Advice on considering sobriety?

Almost every major real-event and false-memory OCD spiral I have had in my adult life involves alcohol. Like many neurodivergent people, I’ve found that alcohol quiets my OCD thinking. It’s so nice to have a brief reprieve from it for a few hours. I love being social and hanging out with my friends. But I worry that I can’t be trusted when I drink - I’m scared that the parts of myself I am trying to control will take over when my inhibitions are down. Most of the time, I am able to drink without it being a problem. But on the few instances where OCD takes hold, I can’t recover for days sometimes weeks after. The thought of getting completely sober makes me think that every real-event or false-memory OCD instance carries a lot of weight. Like I would be admitting that all of those fears are true. I try to moderate my drinking, and I have been doing pretty well, but it only takes one bad night to completely flatten me. Advice or thoughts are encouraged 🙏🏻

ava222

Date posted: Yesterday

Hi! New to this app and OCD. I’m currently scrolling through this after a night of drinking where I had a crashout and told people im struggling. I’m also considering sobriety at this point, not because I think I have a drinking problem, but i cannot control my brain when I’m drinking. Alcohol also quiets my brain, but the sadness and anxiety does not go away, it just comes out when i have less control over it. I also cannot recover for days on end, and i regret everything i said and did for weeks, sometimes months on end. It’s completely debilitating. At this point it’s no longer worth it for me, and the mental/physical effects it has on me. I’m not sure how long this will last, or if I will ever feel normal while drinking again, but until my OCD is more manageable, I will be cutting it out. Tbh I’m a little scared. I haven’t been to social events without drinking in 5-6 years. I am naturally a little awkward and shy (due to anxiety/OCD) and that first drink buzz helps me out of my shell. But I need to feel okay in my head, and i need to choose myself. I applaud you for recognizing this and being compassionate to yourself while also being aware of what is best for you. I wish you luck in this journey!!

crashingout_...

Date posted: Yesterday

@ava222 Thank you so much for sharing your experience 🛟 it’s so helpful to know I am not alone in this struggle. It’s really brave of you to put your long term well being in front of short term relief.

Community AI...

User type: Staff

Date posted: Yesterday

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.

crashingout_...

Date posted: Yesterday

@Community AI Helper Yes please

Community AI...

User type: Staff

Date posted: 23h

@crashingout_spiraling - Happy to share! One thing worth naming before the links: OCD tends to show up on both sides of this decision. Drinking to quiet the thinking works like a compulsion in that it delivers real short-term relief, which is exactly why the thoughts come back louder afterward — and cutting alcohol out can also become a compulsion if the reason is "I can't trust myself." The more useful question in ERP isn't usually drink or don't drink, it's what the choice is doing for you: an actual values-based decision about your health and your sleep is very different from an avoidance move meant to prevent a feared version of yourself from appearing. And the idea that going sober would mean admitting your fears are true is itself a very recognizable OCD move — treating a practical decision as a verdict on your character. "OCD and Alcohol: Does Drinking Actually Make OCD Symptoms Worse?" https://www.treatmyocd.com/blog/why-ocd-and-alcohol-dont-mix Written by Dr. Patrick McGrath, NOCD's Chief Clinical Officer, this gets at the exact trade-off you described — why alcohol feels like a reprieve from OCD thinking in the moment and why symptoms often come back harder afterward. "Feeling "Stuck" in the Past: OCD and False Memories" https://www.treatmyocd.com/blog/feeling-stuck-in-the-past-ocd-and-false-memories Stacy Quick, LPC covers why memory doubt grips so hard and why reviewing a night to establish what "really" happened keeps the doubt alive — relevant to the days or weeks of recovery you mentioned after a bad night. Are you working with a therapist who specializes in OCD specifically, or more of a general therapist? 💬 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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