Is it normal to experience excessive guilt with OCD?

[Dolphin_08]

Hey all! Hope you're doing okay. For context for this - my intrusive thoughts largely centre around the wellbeing of my family and friends.

This may sound irrational, but often when I have a completely normal argument with a family member or do something that isn't 100% correct by my loved ones, I feel excessively guilty about it, to the point of apologising multiple times and being moved almost to the point of tears. I worry that I'm taking advantage of the health and happiness of my family and friends, which is something that I pray for everyday and want so badly (and have so many intrusive thoughts about).

However, I'm unsure if this is because of my OCD or just a normal thing to experience. Please let me know your thoughts!

[deValentin]

Sometimes we can’t help but worry about something. Is it OCD or normal conscience? On way to decide is to ask yourself (in good faith and a period of full lucidity) whether you would change anything if you had a magic pill that gave you reasonable control over your thoughts or actions. If you wouldn’t change anything, that’s normal conscience: your thoughts and actions are in alignment with your values. If you would, that means that your abilities are more or less temporarily impaired by a reasoning and conditioning in need of adjustment. There are several therapies available like ERP or ACT that can help restore normal abilities either through books, videos or virtual/in-person sessions with a therapist.

[Dolphin_08 in reply to deValentin]

Thank you for your reply!

[PaperTigers]

I think with OCD you can get on a certain train of thought and ride that track again and again and again. I don't just mean ruminating, I mean living in a certain emotional state like remorse and being unable to pull yourself out of it. I think I understand what you mean and that's the best way I can describe it

[Dolphin_08 in reply to PaperTigers]

Thank you for your reply! Yes, that is a good way of describing it. I guess I worry that when I have a fight with my loved ones or do something wrong by them, I'm taking advantage of them and that could mean that something bad happens to them so I'll regret it later on. I think it is connected to OCD, but more just a side affect rather than a direct obsession/compulsion.

[RedSpinach]

Yeah it's like revisiting those instances again n again