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working to conquer OCD
Hi all, I’m planning to start anti depressants for OCD just wondered if anyone has found this effective with intrusive thoughts? I’m scared if once they have worked I go off them and have a relapse?
Hi all, my name is Ryan and this is the first post I am sharing on this app. I struggle with a lot of forms of OCD, as I’m sure many of you do as well. My first memory of experiencing OCD symptoms was when I was 2.5 ish. However I did not get formally diagnosed until I was 25 after the OCD becoming debilitating during 2020. I got prescribed medicine then. It helped a bit but while on it I still experience symptoms. I feel like medicine silences the irrationality a bit. But it’s always still there. I’ll be honest I don’t like taking medicine. I don’t like the way it makes me feel, how it numbs some things but intensifies others. When I have gone off my medicine for one reason or another my symptoms definitely intensify. I am currently off and strongly considering starting again because OCD is starting to control my life again. Since I went without medicine for 25 years of life it’s so hard to justify taking it. I sort of feel guilty, like I was able to do it without before. My OCD has gotten worse throughout the years but I also remember some really hard times before I was diagnosed and I got through it. I wish there was a better option. The medicine isn’t perfect but it’s something. It’s a constant struggle for me.
Why must my OCD always make up the scariest scenarios to torment me with. Some guy was hitting on me on reddit and the convo didn't get far before I just blocked him but now my OCD is like 'he's gonna be mad and DOX YOU/STALK YOU' huh??? how did we get here?? now I wanna compulsively delete my account .. These new meds better kick in fast T-T
Everything is triggering my ocd thoughts right now. It started very quickly the other day. I’ve tried all the relaxation techniques and little therapy techniques. I don’t know how to get out of it. Anyone know how to make them stop. Or like how long this anxiety and stuff is gonna last for
I don't know what to do or how to stop this : ( if anyone has advice please, please let me know! It's happening to me that whenever I watch/read TV at night, get into an argument with a loved one, or haven't talked to them for a while I start to have intrusive thoughts/images that they're gonna get fatally hurt. For example, about seven months ago I had a car accident. I don't think I was left necessarily traumatized, but rather every time I have (the previously mentioned) intrusive thoughts I begin to reimagine my loved ones in that same (or similar) situations... and no matter how much I try to NOT acknowledge them...they often lead me to having anxiety or panic attacks. The only way that I seem to be able to stop these intrusive thoughts is by sleeping it off… but then that leaves to lack of productivity throughout the day and affects my life… I try my best to not give in into compulsions…especially because I also have dermatillomania so I KNOW that if I DO give in…it’ll end up bad. I’ve tried writing things down to see if it helps to calm me down. Although that did work for a while, I’ve started to feel/think that if I write my thoughts down they’ll increase possibility of actually happening :( so I’ve stopped doing that for a while now. I don’t know what to do anymore!
I didn’t have any female desires before this. I was so happy with my bf and only wanted him. Now it truly feels like I’ve been lesbian all along though even though I don’t really feel like I’d be truly happy with a woman. I was just with my bf right now and I felt nothing. I tried to picture a life with him in the moment and I felt nothing, I look at him and feel nothing. but after that and watching him leave, I just started sobbing. My heart feels like it’s in my throat, my eyes won’t stop burning, I cant even breath right. Watching him leave felt like a goodbye. It really feels like I have to break up w him and tell him what’s going on and I don’t know what to do. I know I love him so much and before all this I had no doubts that he was my best friend and my partner and everything. The one person who truly felt like home and now even though I’m still not even sure if this is ocd or not, or if I’m gay or not I feel like I have to break up with him. I feel like I have to tell him. I feel so guilty that he’s with me and I’m feeling like this he deserves so much better.
Why does false memory always pick on situations that are so far in the past? Mine literally came to me 6 whole years after a drunk night out that I couldn’t stop obsessing about. The scary thing for me is the real detail in my false memory that my ocd is now saying is ‘evidence’, my therapist keeps saying that the ‘evidence’ really isn’t evidence and deep down I think I do know that but for me it’s the real details that keep me hooked. It’s like how can ‘this’ be real but ‘that’ not be real if you get me? It’s all so confusing and my brain hurts. The brain is a wild thing.
I posted about this yesterday but I feel like I’m in an extremely obsessive cycle right now. So basically I started college and moved into dorms. My roommate and I were cool at first then began to experience some issues. Mainly codependency on both ends. So I pulled back to regain control of my emotions and also to make better decisions since I don’t want codependent friendship. I did this with the help and guidance of my therapist. I have also been in therapy for almost two years. So today, my friend seems bothered in class bc she has her nursing cohort in class and Idk if she wanted to go talk to them rather than me or what she wanted to do but she usually says bye to me after class and she just got up and left. Which was odd to me. She then was super silent later in when she got home to the dorms so I asked if wverhtbing was ok she said yeah and said she had a headache. While that may be true she hadn’t been quiet toward me or like that in the past. So anyways I’ve been in an obsessive cycle of trying to “find answers” as to what’s wrong with me and why I struggled in friendship my whole life. Why I’ve chosen some unkind friends before. I have searched the internet up and down trying to figure out what is “wrong with me” and see if I’m unliksble or if there’s traits that need “fixing” so I can be liked better. This also enables me to go into perfectionist mode and remind myself of all the flaws I have and try to fix them. It’s exhausting and tiring. I’ve done some major work on myself in therapy these past two years and have actually made drastic changes, yet I still sometimes feel like why haven’t I mad decent good friends, and why am I feeling like a bad person all the time even when I’ve improved a lot of things. Any advice. Is this a compulsion?? I feel like it is bc my brain freaken hurts and I feel like I am looping. I got home around 4:30 today and have been on the intnernt for four hours searching smh.
I just had my first therapy session today, it went well, but I’m curious if anyone else often feels slightly overwhelmed by thoughts and feelings when it’s over. It kind of feels like it triggers my obsessive thoughts a bit. I’m not sure if this is part of the process or not. I’m just scared therapy won’t work or will make my thoughts feel worse and more real.
So me & my gf are taking a break & i dont blame her. i confessed to her my intrusive thoughts because i felt bad when in reality im realizing this was ocd. She felt like i didnt love her for days after that. we have decided to go on break. she only seems to care ab my mental health genuinely when im saying something about our relationship. but then again she said if i need time alone i can take that. then she said she loves me too much & she wants me to seek help but bro😐 how when i cant even afford it. it kinda pisses me off idk. i don’t think she cares about my mental health as much as she states🤔 or maybe thats ocd speaking? idk im still trying to understand this shit. help pleaseeee
i feel oddly calm with the thoughts, though they still stress me out a bit but a lot less. i almost feel too comfortable. i also feel doomed, like even if i recover i will be someone i don’t wanna be.. like it’s becoming more than ocd
My sweet sweet dog passed away today and I’ve noticed my OCD has been through the roof. Actually my husband noticed- he said what I’m doing is OCD related. I have felt the need to remember every moment with her in her last days with extreme clarity. (Which is something my OCD has fixated on) I am fixated on all the ways I messed up in the 10 years I had with her. I guess what I’m asking is- is this normal with fried and having OCD? I feel so lost.
Hello! While I'm not a doctor, I've lived with OCD for 15 years and have explored many techniques to manage it. Through trial and error, I've discovered strategies that truly work. I'm eager to share this advice, hoping it can ease your struggle, especially in the early stages of treatment. Incorporating these tips can lead to immediate improvements in managing OCD. Remember, you're not alone in this journey. There's a supportive community ready to help, and with the right approach, fear and panic become manageable. OCD is treatable, and it's possible to reclaim your happiness and freedom. My OCD Management Recommendations Based on 15 Years of Experience 1. Seek Professional Help - It is a game-changer, trust me. Professional guidance can provide tailored strategies and support that are crucial for managing OCD effectively. 2. Sleep Well - Quality sleep is foundational for mental health. It helps in managing stress and improving overall well-being. 3. Eat Clean - A balanced diet can significantly affect your mental and physical health. Nutritious foods support brain function and emotional balance. 4. Exercise - Regular physical activity is beneficial for both body and mind. It helps in reducing anxiety and improving mood. 5. Engage Your Brain - Activities like reading books, playing chess, watching quality TV shows and movies, solving crosswords, and puzzles keep your mind engaged and can offer relief from obsessive thoughts. 6. Relax - Incorporate relaxation techniques into your routine. Visit wellness spas, get massages, and meditate. 7. Quit Caffeine - Completely eliminate caffeine from your diet. It can exacerbate anxiety and OCD symptoms, so avoiding it can lead to significant improvements in your mental health. 8. Let Go and Go with Life's Flow - These are just thoughts and emotions. They always come and go. Don't resist them. Don't do anything to push them away. Don't play the OCD game. Don't engage in OCD games in any way. Just simply let them be and let them pass. These are just thoughts and emotions. They always go away. They always pass. 9. Notice that OCD thoughts are synthetic thoughts. They are not your natural, real, or pure thoughts. These thoughts are synthetic, so don't engage with them, don't play this game, don't do anything for them. Just simply acknowledge them, don't do anything, just let them be and let them pass. No matter how you feel, just do your stuff and don't do anything about synthetic thoughts. This is how you will train your body and mind that you're not afraid of it, you can function with it, and OCD will simply lose its power.
Has anyone recently gotten married and was able to cope with their OCD through their engagement and actual wedding weekend? I’ve been doing great and just want to make sure I can handle the stress over the next few months and not ruin the weekend I’ve looked forward to for over a year. I feel some recent intrusive thoughts coming through that are “I am” statements which are new for me. Any tips or tricks would be appreciated.
When I look at my bf, I find him very cute etc but sometimes I dont feel anything… which I know is normal because you cant feel everything at every moment in your life… but the thing is everytime I think about us breaking up or him disappearing from my life, I feel like hes the “last” guy im ever gonna be with and then I’ll only be with women. Like whatttt?!?!? Whyyy?!
nothing feels real right now? and i’m not anxious when the intrusive thoughts come. does this mean i am okay with them? or i agree with them? it feels like im changing.. i don’t want this
I’m thinking thoughts 24/7, from wake to sleep, everyday, every moment. I don’t even get a one second break. It’s exhausting. What do I do? Is this normal? I want to be able to get out of my own head. I analyze and have thoughts about every action/event, every person, and every thought. And unfortunately there’s a set of traumas my brain makes me think about tons of times everyday. The only time I can stop thinking is when I’m super drunk (don’t worry, I’ve made sure to only do this like once or twice a month.) I’m not interested in trying medication, I’ve been on meds a few times and they never helped. Any advice?
Guys im so embarassed. And OCD makes it so much worse because it's giving me chronic guilt. I was at work and I made a joke about unaliving myself with a friend like really loud and I feel really guilty because it just kinda came out. My friends were laughing but I realize by some ppls reactions that mightve not been appropriate. I wasn't serious but I do make those jokes often with friends (unfortunate habit I've picked up due to my own s*icidality). My guilt is killing me and I have a strong urge to apologize to my coworkers. Should I or is it a compulsion and I should just leave it alone??
Hi NOCD! I've been working with a therapist through NOCD for a while, and have decided to post this to see if we can all help each other a little 😊. When your OCD gets really loud, but you no longer feel the urge to do a compulsion, but you're still left with that feeling of panic and distress, what do you do?
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