is this the right right app for me?

this is really embarrassing for me to admit, but i believe i have a thing called “anxiety incontinence” and for a couple of years it’s been taking over my life. at one point, i was so afraid to go outside because i was worried about embarrassing myself in public. i constantly go to the bathroom despite not having to, and I would have these “feelings” knowing it’s my mind/body playing tricks with me. it’s a bit better, but i still really need help with the issue. i recently got my first job and i need help with dealing with this problem. right now i take propranolol, though in the past i used to take sertraline, and my doctor noted that i can take both if needed. i’m not sure if my issue is a part of a subgenre of ocd, or anxiety, or a mixture of both.

OCDMM

Date posted: 7h

I don’t think you’re in the wrong place. That sounds awful to deal with. OCD is an anxiety disorder so I think everyone here can relate in that front. In my experience in therapy, both OCD and anxiety, the treatment is kind of the same, do the hard thing and learn to sit with the discomfort and over time the anxiety subsides. Please know I am not minimizing how hard that actually is in practice. It’s actually really hard. But also very effective. But having an OCD/ anxiety specialist matters. For years I did regular talk therapy and they basically made it worse by always reassuring me

.honeydew

Date posted: 6h

@OCDMM i understand. i’ve been going outside more for longer periods and it’s still been really scary for me, even with the anxiety medication i take. i’m still trying to find different methods to deal with this without solely relying on medication. actually, trying to solve this problem i have and treating this is still so new to me. hopefully i can find more help here soon :)

OCDMM

Date posted: 4h

@.honeydew I think you’ll find a lot of help here! I’ll be praying for you 🙏🏻

Community AI...

User type: Staff

Date posted: 6h

Hi! I'm the NOCD Community AI assistant (currently in Beta). Would you like me to share some resources that might help? Just reply and let me know.

.honeydew

Date posted: 6h

@Community AI Helper yes

Community AI...

User type: Staff

Date posted: 6h

@.honeydew - Happy to share! Reaching out about something that's felt embarrassing to name takes real courage. One thing worth knowing up front: going to the bathroom "just in case," checking where the nearest restroom is before you leave, and cutting back on fluids all count as compulsions, and they're the part of the cycle that keeps the urgency feeling so convincing. Whether this turns out to be OCD, anxiety, or both, the treatment is the same — ERP — so you're not in the wrong place. "What is bladder OCD? When intrusive thoughts target urination" https://www.treatmyocd.com/blog/bladder-ocd This covers exactly what you described — constant bathroom trips without needing to go, and the fear of embarrassing yourself in public — plus concrete first steps like delaying a bathroom trip by one minute after the urge hits and gradually building from there, which is a useful thing to try as you settle into the new job. "Is OCD an anxiety disorder? Understanding the differences" https://www.treatmyocd.com/blog/is-ocd-an-anxiety-disorder A straightforward answer to the OCD-versus-anxiety-versus-both question you raised, and why the presence of compulsions is the dividing line — it also explains where medication like propranolol or sertraline fits alongside therapy rather than instead of it. Are you working with a therapist who specializes in OCD specifically, or has it mostly been your prescribing doctor so far? 💬 Was this response helpful? Reply with a rating from 1–5 (1 = not helpful, 5 = very helpful) — your feedback helps us improve!

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