OCD came back!!!!

[123ST3]

Had religious OCD for a looooonnngggg time. Finally bit the bullet and got Exposure Therapy a little over a year ago. Went through it - it worked. I wasn’t cured, but I didn’t care to be cured because I wasn’t afraid anymore.

OCD came back about a week and a half ago… I started having chest pains. The fears of the worst case scenario started to trickle in, and I started to Google all my symptoms…. I went to the doc, who gave me a clean bill of health saying the chest pains were due to acid reflux, magnified by anxiety. I had an ekg and everything…. All good. I’m 39 btw….

I wasn’t anxious after leaving the doctor, but I knew what the OCD would do - and it did it. And I fell for it. I googled a little more and found some random article about someone misdiagnosed with acid reflux when it was stage 4 cancer…. That sent me spinning. I was googling and checking to see how I felt all day.

Finally I came to my senses and wrote out a short narrative (an exposure exercise) about going to the doctor and finding out I have inoperable cancer with only a few months to live. I read it and it scared me. Then I read it again, again and again.

The anxiety started fall off…. The clouds parted.

Moral of the story - exposure to the fear is the only way through the fear.

[deValentin]

Thank you for sharing your story that shows that a relapse is always possible and regular maintenance work is necessary to manage OCD.

[Mcfly64]

Thank you 🙏

[UKmum68]

Just to say a huge well done to you for having the courage to lean into the fear. So much courage and intention 🙌

[Dolphin_08]

You should be proud! Thank you for sharing that advice.

[Natureloverpeace]

Good job! OCD may try to wiggle it’s way back in but you know it’s tricks and kicked it to the curb. You prevented a lapse from turning into a full blown relapse. Well done!