Celebrating a small win

Thank you so much especially for your support you helped me through some tough times 🥺

Hey I got into uni 😭😭😭😭😭

@Stupidbrain22 Bravo!!!!!! 👏👏👏🥳 Congratulations! 🎈🤗😊 See, now life will get only better. And for the times it sucks, we have each other here at NOCD. 😊 You are so welcome. I feel so thankful that I helped you when you needed it. Any time. It's getting ready to start raining here and i

@NODA it's a depressing weather, but to see you got into uni made a sun come up in my home. Truly so happy. Big hug. 🤗

@NODA That's so sweet thank you 🥰 thank you for being there for me

@Stupidbrain22 Don't mention it. I am glad I could help. When I saw that you wrote that at your lowest point you couldn't have even gone outside, it pushed a sore spot for me. I was there. Been through it. There was a year, I couldn't make my self go out more than twice in a year. I would not have people come to my home, and even when I did go out it was a nightmare of anxiety, pre-prepairation, and endless showering after. I totally understand. I am so grateful we are both out of that hell hole. I May I ask what do you plan to study? I am almost as happy for you for getting in as you are. 😁. Have a calm and relaxing evening. Hugs! 🤗💞

@NODA Im so sorry you went through that 🥺.Indeed I'm happy we made it out 😊, and I'm planning to study accounting and finance in uni. Have a beautiful evening too 🥰

@Stupidbrain22 Thank you. 🤗 A beautiful evening to you, too. I am sending you a piece of my vegan triple chocolate birthday cake. 🎂😊. Fresh from today. 😊

@NODA Today was your birthday!!!? Happy birthday 🎂🎂🥰 and yes I love chocolate cake so much

@Stupidbrain22 Yes, today is my birthday. 😊 Thank you❣️

@NODA Hey 😊

Im so sorry that happened to you 🥺I'm so glad that you are better now and I'm sure things will only keep getting better 🙏, and magical thinking OCD is the worst but my OCD has been around since I was kid but it wasn't very prominent until three years ago I got really bad contamination OCD then relationship OCD and it destroyed me and was one of the reasons I failed my finals in A level I couldn't focus at all ,but right now I mostly struggle with contamination OCD the ROCD comes and goes I don't really have access to therapy here it's unbelievably expensive

@Stupidbrain22 I understand completely. OCD affects what is most important to us. I am sorry about ocd affecting your wellbeing and your grades. I am very happy you are now better. Therapy here is also very expensive and there is no therapy for ocd. Nobody knows much and nobody specializes in treating ocd. Because I go to a psychiatrist which is covered by my insurance, thank god, I was given a chance to see a clinical psychologist 2,5 years ago. She can't help me with ocd and I found it like I was wasting my time at first, but she kind of became the only person in my life that I can tell all the nasty truths about my ocd and she does not judge, doesn't look at me as if I were not human and that really helps me with anxiety and lately depression. I see her once in 3 months. But if I am not ok, I can contact her anytime. And that means the world to me. I might lose her at the end of this year, because of some organizational changes at her workplace, but she is doing her best it does not come to that. I never had anyone to talk to about ocd. This gives me the feeling of self worth.

@NODA That's amazing I'm happy you have someone to talk to about it I usually just come on here to find people to talk to about it and get some advice because most people here think I'm making it up because they think OCD is a organization obsession,I did try explaining but they always hit me with the classic "it's all in your head " . It got exhausting explaining so I just let it be and focused on managing my OCD I had to get out of my four year relationship because i felt like I was burdening my partner with my OCD and he didn't even believe me he tried to understand but usually thought they were excuses

I can completely relate I basically spent years thinking something was severely wrong with me and I was a monster and I didn't even know how to explain it I self diagnosed myself at 16

And yes I really hope OCD moves to the past and we can look back at this as one of the challenges we overcame

I really needed to hear this thank you soooo much I was feeling so hopeless about a relationship especially with my OCD could you please tell me how I can explain it to them so they can understand it

@Stupidbrain22 I understand your fears about being able to have a meaningful relationship with someone when ocd tries to ruin it all. It's been hard. Very hard to get where we are today. Me and my husband. It took me decades to pull myself together and open up to such extent that it felt like all or nothing. Before all the years he knew I had ocd, but didn't really get it. When ocd was playing havoc on me and caused tensions, my husband would get angry and would tell me to stop it, to get it out of my head, that I must be nuts if I want it,... It hurt. Especially the disappointmentment and occasionally hatered in his eyes. But he was always there. He went with me through hell and back and is still here. The thing that I did to make him see and understand ocd is something you would want to do only for someone you are very sure is the right person for you, and is worth your time and effort. The one who will stay by your side no matter what. So...let's start. It took me months to do this. I basically wrote him a book. In the end it was a A4 notebook full of my writing about ocd. By hand. Typing makes it too impersonal. I started by giving the definition of ocd. I told him it was a chronic disorder, what might causes be, all a about it in general. But facts. Basically all I have ever experienced, read about in books, on the internet or here at NOCD. I focused on obsessions and compulsions separately, and then together. I compared ocd with other physical or mental illnesses. It's effects, dangers,... I then went on to explain different types of ocd. I wrote about every possible type I could think of. How it affects a person,.... Then I described my type of ocd in general and then how it affects me. I went back in time, focused on events, situations that were ocd conditioned and that made him feel confused and lost and I bluntly told him what I was going through. I then made up some examples of possible situations in everyday life where he was the one with ocd and I explained how he would think, feel, panic,...in situations like those and why. I explained all about the ocd typical "what if..." Furthermore, I explained possible treatments. I explained how meds work and what is ERP. I described the difference of giving assurance or giving support. Lastly I told him what I wanted from him, how to treat me, what I hoped for from him. Not assurance. Support definitely. Lastly I told him I was there if he had any questions or just to talk about ocd. And I thanked him for everything through the years. It took him like an hour and a half to read it. It worked for us. I can't guarantee it will work for anyone else. But I sure hope so. I would send you a copy it all, but it is in Croatian language. I hope you are not disappointed now. If you expected some magical solution, I can't give it to you. I can just share my experience with you and hope for the best for you. Please let me know how you're doing and feeling. How is situation with your family. Big hug. All the best. Take care. 🤗😊

@NODA Heyy thank you for taking the time to respond to me and I will infact do exactly this , I'm starting erp today and I am very hopeful that it's going to help me alot

@Stupidbrain22 Hey, gladly. Good for you for starting ERP. 👏I am sure it will make a big difference in your life. It's a process, so I guess it takes some time to go through the uncomfortable and unpleasant before it gets easier and you see tangible changes and the results you hope for. Just stick with it. There is no one in my country who specializes in ERP and NOCD do not accept our insurance, so ERP is currently out of my reach. But if I could afford it, I definitely would do it. Please let me know how it all goes. I am keeping my fingers crossed that the first session meets your expectations. How are you feeling and doing otherwise these days? How is your family treating you? Don't forget, your whole life is ahead of you and this part now is the part where you work towards your independence and the life you want to live. Even if ocd persists, hopefully in the background or not at all, there will be no more you tolerating people who are disrespectful to you because of your ocd. Take care. Till later. From Europe to Africa. 😀

@NODA Thank you so much ,erp Is incredibly uncomfortable the initial anxiety and discomfort is what I'm trying to work through bit I know it will get easier as I stick to it, life at home is much better I think I'm finally getting through to them to take my ocd seriously and everything else is going smoothly just looking for a job now

@Stupidbrain22 Wow, great that life at home is finally getting better. Good. I know ERP can be extremely scary in the beginning. I get scared just by thinking of me doing it. But people do experience their ocd to get much better, so I guess it must be worth all the anguish and fear. You will make it. You will be fine. Everything is going to be great. You have me here to support you when the going gets tough. What kind of job are you looking for? Student summer job, permanent? In what field? I hope you find it soon. Take care. 🙋🤗😊

@NODA It is really tough thank you for offering support I truly appreciate it so much, I'm looking for a part time job because I want to start saving up for my own place

Heyy sorry I've not been online in a minute, life got a little bit crazy . I relapsed abit with my OCD but I'm getting better I know it's part of the process but school is fine people are nice and I'm getting better grades ☺️

How are you ☺️

@Stupidbrain22 Nice to read from you. I am happy all schoolwise is good. And relapses will happen. I guess we need to accept them as an expected part of ocd. I am sorry you had to go through it, but am glad you're getting better. How are things at home? Have a lovely day. 😊

@NODA Heyyy so happy you replied 😊 , things at home got a lot better I've been mostly baking to keep my mind off things and doing school work and things are more bearable actually ☺️

@Stupidbrain22 It's smart to distract yourself from all the worrying and despair of dealing with ocd and people around us. If you can't change them, blend in until you can remove yourself from them, and then live your life in peace. The weather has been nuts here these last few days - you get all four seasons multiple times during one day. A person only wants to sleep. It's 4pm here and I can hardly keep my eyes open. Tomorrow it will stabilize and be sunny so hopefully people won't be sort of floating in a haze through the days any more. Do you have any plans for the summer?

@NODA That's true I might move away for uni soon so that's a relief and we only really have two seasons here 😅 and it's basically always summer I'm from Uganda actually

@Stupidbrain22 Wow, Uganda. Thank you for my first friend from Uganda. OK. I have to confess. I have spent the last hour reading about Uganda. Except that it borders Kenya, Sudan, Tanzania and it's kapital Kampala, I had zero knowledge about anything else. Now I know much more. 😁✋🇺🇬 I am quite proud of myself for learning about it. 😄. Do you live in Uganda or are your roots in Uganda, but you live somewhere else? We are actually closer to each other than before when I thought you were from the USA. I live in Europe, on the border of Croatia and Slovenia. Slo side, but I used to live in Cro a few years. Well, it's still 2 different continents, but that is what makes it so beautiful. Different continents, countries, environment... that is the beauty of life. 😉😊♥️

@NODA Your actually my first out of country friend too 😂, and yes my roots are in Uganda,I'm part Ugandan and part Indian, what's it like in Europe I've always wanted to visit honestly

@NODA I want to travel a lot after uni it's one of the things I'm looking forward to the most

Uganda is more or less the same most people come here for the nature but the city life is absolutely amazing and there is much to do , and I hope you get to travel soon you should definitely visit Uganda. And I absolutely relate in the aspect of OCD influencing different spheres of life but we should push through and not let this thing rule our lives

Actually id love to share a tip that has helped me a lot in the past few weeks "discomfort is not danger" it really helps me work through the discomfort and anxiety of not doing my compulsions

Hey its been a minute, and I can say I have fallen once again I feel so hopeless and I feel like no-one sees how bad im getting or how serious this is ,I have a boyfriend I love him with my entire being but I keep hurting him with my confessions ,I keep spiralling over and over I don't know what to do erp is helping for physical compulsions but the mental ones are really sticking to me my false memory ocd is eating away at me ,I just want be happy