hocd

Knowledge will help you heal. Before you dive into recovery know that OCD can show up as :

1. INTRUSIVE THOUGHTS or IMAGES :
Such thoughts & images can be sudden or be a result of fear of a situation that you know triggers you. These can be better understood as associations that your brain makes that don't necessarily go hand in hand with your morals or beliefs or desires, which makes them all the more disturbing. They pop up in the head and halt your activities. These are often of sexual or violent nature or can be religious or contamination based. Ignore it like you ignore garbage on road.

2. INTRUSIVE EMOTIONS or FEELINGS :
When a feeling of distressing nature arises we most often tend to take it as a proof that whatever our brain is telling us is true but we have to keep in mind that OCD can cause false feelings such as false arousals or false attractions. Don't fall for this and just keep disregarding all that ocd comes up with, to keep you in the loop. It will feel very real and strong but upsetting because that's not something you want in actuality. It's like a bad manipulative friend putting bad ideas in your head with which you do not agree but these ideas seem very doable in theory. In practicality it's not so.

3. INTRUSIVE URGES:
You may suddenly feel an urge to do something that's extremely distressing for you or goes against your values and morals. All of this is because of your OCD and these are not your own urges. It can even feel like a sudden burst of energy or ultimate surety that you can do whatever the urge is but that's not true. OCD is making you believe it's something you want to do when what you actually want is the exact opposite, but you may not see it just yet since you are not in the right frame of mind.

4. INTRUSIVE INVOLUNTARILY MOVEMENTS:
These can be sudden movement of the hands, legs, head, hip, lips, eyes, tongue, groin and any other part that you can think of. When OCD manifests itself physically then it becomes very tricky to deal with since we just can't help but notice it and take it as a proof of whatever theme we are dealing with. This one really can make us question if what we are dealing with is OCD or are we just in denial. Let me tell you, all of these little involuntary movements that at the time seem voluntary, is infact a part of OCD and isn't proof of anything other than the fact that you have OCD. Groinal movements include getting wet, feeling a tingling sensation, erection etc. Movements of the mouth may be pouting of the lips or salivation. It can be blinking for the eyes. Head shaking is also a thing. Hands, legs and hips can move in any direction depending on the individual and the theme of OCD.

5. INTRUSIVE DREAMS:
As if it wasn't enough for OCD to torment us when we are awake, it also invades our sleep. In such dreams we find ourselves enjoying the act. Don't take it as an indication of something. If we dreamt of flying, would that make us grow wings and give us the ability to fly?

Looking forward to talking today about our reluctance to be emotional with others (or ourselves!) when it comes to mental illness/symptoms. It took me a LONG time to let go of the shame when it came to grieving my illness. Can't wait to talk to y'all about it today! #ObsessiveCompulsiveDisorder #OCDAwarenessWeek #ObsessiveCompulsiveDisorder #hocd #ObsessiveCompulsiveDisorder #Anxiety #MentalIllness #MentalHealth #Recovery #MentalHealthAwareness #BipolarDisorder #Addiction #Anxiety #Depression

I’m in therapy/ meds. My #ObsessiveCompulsiveDisorder #hocd #ObsessiveCompulsiveDisorder #Anxiety Is out of control - whether my bf really was a narcissist and incapable of change or whether he has changed for the new woman. I isolate completely. I can’t sleep or eat. It’s been a year. I feel permanently broken. I’ve gotten over many relationships, but I can’t get over this. He #Cheated he disappeared. He was so critical but always told me he felt we were meant to be together. Saw him thru #Rehab #AA therapy... he promised honesty & no more cheating. He was cheating w a girl in AA. She told me he changed for her. Seems he has and it’s killing me.

I want to educate more people about a specific form of OCD that I've dealt with for the last 10 years of my life (since I was around fourteen). I would also love for anyone who has experienced this to give it a like or a comment.

Since 8th grade, up until a few months ago (age 23), I've struggled with "homosexual OCD" or "sexual orientation ". For years I had intrusive thoughts and doubts about my sexuality. It was mainly in the form of "what if I'm gay/bisexual?" but eventually shifted into "what if I'm asexual?" There's nothing wrong with being gay or asexual, but for me that wasn't the issue. The issue was that I COULDNT STOP THINKING ABOUT IT. The thoughts were so intrusive and constant, with my compulsions of touching, tapping and knocking, as well as searching the internet for reassurance. I was tapping 200x a day at its peak severity when I was 19, and the obsessive thoughts and sexual images would even enter my dreams. I could never escape, that was, until I did exposure therapy (ERP). Exposure therapy (and medication for a few years) saved my life. It's hard to describe this type of to those who've never had it. It's essentially constant doubting and questioning. That's how I'd describe it.

#ObsessiveCompulsiveDisorder #hocd #ObsessiveCompulsiveDisorder #Anxiety #IntrusiveThoughts #compulsions #mightyvoices