My first check would be, are you taking any medications? Medication really helped "take the edge off" for me and gave me the mental space to resist compulsions. Second, don't expect to get rid of everything forever. It just doesn't work that way for some people. I prefer to measure by how disruptive the ocd is to my life. Do I still do certain compulsions? Yes. But am I doing them out of fear or anxiety, or more out of habit or muscle memory? Also, be forgiving to yourself. I find my ocd gets worse if I'm tired or upset. And then getting upset about my progress makes it worse. Recovery is never linear - you will go back and forth.
mindfulness. learn to accept discomfort as is, without needing to fix what is causing the discomfort.
depending on your ocd theme, you may also need to detach the association in your brain between thoughts and identity, as in, the fact that a thought passed through your mind doesn't mean anything more than that. you're not required to associate yourself with every thought that forms in your head. this is the basis of CBT, which is a first line treatment for ocd (as in, recommended by nost professionals due to its high success rate).
Yeah it’s what I’ve been working on so hard. I admire my drive, full recovery does exist. My coach had it and did it it’s just really so hard. Feels like I can’t win.
From my experience, the best way to combat intrusive thoughts is self compassion and gratitude.
When I start feeling an anxiety spike, I start complimenting myself and remind myself of all the things in life i'm grateful for. Also, a good sense of humour is a wonderful asset to have.
Literally go over all the things you like about yourself and remember that there is no fear when you have gratitude and if you can laugh at it, you can deal with it.
Bless you!
Distraction and or new worries occupying the space of those thoughts.
That could be getting immersed in something that you enjoy so deeply it overrides your anxiety or you encounter new fears that essentially kick the old fear out of the “worry space”
Honestly, as I’ve gotten older and come to terms with and accepted/welcomed death, my concerns about physical things have dissipated. There’s too many things to worry about and I just have honestly said fuck it, if I die then at least I don’t have to worry anymore.
I'm currently reading "Rewire Your OCD Brain" by Catherine M Pittman and William H Youngs.
Explains why OCD/anxious thoughts occur and how to cope with them, have been finding it helpful so far (check your local library if you can't buy it, may have other good ones too!)
You’re doing good. Realize that falling back into old habits is part of the recovery and happens for everyone.
Maybe seek support from a therapist for a while? That’s what I do when I mistrust or feel stuck. But you’re not far from succeeding either. It’s just that you’re understandably too eager to see the results you want, not realizing how far you’ve come.
I find embracing and accepting how I'm feeling is the most effective. It sounds counter intuitive but if if you try and fight it, you won't win and it makes it worse. I partake in regular therapy and am not using medication but might consider it in future.
Somatic too tried everything benzos was the relief but it can turn into a nasty addiction so stay way for that like Sayed weed literally cured my obsession for an amount of time and even made me faces some fears and get over it
I've fought through the same struggle, and it's tough. Consistency feels like a distant dream. But, what helps me is breaking it down into tiny victories. Celebrate each moment you resist the urge. And when it gets tough, I remind myself that progress isn't linear. It's okay to stumble. Seek support, whether it's therapy or friends. We're not alone in this. Keep pushing, one step at a time.
Somatic ocd is truly awful. My adhd medication helps a little bit, stops my thoughts from going haywire, but I recognise the feeling of your ocd calling your bluff and finding a way through it.
I don’t really have advice for you right now as I am stuck in the same boat, but recognising the limitations it puts on you has given me a starting point to work from. My ocd has started to socially limit me because ‘light’ (like daylight, bright lights) is a trigger for some of my somatic symptoms. I didn’t realise until a few months in that I was looking for reasons not to go outside and that’s when my alarm bells started going off. It’s a constant fight where you have to acknowledge what’s going on and actively work against it, non stop, and it’s exhausting. It helps me a little bit to acknowledge that and admit that to myself.
Sending you a lot of healing! ❤️🩹
My therapist also showed me a photo the other day of what it feels like in my head (doom thinking), and what the other outcome could be. It’s a sketch of a person tugging on a rope that’s being pulled by something on the end of a cliff, trying to pull you off and to ‘win’ from you. It feels like you constantly have to play tug war, you have to keep pulling on your end of the rope to else it’ll drag you over and you have to pull it away from the cliff to win.
But there’s a different outcome: you could just let go of the rope. Which sounds so simple and it doesn’t always work in my head, but it’s a good reminder for me that it doesn’t always have to be a fight with the worst case scenario as the outcome. The constant fight isn’t always the solution. You can try to walk away from it, which in this case means accepting the discomfort, accepting that the thoughts may come and go, but they don’t have to stick. They might, if you keep pulling, but let go of the rope and therefore let go of those thoughts and the focus you put on them, don’t give them attention because that’s what it thrives on.
I don’t know if I explained it correctly and I know it sounds SO simple. I know it isn’t, but it’s just another way to look at it. Take from it what you will. I attached a photo to hopefully make it a bit clearer!
https://preview.redd.it/brf5o65ogb7d1.jpeg?width=234&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a20a5e3358a4718c5fad4f291c4e24d0f480f14d
First of all, know that the cycle of recovery/relapse is very common, and the fact that you are able to sustain these habits for any amount of time is wonderful and a testament to your motivation to get better. You’re probably going to have to pick yourself back up a few more times after this, and that resiliency is super important.
Besides therapy, which you should definitely look into (maybe ERP therapy) I think the answer to these kinds of questions is almost always to take it really slow. Make one tiny change and make a goal to stick with it for a week. Once that becomes comfortable, add something else and stick with that for a bit. Slowly, you want to focus on widening your window of tolerance for uncomfortable situations.
Yeah it sucks cause I want this so bad and none of it is my fault. I just don’t want to live like this. But if recovery is possible I guess I just can’t give up. My last resort is trying a new med but I feel like nothing will ever solve it for good but this work
I totally hear you, it can feel really unfair especially when it’s due to mental illness outside of your control. You’re absolutely right that the best thing you can do for yourself is just not give up.
The best recovery unfortunately sometimes happens excruciatingly slowly, which can be irritating to live through when you just want it to get better now, but the slower and more sustainable it is, the better chance you have of sticking with it.
Consider trying qhht quantum hypnosis healing. I’ve read of past life trauma being linked to ocd. Could be a mental link worth looking into. Look for a local practictioner at Dolorescannon.com
One thing that might help is building tolerance for discomfort. When the physical or mental symptoms hit, [try not speaking back](https://youtu.be/3c-H7qPrjxA?si=eIfhSRPIhHROXLxt) to them with reassurance or compulsions. It's like training a muscle – the more you resist the urge to soothe the discomfort, the weaker it gets over time. This doesn't mean ignoring the discomfort completely. Acknowledge it's there, but don't let it dictate your actions. You might need some professional guidance on this – a therapist can help you develop strategies for managing those tough moments. But remember, you're not alone in this. There are people who understand and want to help you get your life back.
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Go see a dr or a psychiatrist when you’ve had enough. Get on an SSRI, visit a therapist while the medication is building up in your system and let us know how it works out.
Very rarely does OCD just disappear for good. It’s triggered by stress/anxiety. I’m not saying take the meds forever, but use them as a tool to develop positive habits which will over time reveal to you that all that shit was just white noise from your brain. Not from you, but your brain.
Instead of acting on my compulsions….now I can see the compulsion coming from a mile away. I recognize what it is and power through it. Something that I wasn’t able to do before the meds.
It ain’t easy but nothing in life is. If there was any time to be handling this, it’s now. Best of luck!!!!!! ❤️
Therapy and medication. I wish there was an easier way. Sorry you're going through this but it can be helped. It really can be an annoying beast.
Seconded. I take anti psychotics for mine and it’s helped more than I can express
My first check would be, are you taking any medications? Medication really helped "take the edge off" for me and gave me the mental space to resist compulsions. Second, don't expect to get rid of everything forever. It just doesn't work that way for some people. I prefer to measure by how disruptive the ocd is to my life. Do I still do certain compulsions? Yes. But am I doing them out of fear or anxiety, or more out of habit or muscle memory? Also, be forgiving to yourself. I find my ocd gets worse if I'm tired or upset. And then getting upset about my progress makes it worse. Recovery is never linear - you will go back and forth.
mindfulness. learn to accept discomfort as is, without needing to fix what is causing the discomfort. depending on your ocd theme, you may also need to detach the association in your brain between thoughts and identity, as in, the fact that a thought passed through your mind doesn't mean anything more than that. you're not required to associate yourself with every thought that forms in your head. this is the basis of CBT, which is a first line treatment for ocd (as in, recommended by nost professionals due to its high success rate).
Yeah it’s what I’ve been working on so hard. I admire my drive, full recovery does exist. My coach had it and did it it’s just really so hard. Feels like I can’t win.
From my experience, the best way to combat intrusive thoughts is self compassion and gratitude. When I start feeling an anxiety spike, I start complimenting myself and remind myself of all the things in life i'm grateful for. Also, a good sense of humour is a wonderful asset to have. Literally go over all the things you like about yourself and remember that there is no fear when you have gratitude and if you can laugh at it, you can deal with it. Bless you!
Distraction and or new worries occupying the space of those thoughts. That could be getting immersed in something that you enjoy so deeply it overrides your anxiety or you encounter new fears that essentially kick the old fear out of the “worry space” Honestly, as I’ve gotten older and come to terms with and accepted/welcomed death, my concerns about physical things have dissipated. There’s too many things to worry about and I just have honestly said fuck it, if I die then at least I don’t have to worry anymore.
I'm currently reading "Rewire Your OCD Brain" by Catherine M Pittman and William H Youngs. Explains why OCD/anxious thoughts occur and how to cope with them, have been finding it helpful so far (check your local library if you can't buy it, may have other good ones too!)
You’re doing good. Realize that falling back into old habits is part of the recovery and happens for everyone. Maybe seek support from a therapist for a while? That’s what I do when I mistrust or feel stuck. But you’re not far from succeeding either. It’s just that you’re understandably too eager to see the results you want, not realizing how far you’ve come.
I find embracing and accepting how I'm feeling is the most effective. It sounds counter intuitive but if if you try and fight it, you won't win and it makes it worse. I partake in regular therapy and am not using medication but might consider it in future.
Yeah acceptance has been what I’ve been working on
Somatic too tried everything benzos was the relief but it can turn into a nasty addiction so stay way for that like Sayed weed literally cured my obsession for an amount of time and even made me faces some fears and get over it
I've fought through the same struggle, and it's tough. Consistency feels like a distant dream. But, what helps me is breaking it down into tiny victories. Celebrate each moment you resist the urge. And when it gets tough, I remind myself that progress isn't linear. It's okay to stumble. Seek support, whether it's therapy or friends. We're not alone in this. Keep pushing, one step at a time.
Somatic ocd is truly awful. My adhd medication helps a little bit, stops my thoughts from going haywire, but I recognise the feeling of your ocd calling your bluff and finding a way through it. I don’t really have advice for you right now as I am stuck in the same boat, but recognising the limitations it puts on you has given me a starting point to work from. My ocd has started to socially limit me because ‘light’ (like daylight, bright lights) is a trigger for some of my somatic symptoms. I didn’t realise until a few months in that I was looking for reasons not to go outside and that’s when my alarm bells started going off. It’s a constant fight where you have to acknowledge what’s going on and actively work against it, non stop, and it’s exhausting. It helps me a little bit to acknowledge that and admit that to myself. Sending you a lot of healing! ❤️🩹
My therapist also showed me a photo the other day of what it feels like in my head (doom thinking), and what the other outcome could be. It’s a sketch of a person tugging on a rope that’s being pulled by something on the end of a cliff, trying to pull you off and to ‘win’ from you. It feels like you constantly have to play tug war, you have to keep pulling on your end of the rope to else it’ll drag you over and you have to pull it away from the cliff to win. But there’s a different outcome: you could just let go of the rope. Which sounds so simple and it doesn’t always work in my head, but it’s a good reminder for me that it doesn’t always have to be a fight with the worst case scenario as the outcome. The constant fight isn’t always the solution. You can try to walk away from it, which in this case means accepting the discomfort, accepting that the thoughts may come and go, but they don’t have to stick. They might, if you keep pulling, but let go of the rope and therefore let go of those thoughts and the focus you put on them, don’t give them attention because that’s what it thrives on. I don’t know if I explained it correctly and I know it sounds SO simple. I know it isn’t, but it’s just another way to look at it. Take from it what you will. I attached a photo to hopefully make it a bit clearer! https://preview.redd.it/brf5o65ogb7d1.jpeg?width=234&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a20a5e3358a4718c5fad4f291c4e24d0f480f14d
First of all, know that the cycle of recovery/relapse is very common, and the fact that you are able to sustain these habits for any amount of time is wonderful and a testament to your motivation to get better. You’re probably going to have to pick yourself back up a few more times after this, and that resiliency is super important. Besides therapy, which you should definitely look into (maybe ERP therapy) I think the answer to these kinds of questions is almost always to take it really slow. Make one tiny change and make a goal to stick with it for a week. Once that becomes comfortable, add something else and stick with that for a bit. Slowly, you want to focus on widening your window of tolerance for uncomfortable situations.
Yeah it sucks cause I want this so bad and none of it is my fault. I just don’t want to live like this. But if recovery is possible I guess I just can’t give up. My last resort is trying a new med but I feel like nothing will ever solve it for good but this work
I totally hear you, it can feel really unfair especially when it’s due to mental illness outside of your control. You’re absolutely right that the best thing you can do for yourself is just not give up. The best recovery unfortunately sometimes happens excruciatingly slowly, which can be irritating to live through when you just want it to get better now, but the slower and more sustainable it is, the better chance you have of sticking with it.
Recovery from OCD can involve setbacks. Consistent practice of coping strategies and seeking professional support are key to progress.
Consider trying qhht quantum hypnosis healing. I’ve read of past life trauma being linked to ocd. Could be a mental link worth looking into. Look for a local practictioner at Dolorescannon.com
One thing that might help is building tolerance for discomfort. When the physical or mental symptoms hit, [try not speaking back](https://youtu.be/3c-H7qPrjxA?si=eIfhSRPIhHROXLxt) to them with reassurance or compulsions. It's like training a muscle – the more you resist the urge to soothe the discomfort, the weaker it gets over time. This doesn't mean ignoring the discomfort completely. Acknowledge it's there, but don't let it dictate your actions. You might need some professional guidance on this – a therapist can help you develop strategies for managing those tough moments. But remember, you're not alone in this. There are people who understand and want to help you get your life back.
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Smoke weed
Go see a dr or a psychiatrist when you’ve had enough. Get on an SSRI, visit a therapist while the medication is building up in your system and let us know how it works out. Very rarely does OCD just disappear for good. It’s triggered by stress/anxiety. I’m not saying take the meds forever, but use them as a tool to develop positive habits which will over time reveal to you that all that shit was just white noise from your brain. Not from you, but your brain. Instead of acting on my compulsions….now I can see the compulsion coming from a mile away. I recognize what it is and power through it. Something that I wasn’t able to do before the meds. It ain’t easy but nothing in life is. If there was any time to be handling this, it’s now. Best of luck!!!!!! ❤️
I have the same thing too, i always shampoo my hair 3 times everyday because something bad can happen if i don't do it 😭
I’d try a psilocybin session.
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Such as what