Breathing ocd

@Chibee I had it like a few months ago and then it went away and randomly I’m just sitting on the couch and i started thinking ab it and now i feel panic How’d you get over it?

@Chibee Thank you 🥹 how long did this last for u ? This type of ocd

@Dreamydream hmmm my somatic ocd was triggered by a panic attack a few months ago—it’s def gotten a lot easier with each passing month. It comes back every now and then but I’m always able to confront it! It def gets better the more your body gets used to dealing w it, you will adapt!!!

@Generiname Only when high?

@Dreamydream A huge majority of the time. But I've experienced it sober a dozen or so times and yeah, it's still gnarly lol

@Generiname It definitely is lol. How do you get over it?

@Dreamydream Great question, I think I notice that I'm noticing it and that just triggers the spiral. I've never really thought about how I stop it. I think what works for me might not work for you either, and I'm not sure how ERP can be applied. But I'm sure it can! That or EMDR :)

@Anonymous I’m sorry that your relapsed /: i also relapsed with ocd in march and it’s been rough, i was free of it for 8 years! Breathing ocd randomly came onto me a few months ago and i had it for a little then it went away and today it randomly just popped back up and i started to panic U think ur meds help with ocd?

@Dreamydream I’m sorry to hear that :( I really wouldn’t wish this on my worst enemy mine is so severe like anytime I’m doing anything walking, showering, talking to a friend, I think about it and it brings me waves of anxiety I’m exhausted. The meds got rid of the anxiety from it but not the thought completely but it made it so much more manageable and I could concentrate more at school and work. I’ve just come to the conclusion I need my meds to live a normal life with it which sucks but it is what it is

@Anonymous I always say that, i wouldn’t either!! It’s so exhausting especially this breathing one it’s so exhausting thinking about your every breath or taking deep breaths frequently or panicking. Does it help at all with the thoughts or just the anxiety not being there just make it easier to get over quickly?

@Dreamydream Both but more so the anxiety so in turn the thoughts are less frequent I think on the meds because my brain is not anxious and it’s bored with the thought

@Anonymous How have you been back on the medication and erp?

@Dreamydream It’s only like day 11 on meds so hasn’t really kicked in yet and tomorrow is my 4th nocd session and we’re gonna start erp im actually excited fir it because I really wanna crack down on it before the meds kick in because the meds give u less anxiety which kind of defeats the purpose of erp lol

@Anonymous How are you doing now? Do you think ERP is working for it? I have the exact same problem and recently started Zoloft for it and it seems to be helping a lot but I still struggle. I can now focus in school and have fun with friends but when I’m alone I’m back to thinking about it. :(

@pollockanastasia Glad things are lookin up for you! So basically I had to stop therapy cuz Medicaid still hasn’t gotten back to me and also unfortunately I’m on a new med this week I started because Prozac made me worse with the heightened anxiety. Now I’m on lexapro and the anxiety seems to be a little better but I know it’s too early to tell. I loved Zoloft that’s the first pill I was on! I kind of wanted to go back on that but my doc suggested lexapro so I’m trying that one out now

@KatKaatie It’s so annoying. What ur main theme?

@Dreamydream my main theme rn is somatic ocd breathing ocd like you

@KatKaatie Gotcha, ya it’s annoying /: harm is my biggest theme tho

@guts Like you get hyper focused on ur breathing and then u start to panic bc all ur thinking about is ur next breath and u start to spiral and freak out. Cause it’s just a weird feeling / thought about oh well i can control my breathing what if i just stopped etc.

@Dreamydream yes for sure i experience this! i'm also afraid my breathing can suddenly just stop out of nowhere, especially in the shower or when it's stuffy it feels like hell is waiting for me, also when i sometimes struggle with breathing i start ventilating like that isn't making it worse 😭