OCD filtering into other aspects of life

[shiningstarParticipant]

Hey everyone I hope you’re all safe and doing well.

I just wanted to share with a topic I haven’t seen on here yet and that is OCD filtering into other aspects of life.

This can happen for a number of reasons,

You’re feeling more prone to triggers.

You’re in your head more often.

I just want you to know that, I see you, I hear you and I’m here for you.

I’m a girl and I suffer from OCD (I’m straight.)

And sometimes my brain will go off from a trigger for example a harmless video or some classwork I am doing and my brain starts to think ‘what if’ or ‘yeah but this’ This can be absolutely heartbreaking I know but I want you to know that it will pass.

For example, I was doing some classwork on schizophrenia and my brain just popped up with the thought ‘what if I have schizophrenia?’ this turned into a very heartbreaking cycle as I know I do not have it however my brain is going into catastrophic thinking. This passes over in the next few days and I am carrying on with my life as normal.

Another trigger I had, I was looking at this harmless TikTok joke was made and my brain asked ‘what if I have OCD?’ now this has been the most difficult for me as I love people and I know that I have never had these thoughts but the OCD brain will make you think the worst. This caused countless panic attacks, looking up symptoms even though I know I don’t have it. Reassurance seeking and long sessions of crying. This lasted around a week and the thoughts faded and passed. I was reading my therapists report and the question ‘what if I have OCD?’ was mentioned and I have been triggered ever since. And it’s been extremely difficult and heartbreaking.

The OCD brain will trick you into thinking that you have this theme of OCD you are obsessing over even though you are consciously aware you DO NOT have these sets of thoughts, that OCD will work in clever ways to make you think ‘what if’ and ‘yeah but this.’ You need to understand that these thoughts will pass and go down the drain you just need to give it time. It is heartbreaking I know! I have a younger sister and when I’m in the supermarket and when I’m actually in the presence of people in I do not have these thoughts. And I cannot begin to imagine how it must feel for those who have this theme of OCD, it must be extremely difficult.

I do just want to put your mind at ease.

1. This trigger will fade away I promise, just stay distracted and remember that this isn’t a theme of OCD you have.

2. repeat the affirmations ‘This is my OCD, it is not real’ ‘My thoughts are not equate to reality’ ‘My thoughts are never facts’

3. It is a massive fear that these thoughts could manifest and snowball and can become a theme. This is not true, do not google! Talk to your therapist/counsellor. That is what they are there for. When I spoke to my therapist she was aware that I do not have these thoughts and it was reassuring that I was in an environment where there was no shame and no judgement because I just sat there and cried.

And lastly, I can understand completely that these thoughts are repulsive and shameful. It will fade away.

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Shinningstar x.

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