Does Anyone Ever Experience This?

[MissBowLady]

Sometimes in this community, a common thing people will say is “it’s your OCD!” And while they mean the best and genuinely want to help support you, sometimes it feels like a misunderstanding. I mean, if I knew it was OCD I’d just be like “wow thanks! Now I obviously know this is irrational and illogical!” To me in these moments and days when I’m trying to fight, I can’t help thinking those thoughts are true and not irrational! I’m literally fighting what I think is right and taking a chance of uncertainty but also doing stuff I think is morally wrong.

It’s easy to see someone with OCD and say it’s OCD. But to that person you are just saying words that they can’t understand just yet.

I’m not trying to not take support or help. I’m just wondering if this has happened to others and they feel frustrated and we could all understand this?

[Hidden]

I'm a life long sufferer of OCD. The further down the path you go, if you're observant, is that learning to identify OCD from "normal" feeling is key. Dr. Jeffery Schwartz's book "Brain Lock" lays out four steps which I've found to be more helpful than anything else. 1. Relabel 2. Reattribute 3. Refocus 4. Revalue. By being able to identify (relabel) the thought and feeling you can recognize that it's OCD and not you. I use this all of the time and find it very helpful. I recommend the book. I also recommend finding an OCD specialist who can help you.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Don't wanna bother you (or maybe I do), but it's interesting because I once worked with what I genuinely thought was a really good therapist that specialized in OCD. One of the things that we did during therapy was, we tried to identify and label it, then set it off to the side. Which looks like it shares parts with relabelling and reattributing.

Only problem was, I looped onto the identification Identifying the OCD became a whole new compulsion I think.

Fast forward a few years, I now think me and that therapist may have missed something initially, and the key is NOT knowing it's OCD. It's to take the gamble, and not reassure yourself.

Maybe that was too long-winded

leper

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

That was just what worked for me. Not everyone will respond to the same treatment.

[nkotbjoeymc]

I’m With You On All Of This.

[Hoping_to_Heal]

Yes, what you have described has happened to me many times (I suffer from many severe forms), and yes it can be *very* difficult to believe that it's just OCD & not a real concern.