Let’s start a thread?

[AlexisKY]

Hi guys, lately my OCD has been in full swing, having intrusive thoughts about any/everything.. and of course obsessing over them. Anyone else have OCD over intrusive thoughts as well? Lately it seems like I’m having anxiety knowing I have anxiety over my OCD, so it’s just one big ring of my brain beating myself up, and it’s soooo tiring and annoying.

How do you guys cope? I know reassurance can be bad sometimes when trying to recover, but I need some positive affirmation or something that I’ll be okay! One second I’m fine, then I slightly think about myself having OCD, and I’m no longer fine! It’s driving me insane 🙄🙄🙄

[Hidden]

I don't know if you're this as well (so, if you were like me as well), but some of what you wrote sort of reminds me a bit of myself (mostly in the past).

And maybe the only thing I can really do is... share my own experiences, what worked for me, etc. And I'm sorry if I come across as rude or ungathered or anything like that, I have some somatization problems that make it difficult to be calm and collected (I still more or less know what I'm talking about).

Hold on. You might not be doing the same thing I was. Well... if you're worrying about whether or not you have OCD, then it sounds like you might be doing what I was doing. And if that is true then you might be trying to figure out the OCD perfectly, or to try to get something perfect. If that is all true (and that is a lot of ifs, lol), then I think and I'm pretty sure I would say, don't. Don't try and get it perfect. That's part of the problem. Instead of trying to perfectly figure out what is the OCD and what isn't, is this anxiety OCD-related or not-OCD-related, should I be worrying or obsessing about this or that, just try to let it go. Because being perfect is not (actually) a good thing. And it's actually a mental issue that people treat (I am currently being treated for it, among other things). I used to think that being perfect was a good thing, and that some perfect things definitely existed, so I got stuck on it. Couldn't perfectly figure out the OCD, and I don't think you can. So I just held on to it. And I think by holding on to it, it got worse.

So maybe I wrote a lot, lol. I hope that you figure it out (but not OCD "figuring it out"

😉).

[nkotbjoeymc]

I have both as well.

[Mcfly64]

Hello Alexis. I have going through the same thing for years. It is all symptoms. We have to learn we don’t have to figure everything out and not everything is black and white. We have to also live with doubt and try and move on . I know it’s easier said than done but that is our ultimate goal. Are you getting any help?

[Phoenyx]

Hi Alexis. I will try to give you my experience without any reassurance. I have OCD and it’s expressed only in harm intrusive thoughts- nothing else. It seems like my brain switches on the anxiety after an OCD episode and for me it lasts about a month. And I’m talking about very intense anxiety about anything and anyone.

[AlexisKY in reply to Phoenyx]

Yeah that’s how it is for me as well, seems to stick around for a month or so, and comes and goes, it’s just a bit annoying

[Phoenyx in reply to AlexisKY]

it's very annoying but for me, it goes away ...of course until another OCD episode appears. Hopefully, it disappears sooner than later in your case.

[alexandraisobsessed IOCDF Advocate]

Hey Alexis,

The biggest two things that helped me stop beating myself up over having OCD and having these awful intrusive thoughts were acceptance and self-compassion.

When I learned to accept my intrusive thoughts and my mental illnesses (yes, I have a few and that's ok :)) without judgement or negative reactions and offer myself loving kindness the way I would a friend or loved one, I was able to stop beating myself up daily over my thoughts.

You are worthy of that acceptance and kindness too!

I love and recommend Dr. Kristin Neff and Kimberly Quinlan as resources for learning about how self-compassion can help with OCD.

Be kind to yourself and remember that we are not our thoughts.

[mvillarreal]

AlexisKY If you don't mind me asking, what kind of intrusive thoughts are you having? Intrusive thoughts can manifest in different ways, in my experience, and sometimes different kinds of intrusive thoughts will need different kinds of ways to cope.

[AlexisKY in reply to mvillarreal]

They can pretty much range anywhere from harm, to bad sexual thoughts, etc, or anxiety over things I’ve done in the past and what not as well (even small things that aren’t even bad)

[mvillarreal in reply to AlexisKY]

AlexisKY One thing that might help is to think, "It's just a thought." You haven't done anything wrong when you think about harm, bad sexual thoughts, etc. It's just part of your illness, and I think it will help to remember that. As for the obsessing about things you've done in the past, I think it might help to remember that your past does not define you. We've all done harmful things in the past, but that's our past self; your current self knows that what your past self did was wrong but is a better person than that past self. I hope that helps somewhat.

[pureOneedhelp]

I'm relatively sure I have OCD as well. A lot of my intrusive thoughts revolve around internalized phobias I've got, and my compulsions are me obsessively trying to disprove my thoughts or prove them wrong. It's been non-stop since June