Hello everyone, I hope you are doing well.I am writing here because I want to talk about OCD and making mistakes in real life. I feel like I make more mistakes than other normal people. Sometimes, I make a mistake without even realizing it. I recall that years after and I am like "omg how didnt I rocognize that it was something bad".
I would be happy to hear from you other ocdiers.
Thanks
It’s okay we all make mistakes and have regrets. I can certainly relate to what you are saying.
Making mistakes is the human condition. I don't know if people with OCD make "more" mistakes than others, but we may be much more aware of it. I have an OCD theme with my work that if I make a mistake I might accidentally kill someone. It often makes me double check my work and be more detailed oriented than others. Often I find that I'm bringing things up that others haven't even considered! It can be a blessing and a curse. It does make me better at my job, but I can get in "too deep" and obsess over something.
I also think it's how you treat your mistakes. If you use them as opportunities to learn and get better they are a great teaching tool. However, if they cause you a lot of anxiety and you are constantly obsessing over them, then they are most likely OCD thoughts.
I guess in short I'd say; we all make mistakes but if we didn't we'd never learn.
I'm in severe depression right now over mistakes. I quit my job from pressure because I thought one of my phobias was going to occur, the new job I started was filled with triggers that have tormented me for two years now that led to one of my worse fears occurring. It's startling how one small mistake destroyed my OCD progress. I haven't slept or eaten in days because it hit me how big the mistake was, I cry constantly, I'm so scared that this is my life now...no hope, no way out.
Hi PinetownTree. If you cant sleep or eat you should probably go seek for help. Go to emergencies and see professionals that can help you. Maybe you should go to the hospital. Contact your therapist, it can help. Dont stay alone. I wish you luck and I hope your condition will get better
I'm too far gone, I just want to help others
You are not too far gone. When a person has gotten to their limit with something, there is a good chance things will get better. I believe that in a lot of situations, the mind can "repair" itself- maybe especially with mental illness, because there are meds and therapy one can try to go back to functioning well, even if it takes a longer time to do so.
I had been really sick before with my mental illness, and had thought I would never get out of it, but I felt better after the right help came (in my case, going back on my meds).
A lot of times, there's something that can be done to help someone with a problem, and I really believe you can get help with your situation.
Don't give up hope! It just takes the proper help for you to start feeling better (if you're having trouble finding what that may be, you can always talk to your Dr and find different possibilities that will work for you.)
Take care xx
I'm starting NOCD in two weeks, this is just the most impossible my condition ever looked, the scariest thing is the thoughts. It's the knowledge of past contaminations or likely upcoming contaminations that can't be erased from my thoughts.
I hope NOCD works for you. Just be patient and work as much as you have to, to feel better. It'll be okay!
I'm so sorry you're going through this. It's such a terrible feeling when things get that bad. I really feel for you. Please hang in there and reach out for help. You don't have to live in such terrible emotional and physical pain. That's great about the NOCD in two weeks. Meanwhile definitely go to the emergency room if you have thoughts of hurting yourself or if your thinking goes from depression or mania to psychosis. The hospital can quickly get your mind calmed down and make sure you are safe. You are more important than you'll ever know. We're all rooting for you.
Hello,
I replied to a recent post of yours and just noticed this one here. I'll echo what SCC1 said. You are never, ever, "to far gone". There are many many people on this forum who were in the exact same place as you. The good news is that they got better through working with therapists, doctors, and people (like on this forum) who understand their illness.
In 2020 I fell back into OCD hard after being relatively symptom free for a decade. Much like you I couldn't sleep or eat. I was just barely working and was going into empty offices to cry multiple times a day. Looking back on it, I think my medication had not been working properly in years but I (stupidly) ignored it. I also wasn't really doing any of my OCD exercises. I don't think I thought this consciously, but I think I had a false sense of being "cured". It was absolutely devastating to fall back into that. My mental health was bad and the old idea of myself had died. My ego had come crashing down. I remember feeling like the earth had opened up and that I had fallen into a deep dark place. However, I did the scary brave thing I didn't want to do. I asked for help.
Initially it felt intensely scary and humiliating. I felt like I had failed and was really depressed. I wondered if I would ever get better. It wasn't easy, and it took time, but I was able rebuild all of that. I felt better and was able to work again. I was able to enjoy time with my family and friends again. I guess what I'm saying is that even though it may feel dark you are not alone. The good news is that there are literally millions of people who want (and can) help. All you need to do is ask.
If you're feeling to overwhelmed you can always go to an emergency room or hospital. I've had to have a CPEP (Comprehensive Psychiatric Emergency Program) done before and it was very helpful. They were able to prescribe some medicine right then and there to help with my anxiety.
I truly hope you find the peace you deserve my friend. You can get better! If you have any questions or concerns you can always post on this forum. God bless you.
I really agree with what "IStillHaveHope" has to say above. To quote him, "It (my OCD) often makes me double-check my work and be more detailed oriented than others. Often, I find that I'm bringing things up that others haven't even considered! It can be a blessing and a curse."
Going back to my paternal grandfather, I find that I have OCD in my family, and it has been both a blessing and a curse. My father and grandfather were famous in their careers but were plagued with "Perfectionistic OCD." My dad was an attorney well known for his excellent work because he double-checked everything. As an accountant, I also double-check my work by always adding my column of numbers twice.
Again, as "IStillHaveHope" said above, "I also think it's how you treat your mistakes. If you use them as opportunities to learn and get better, they are a great teaching tool." So it is not your mistakes, as that's human, but how you handle them. Can you learn from them, or do they only become obsessions that stress you out? And yes, having OCD is the pits, but in some situations, it can be helpful if you let it.
The sort of work that need conscientious attention to detail is often good for people with OCD! I bet that you're a really good accountant!
Apparently the brain makes a new connection if you make a mistake, realize that you've made a mistake, and then learn from it. The new connection doesn't happen in you get it right first go.
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