angels

Handy I have had no more stressors that I am aware of other than the usual study work and kids.. sometimes things are going great but my mind is so sensitive to triggers or starts looking for something. After the event I did when I was nervous my ocd latched on and made a mountain out of a mole hill. Then i starting over analysing nervousness and times I would get anxious in the past and use this as part of the debate. Then its stuck on oh you used to get anxious around guys in my younger days I overcame this and grew in confidence now ocd is using this as part of the debate. I find ocd trys to latch onto everything. Then when I say this is ocd and try to refocus it says no this is anxiety something different to worry about I no i am obsessing sounds rediculous cause its all the same thing... If I treat all my anxious negative thought and ignore the doubt it lifts I feel better then i go searching for if to see if it is a problem. My therapist would say its ocd treat it that way now I am finished with her and have been out on my own four months managing well then past two weeks been really tough. I thought i was losing it this morning a felt so anxious like I cant let it go and i have no one to talk to. My brother also has ocd but he has managed it his whole life and never went to see anyone. I dont like telling him when i am struggling incase I trigger him. But he says its all ocd dont over analysis it and refocus. I went to work and that interrupted the rummination for a while and I am trying to get back on track so hard when the anxiety and doubt is sitting but i will keep praying and trying xxx

Thank you for taking the time to reply to me xx its like ocd makes mountains out of mole hills thoughts, feelings sensations, then it becomes a fear of fear cycle. My ocd latches onto things that are important to me ,then I use my tecniques it lifts I feel good then it goes looking for something else to worry about feeling nervous during presentations is normal but then ocd gets intrusive thoughts reference whatever topic its on. Then ocd goes over old ground when I was younger things ive already addressed and overcome and starts looking into them its relentless so its easier for me to ignore if I know it ocd. If I do get nervous ocd wants to investigate why... when its all anxiety a false alarm and should be treated that way. Its so tiring at times and overanalysing and ruminating cause so much confusion. Thank you Gemma7 xx

I am feeling high anxiety at the moment and dont want to bother my family by worrying them that i am having an ocd few weeks.. I am out of therapy four months and have all the tools but have myself in a state. Tried seeing all intrusive thoughts as ocd, tried exercise, working ,reading and I keep coming back to my obsession... Cant seem to shift my focus off my obsession with why do you get nervous...it starting after my ocd made a mountain out of a mole hill about a presentation that i done really well with, and my focus was on my legs shaking which no one noticed. The i went into my past looking evidence and looked at times i got nervous in my past as a teen round the opposite sex etc. But I beat that and became confident dating lots in my younger days married a great man etc and my ocd is latching onto what if you get anxious and nervous around others etc and its doing my head in. I cant switch off i am very outgoing chatty and confident but i do get intrusive anxious thoughts and I usually see these all as ocd but my mind is now saying whats if it not.... please help me get back on track...

Ocd is an anxiety disorder that makes mountains out of mole hills where are thoughts are concerned. Thats what catastrophising is all about eg ive left the stove on the house will burn down or i made a mistake at work i will lose my job etc. No in between straight to worst case scenario, plus being off work and out of routine gives us to much time to over think and worry all ocd 🤯🤯😊

Thank you UpsAndDowns for your support, I am disappointed in myself for letting my ocd in its a big thing for me to be out on my own. I have not seen my therapist in 4 months now which is really great. But ocd has been playing up a stuck for a few weeks and that worries me that i am undoing my hard work. I am trying to see the nervousness thoughts as ocd also but then ocd brings in past events as evidence and doubt etc. Then my ocd will say oh this isnt ocd you cant treat it that way then i get anxious that i cant dismiss the thoughts then they stick. Do other suffers treat all intrusive negative thoughts as ocd no matter the content. I am aware i am reassurance seeking but I need it right now lol... to help me move on, its tough ... xx

My ocd has switched the past few weeks again and its stuck. I am trying hard to see it as ocd and move forward but ocd is keeping me stuck it wont let go. Ive worked really hard on myself and have been doing great. I used to see my therapist every 8 weeks now for the first i am out on my own. She usually keeps me on track this is ocd treat it like ocd and dismiss the thoughts. I try to limit my time of the forum etc and keep for when i really need it and I need it at the minute. I my ocd has latched onto the topic nervousness this kicked in october last year after doing presentation rationally i know its ocd. Then when i shift focus it latches on to why do you feel nervous, can others see your nervous, how to control nerves what if this isnt ocd and something else like. It keeps latching onto everyday thoughts and going ocd. Now if i was to say this is ocd it would lift but the doubt and feel of the next thoughts are there. This is important to me because i am very outgoing and confident when my intrusive thoughts are not wearing me down. Plus my dream is to facilitate my own courses which ive done before and I am studying hard. I just want to be free i get periods of peace the I get drawn back into future thinking past obsessions etc. Please help me see the wood from the trees....xxx

Thank you chirpy its hard to ignore thoughts and stop giving them such importance at times. But the best way to unstick is to treat them all as ocd thoughts and refocus thank you xx

Do i treat all anxious thoughts as ocd, instead of over analysing them and attaching meaning, and thinking I cant let this go thank you

Ocd has a habit of setting high standards and seeking certainty which is not always possible. It tends to focus in on what is most important to us eg your studying, ocd wants you to overanalysis everything making bigger thsn it needs to be. The answer to the problem becomes the problem if that makes sense. I am studying also but my ocd latches onto other things. All you can do is you best study wise and try to see ocd at play if you start obsessing over details nip it in the butt and know youve done you best.

Sorry your getting it tough atm, I think when we are all going through and episode of ocd we can feel like that. For me I get mentally tired and if I feed the ocd by paying attention or googling etc which is a compulsion, but I do it also at times.. seeking relief but it doesnt work long term. I dont suffer depression just anxiety but ocd can get you down when it doesnt lift for a bit. I try to keep routine, walk most days and I enjoy the wine lol also. But if i am having a bad episode i stay off it because it increases anxiety and lowers the mood. Routine is a life safer and distraction .

Ive had ocd a long time you think i would be wise to its tricks. It latches on to one thing for about 6 months then with the tecniques it lifts then bang it gets a new obsession or an old one. Then it starts to over analysis why was I anxious when i bumped into that person or why did i get anxious doing a presentation etc etc then i google ways of managing physical symptoms etc etc. Then i get oh is this ocd or is this some other anxiety making me even more anxious. I know I have ocd and should treat all intrusive negative thoughts as ocd false alarms a refocus but the brain gets stuck and questions what if your calling this ocd and it not. Then the intrusive thoughts get worse. I know i should treat it all as ocd, then you get stuck on the record and find it hard to unstick. I would love a bit of peace right now. On a positive I am in my second year of studying counselling so I am able to keep thriving despite ocd but its easy to be triggered at times. Hope everyone on here is keeping well despite ocd and keep pushing for recovery. Xx

Thank you very much ive been working on it for work. i really dont understand how they didnt see they were def shaking. But nobody noticed. Ocd says oh but you stepped behind podium mayb nxt time etc theyll see. But your right researching reassurance seeking. Confessing all ocd traits and the importance sticks.this is the tough part of ocd for me i really need to refocus and not worry about next time xx thanks for you time very kind

Thank you so much for your reply you know how ocd focuses on what goes wrong and not the bigger picture. I will look into a grounding tecnique sounds like a great idea. Its the what ifs and doubt ocd creates but i will have to work on doing it and controllling my reaction. Best of luck to your working on your confidence with public speaking also xx

I did a presentation at work in frount of my bosses and professionals etc as an ocd suffer i went over and over practising my speech preparing. Did all the management of nerves stuff went into the room did breathing staying calming and focusing on the other talkers etc. Staying out of my own head. Was sweating but ignored that. Walked confidently to the frount faced the audience and felt my legs shaking i thought oh no people can notice. I cracked a joke and moved myself behind the podium and put all my energy into giving the speech. Which went really well. When i came off i started to ask orhers did they notice my shaky legs. Reassurance seeking they said no the didnt notice i was surprised i thought it was very obvious. I spent the rest of the day even though lots of people thought it was very good reassurance seeking and confessing. Ive speak two weeks researching how to control shaky legs etc. All ocd traits but i genuinely want to make sure my legs dont shake as i find the embarassing. I know breathing works and refocusing. Not sure about movement . Just looking tips on controlling anxious body during big speeches as it part of my work and important to me xx

Thank you il take a note of what youve said and speak to my therapist next week i would do anything i need to get better.