or some words of encouragement When it comes to the feelings of oh I dont love my boyfriend even when I say I do it feels like im lying to myself and it makes me discouraged but I am too numb to fight it Its like my body doesn't want to accept I do Moments when I think oh I want to do something with my boyfriend my brain and feelings shut it down like oh its just going to turn into a routine or nothing he does will make you into him It just makes me depressed and numb because I love my boyfriend a lot, I could not imagine leaving him when I know all I want is him Sometimes my head tells me oh you are too young to have rocd (im 19) or there's always the grass greener on the other Side why settle But I love long term relationships and I want it with him, I chose to date him because it was something about him that was just different and I instantly connected with him We also been together for almost a year (anniversary on August 25) and sometimes my head tells me oh if you guys were together longer its rocd since a lot of people that are on the app I've seen had their relationship for years With anyone dealing with this and go through these episodes in recovery what is it that you do that helps you go forward with your partner and not feeling like giving up

So like all the articles say, reassurance doesn't work and makes your OCD worse. The only thing you can do is to accept these thoughts and accept that it's happening, which is easier said than done. Although I suppose it's still rationalization, I do think it's true. That no matter what the topic is, nothing's sacred. If I feel that something is sexually innapropriate, I'm going to react reguardless of what it is. Whether that's my Mom talking about her sex life, or a child half naked, or animals mating, or sex crimes, I will react to it. And I need to learn that's ok, that it doesn't mean I'm attracted to it at all, but it's so difficult. I think with this mindset I may be able to move on, but I feel it'll be an uphill battle reguardless. I also need to learn that although it's unsual to find a child not being fully dressed as uncomfortable, it's still normal to feel that way-- that's even harder.

So I’m starting therapy this week but I’ve been trying to use ERP myself, my main compulsion is rumination which I wasn’t even aware was a compulsion. I’m trying to do ERP but when I focus on observing the thought it goes, I dunno if I’m focusing too much on actually how to follow ERP or is this normal? I feel like I might be subconsciously blocking thoughts because I know how bad it is when I go down the rabbit hole, but then I also worry that the anxiety goes too quickly and that I’m finding it too easy to ignore the thought?

Recently, I had a really bad bout of ROCD, but when my boyfriend came to visit for the first time in a while it settled down a bit because I was happy to see him, and things have been pretty good since then. But this morning I saw a tiktok about a girl complaining about how her boyfriend doesn’t do that many little things, which is a very minor problem I have in my relationship, and everybody in the comments was telling her to leave him. It was extremely triggering, even thought I’m very happy with my boyfriend and he treats me well. I wish I had never watched that tiktok.

It feels like I will never ever be good enough for my partner because of their relationship ocd. There is always something triggering about me. Even if I’ve done nothing and we are having a perfectly nice time together. I either find out in the moment or after the fact that they were focusing on something negative about me. If I’m with them they get triggered. If I give them space they get triggered. There is nothing that I can do and I feel so horrible. I feel like I’m hurting them by being with them. I’m going to support groups. I’m trying to minimize reassuring them. I’m putting in so much work to combat their ocd alongside them. It feels like they do nothing to pull themselves away from their thoughts and triggers. Rather everytime they have one they keep going down the rabbit hole, almost immediately. I don’t expect perfection but it would be nice if they tried to not give in. They aren’t doing their erp exercises, they’re blowing off therapy because they don’t want to pay for it but don’t want to accept my money to help. It’s like they don’t love me or themselves enough to try. But I’m supposed to be calm and kind and an angel when they go off on me out of the blue about something irrational, with no consideration for my feelings, or what’s going on in my life, or my mental health. I put everything I am into this relationship and I’m still terrible to them. I would spend every cent I have on this therapy for them. I would do anything to help. Somehow I’m still a terrible person. I’m really starting to believe their ocd too.

I am someone that suffers with bad ROCD and I know a lot of you guys are going with the same struggles that I am. Fearing did I fall out of love or not, why am I not longer infatuated with my partner like before, why am I getting anxious around my partner when around them but I am able to accept I love them and not have that anxiety before I see them. Trust me I am going through that rollercoaster and it has been really tough. A person that really been helping me navigate through this has not only been my therapist but a YouTuber called Kiyomi and her channel is called awaken by love. A bit of background about me is I am 19 years old, yes I am young but I am in a healthy and happy relationship with my boyfriend. I realized I was getting all these anxieties and doubts from very early on in my relationship and at first I would think is my boyfriend cheating on me and I would go through the cycle of getting extremely jealous, look through his phone, and question him about people which would cause unnecessary fights. Unfortunately in June I had to get an abortion which my partner was very supportive of and was with me along the way. But a couple weeks after I started developing ROCD and it was scary, it came out of the blue and I didn't understand why. I only experienced in my past toxic relationships and witnessed toxic relationships in my family. Now that I am in an entirely different situation I realized I went through my infatuation stage with my boyfriend which was rougher for me because I deal with bad anxiety, depression alongside discovering I have ROCD so my mind tried to interpret this shift of my comfortability and less excitement of seeing my partner. It doesn't mean I don't miss him when we are not together but I know deep down that I will see him so I no longer get the way I would before. I know I love him with all my heart but my love now shifted into a more mature love which I am getting into. I still get the intrusive thoughts and feelings but it has been helping know in the back of my mind that this infatuated love is turning into a mature love. I still have my up and down moments which has been hard but I am better knowing that no matter what I love my partner and I will not sabotage my relationship with toxic cycles because that was what I was used to. I hope my story could bring some comfort to others and if anybody else would like to share theirs. I am willing to start a zoom for us dealing with ROCD and OCD in general to just help support each other through this time. Just let me know😇

Do you guys get "familiar" feelings as if you can see an event playing out or have a feeling an event played out not exactly but something similar ? Like you feel like you were in that same place ? Like you've been in that situation ? And now you are trying to find the details of what exactly or if what you are thinking of is true ? I'm fucking spiraling right now so I would really love a reply from others who have felt the same.

When getting false memories, do the actions playing out in them feel too real ? Like you can see yourself doing the action, you know the action could be a "possibility" you have a familiar feeling something like that happened, and playing out the action feels real. You acting out something on someone. I really feel like I'm so alone in this....

soooo i have ocd. and i’ve been through HOCD and health anxiety. i have a new theme, the “what if i’m going crazy”. this one has hit pretty hard. i’ve gotten over the intrusive thoughts that were like “what if you’re crazy” and all of that. but NOW i have a fear about hallucinations, and my brain will literally make up the most weird ideas and imaginations. and i’ll look at anything, like a candle, and the intrusive thought will be “what if that candle grew legs, why did you think that, you must be insane”. and i have no idea if anyone will get that at all.

I really need some advice right now so please if your readying this just tell me how you feel or what you think could help. So I have many types of ocd and have been struggling for a year now but a couple months ago everything seemed to ease a little and I was happy with myself again but recently I fell into a spiral about my sexuality and then I figured that out too and thought okay good another issue gone but then all week I’ve been constantly having panic attacks and worrying all night about relationships. Now I don’t know if this is connected to ocd but I’m pretty sure it is but basically I constantly get scared and dread being in a relationship even though I want to at the same time? Thinking of being in a relationship with someone gives me terrible anxiety like I don’t even now how I’d function or how I would show affection. The thought of making out and having sex scares me but then when once a day il be in a good mood and change my mind and think no I want to it will be fun. And it’s a constant spiral and it’s making me want to never be in a relationship ever it’s just so scary to me. I’m 15 and have never been in a relationship but I’m too scared to even talk to boys. Can someone help I’ve told my parents I think I have ocd and they don’t believe me:(

Has anyone with ROCD been feeling numb and the feeling of “I don’t love my partner” is becoming stronger despite you knowing and telling it, it’s not true It’s like I know I love my partner deeply with my whole heart but because of the numbness me absence of the anxiety right now the feeling like I mentioned before is trying to convince me more I don’t And i feel desperate because I know it’s not true and I just want it to go away Because i Iove him a lot and want a future together it’s just these “feelings” are putting me down They began to intensify once I started doing self care for myself and stopped neglecting my usual routine because I went through a deep depression And like now i get worried oh I don’t love him because I didn’t text him right away Can anyone relate to me

Does ROCD try to convince its not ROCD and it’s your real thoughts and feelings even though you know it isn’t?

Hi all. Today I recently opened up to my therapist regarding my intrusive thoughts that I’ve had since I was a teen, now in my 20’s. I did t egg to everything but I started out talking about some of the harm intrusive thoughts I have (I have other kinds but I didn’t get into it with him on that yet) but he says it’s just GAD. However, I genuinely think I have pure ocd so I’m not sure if anyone had an experience like this? I don’t want to self diagnose but I genuinely feel this is what I’m dealing with. I have a phone screening tomorrow but just wondering if anyone has had a similar experience

Hey! So last night I started taking 25mg of Zoloft. And today I feel better! (Thank Heavens) SO FAR, there has been no side effects. Is that normal? Should I brace myself? Is the worst yet to come? Is it just a placebo effect? I’ve had this medicine sitting in my cabinet for a month because I have been scared to take it. Some of the rare side effects is almost too much for my anxiety to handle. The uncertainty of it all is scary. For those who have taken SSRIs/Zoloft before, what was the first 2 weeks like?