False feelings?

[Guest lauren415]

Hi I’m sorry to drive you guys crazy with all my posts lately, but I’m struggling.

I read a lot of things about false memories and almost always people say they have a deep down feeling that it isn’t true. Normally I get that feeling as well. With my current one, a lot of the time I feel like “deep down” it IS true. But then I ask myself “can you say with 100% certainty that it’s true?” And I will tell myself “Yes” just to see how it feels. Sometimes it doesn’t feel quite right but the last couple days it does feel like I know that it’s 100% true. But then I compare it to something that I know is a real memory and I don’t get the immediate sureness (is that a word?) with the false memory as I do the real memory. But then I question that as well, like am I just saying that to make myself feel better?

I just feel like I’m lying to myself and to those that I have told about this. Can OCD cause false feelings?

Edited February 27, 2021 by lauren415

[PolarBear]

I hope you realize that all this comparing of feelings and trying to figure out if the thought is true or not are compulsions and are keeping you stuck.

These are the types of things you need to curb and stop. They are you reacting to the thoughts. Compulsions.

Some sufferers have what we call good insight. They realize their thoughts are ridiculous. Others have poor insight.

I'm going to suggest you stop reading others' stories. You are doing so as a way to compare your situation to others, thus assisting you in your compulsion of trying to figure out if your thoughts are true. 

[Caramoole]

Lauren, we can't really respond to your question because all we'd be doing is help you to carry out compulsions.

What do you think you can try to do to break this cycle of researching, checking, seeking reassurance?

[Guest lauren415]

24 minutes ago, PolarBear said:

I hope you realize that all this comparing of feelings and trying to figure out if the thought is true or not are compulsions and are keeping you stuck.

These are the types of things you need to curb and stop. They are you reacting to the thoughts. Compulsions.

Some sufferers have what we call good insight. They realize their thoughts are ridiculous. Others have poor insight.

I'm going to suggest you stop reading others' stories. You are doing so as a way to compare your situation to others, thus assisting you in your compulsion of trying to figure out if your thoughts are true. 

@PolarBear I will try. Thank you.

[Guest lauren415]

22 minutes ago, Caramoole said:

Lauren, we can't really respond to your question because all we'd be doing is help you to carry out compulsions.

What do you think you can try to do to break this cycle of researching, checking, seeking reassurance?

@Caramoole I honestly have no idea. I have tried ignoring this thought and just going about my day but it just feels like I’m keeping an awful secret and that I’m not the person my family and friends think I am. When I try to ignore it, it’s still in the back of my head and I feel like I’m just in denial. I don’t know if the thought will ever go away. I try so hard not to respond, but it doesn’t seem to work

[Guest lauren415]

@PolarBear can your insight change depending on the obsession? The reason I ask is because I normally do have good insight but with my last two obsessions I’ve had poor insight. Only when I starting obsessing about my current one was I able to determine the falseness of my last obsession, and even then it still felt slightly real until it just faded away. But I have sort of obsessed about other things rather than this main obsession but then in the background it still feels real, not false like the last one. Make sense?

[PolarBear]

What makes sense is you are spending way too much time and energy on this. If I answer your latest question, you'll just come up with another and another.

Doubt is a key component of OCD. 

Edited February 27, 2021 by PolarBear

[Guest lauren415]

1 hour ago, PolarBear said:

What makes sense is you are spending way too much time and energy on this. If I answer your latest question, you'll just come up with another and another.

Doubt is a key component of OCD. 

Okay. I guess at this point I am just asking for reassurance. I’m going to try and let it go but I’m really anxious

[PolarBear]

Best thing is for you to get your mind on something else.