After a week and half spiral flare up, literally none stop mentally ruminating and spiraling for days it was so distressing, my head feels more clear but I can’t shake the anxiety feeling. Feeling a little shaky and on edge. Do you guys notice that the physical sensations last a little longer after the mental spiral . If this makes sense. It makes me want to worry about the next spiral. I would love to hear any thoughts. Thank you!
this resonates with me a ton! I recently had a really bad anxiety attack that led to a flare up in my ruminating thoughts and I was spiraling. I felt "off", on edge, and hyper-aware of every little change in my body, for about 2 weeks. what helps me is continuing to do things like exercise, eating well, and trying to get sleep every night helped me eventually regulate.
@Emma Gluck Yes!!! I also notice I may be a little more emotional at times too.
This flare up also happened out of no where and made me feel like my meds no longer work:( which is a scary feeling, bc when I’m in my deep spirals I literally can’t get out of it. No distraction or anything helps. All day long non stop distressing thoughts. I been good for months so it just made me feel really bad…
Hello GentleProgress, What you’re describing makes a lot of sense. Many people notice that even after the mental spiraling slows down, the body can still feel anxious or on edge for a while. This is a common experience with OCD, and it’s understandable to feel concerned about when the next spiral might happen. Remember, these sensations are temporary and part of the body’s response to stress. If you’re struggling and need more assistance, remember that help is available. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at NOCD to find out how we can support you. Also here are some helpful resources: https://www.treatmyocd.com/my-ocd-journey/idiosyncrasies-navigating-an-obsessive-compulsive-mind https://www.treatmyocd.com/blog/3-strategies-to-manage-ocd-and-panic-attacks/ https://www.treatmyocd.com/blog/debunking-5-common-myths-about-ocd/ Take care, Ian M. Reeder
@Ian Reeder Thank you soooooo much
Yes I feel this definitely. And also sometimes the physical sensations will start up out of nowhere when I thought I was in a decent mood and it will cause me to spiral. Sometimes things just feel off. I feel a bit restless and uneasy and I worry something is wrong. I have primarily health and somatic OCD so I'm always worrying that it's some kind of medical event that will happen. Just that thought alone can trigger days of anxiety and spiraling for me. I'm sorry you're going through this and I hope your good days will continue and you can shake this uneasy feeling!
@genuinelytalented It’s weird bc I notice that I can like calm myself down as the day goes on (only in certain cases like coming out a flare up when my head is already clearing up) I know cortisol is higher in the morning but it’s almost like I can just shut off my OCD at night. there’s gotta be a reason
@GentleProgress That's crazy cuz mine is usually in reverse! I feel good during the day and more anxious as the evening comes. But yeah sometimes time and waiting is all you can do to help calm down.
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