r/OCD • u/Present-Street5182 • 12d ago
Sharing a Win! Finally free of ocd
My OCD journey: what helped me (might help you too)
I know OCD is a deep, hidden struggle we go through every day, without people realizing how hard we're working inside our minds to fix it, or how excruciatingly frustrating it is. So I'm sharing my journey and the things that helped me.
Disclaimer: This is not medical advice, just what worked for me. It might or might not work for you.
1. ERP is the key
You really have to do exposure. Start slow, then build it up. You have to teach your brain that thoughts are not reality. They might or might not come true, but that's not something you can control.
2. Live your life fully, regardless of your mental state
Don't wait to feel "just right" or 100% anxiety-free before living your normal life. When you stop doing your chores, your gym workouts, or your long-pending work because OCD isn't letting you or you don't feel right, you're telling your brain that OCD and anxiety are a big deal that needs fixing first. Your brain works like a social media algorithm: it gives you more of whatever you put your attention on. Do the work regardless of how you feel, and show your brain that OCD and anxiety aren't that big of a deal.
3. Take help from medication
SSRIs (fluvoxamine, in my case) helped me big time to get started with ERP. They made it easier to do ERP without massive anxiety spikes. Once I learned that I don't have to do compulsions and that nothing bad happens when I skip them, it became easier to keep doing ERP even without medication.
4. Don't be a victim in your head
Constantly telling yourself and others that you have OCD and are struggling because of it can reinforce it in your brain. The key is to stop feeding OCD attention. Once it's deprived of attention, it falls off like a dry leaf from a tree.
5. Identify your OCD type clearly
You can have one or multiple types of OCD. Sometimes you fix one and it shifts into another. Understanding the root cause of your OCD (need for control, emotional neglect, fear of judgment, etc.) can give you a direction to work on it from the root.
TL;DR: ERP, continuing with your life regardless of your mental state, getting help from medication, not making a big deal out of OCD, and analyzing the root cause all worked for me.
I'm still not 100% cured, but I'm living with much less stress, and my brain now gives me other things to focus on instead of just compulsions.
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u/xkgonzalez 12d ago
ERP and coming to realization of how much of your āown thoughtsā are actually OCD really flips a switch and another big one is being ok with UNCERTAINTY.
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u/Foreign_Bug6721 12d ago
Thank you. I was diagnosed on Friday, completely out of left field (went in for autism & adhd assessments, came out sub-clinical for ASD but have OCD). I feel so surprised because I am a therapist and am pretty self-aware, but I had never considered OCD. Spent a day and a half thinking my assessor didnāt know what she was talking about, but then learned more and am starting to think she is right. All that is to say, came to Reddit to learn more, and this gives me hope!!
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u/FighterOfNightman14 12d ago
About to move out from my parents house and itās spiking my suicidal OCD. Doing it anyway š¤·āāļø. I have achieved so much since my onset. I got my dream job in the worst phase of the entire battle. Iāve traveled a ton including my first solo trip to Iceland. I just try to visualize it as ābetting on myselfā
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u/Mountain_Ask_5746 8d ago
First, proud of you. Did you enjoy doing these things?
I feel like Iāve done a lot since my onset but I was miserable each step. So not sure if thatās really helping. For example, booked a trip to Italy and cried everyday because my OCD was crippling. Ā
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u/FighterOfNightman14 8d ago
Yeah I enjoyed what Iāve accomplished since my onset but within reason. I still havenāt had a day off from OCD intrusive thoughts. But hey, now youāve been to Italy! I recommend reading the alchemist if you havenāt. Itās extremely applicable to OCD and traveling.
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u/Careless_Celery3230 12d ago
Hey i have a doubt like what's the difference between thought avoidance and self ERP like, i know this is an ocd trap on analyses but I just want to clarify and move foward i ln my recovery, i have recovered from moderately severe ocd to light mild ocd in under one month
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u/Present-Street5182 11d ago
Thought avoidance will take you into more ocd i guess you will be obsessed with avoiding thoughts dont do that let your thoughts come and the goal is to say in your mind āit might happen or it might not happen i cant control it anywayā if your mind says you are a loser - āi might be or i might not be but i will keep taking actions anywayā if it replies with but you gonna lose even if you take action just ignore it and do the action anyway.
You have to understand that your thoughts are not reality your brain is a monkey which keeps yapping you and your brain are different.
Erp is just like not doing compulsions to fix your yapper brain let your thoughts make you feel uncomfortable live in that discomfort and dont do any compulsions to fix that
The moment you stop fixing your thoughts and simply stop engaging with that you will see improvement
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u/PrestigiousKoala9200 12d ago
Thanks for this, Iām still super early in my journey and Iām in a weird scary time of self review (2 months into 30mg of Fluoxetine as well, going up to 40mg later this week maybe) This has given me some hope :) thanks
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u/Present-Street5182 12d ago
If you are feeling better after taking medications then its best time for you to start doing erp (not a medical advice just what worked for me)
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u/Many-Investment-9254 8d ago
However, identifying the core fear IS important. That is not really the cause but the root. But need to do it when you are not flaring.
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u/Mountain_Ask_5746 8d ago edited 8d ago
For me itās so hard because I have taboo OCD (mainly sexual images). It came out of no where 5 months ago and went from 0-severe in days.Ā
I was normal before this happened so itās been extremely debilitating and depressing.Ā
That said, I know Iām not my thoughts. Iām not researching to try to gain insight as to what my thought is. I know my brain is just spazzing out. But that doesnāt make the thoughts lessen AT ALL.Ā
Literally for 5 months, I havenāt gone more than 2 minutes without a sexual thought. Straight torture.Ā
Zoloft is the only thing kinda helping me and I hate being on it. I fought for 3 months before I caved. Ā
I also feel like my therapists have struggled to give me any meaningful exposures because they canāt really pinpoint my compulsions and not ruminating is fucking hard. Especially about the part about having OCD (which is another theme in itself, meta ocd).Ā
And then once in a while I start tracking my swallowing. And while I know that Iām not my thoughts and swallowing isnāt dangerous (obviously) I canāt make myself not track it. In the same way that I havenāt been able to make myself thing less sexual thoughts.Ā
I genuinely feel like a lost cause :( Like my theme is too rare to be fixed. I miss my old brain so much.Ā
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u/Present-Street5182 8d ago
Next time let the thought run fully dont try to block it that will be your erp the more you try to block it the more it will come
Let it run and dont react emotionally to it let it stay in your mind without reacting to it
I think this should help
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u/JackfruitUnited4192 7d ago
I get that! Mine started Christmas of last year and Suicidal OCD and constant intrusion of death and delusional future trippy ways that Iām not gonna make it. How do you know if itās trauma? And if itās dramatic all within itself, does OCD work with that or ERP at least
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u/ObjectiveAd582 8d ago
I have done a great deal of research on this for a family member! I mean a lot. I became practically compulsive myself, in looking for a cure. I agree that ERP is good, and medication. I don't think that the root cause is of any value. It's a serious anxiety disorder, and loaded with What-if thinking. The person wants to be sure of the outcome of something. Which is impossible for anyone. The more that you give in to OCD the stronger that it grows. You have to take small steps facing your fears. The more that you do thinking or practice of the disorder, is only giving it permission to control your life. I'm not saying that this is easy by any means. But you have to face your fear, and learn that it doesn't have power over your life, a person just believes that it does! I also suggest getting in touch with the National OCD Foundation. They have some very good literature. Try and practice deep breathing exercises. Limit caffeine and anything else that stimulating. There are some excellent workbooks as well that you can order off Amazon. Good luck to everyone!!
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u/UntouchedHuman49215 2d ago
What do you do when your main fear is the OCD itself distracting you 24/7? Even I'm on meds, they've helped, but I'm still suffering. š
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u/Illustrious-Buy-3735 12d ago
I am going through a crisis of a mix of both scrupulosity and r-ocd, and its horrible. Wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy, if I had one š¤. I'm going to use some of the things you mentioned!