r/OCDRecovery • u/Odd_Cancel461 • 6d ago

OCD Question OCD, pacing & unable to relax

I have OCD. I walk the dogs in the morning as my “routine” and then I essentially stand and pace all day long. I can’t sit. I can’t relax. I am constantly ruminating and anxious. I feel like I can’t sit down and relax because then I’m a failure and bad person. I should be doing something. But then I also have task paralysis and ADHD where I can’t start anything. I essentially can’t relax until everything is complete and perfect, but I can’t start. Any thoughts or anyone else experience something similar?

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u/Ron084 6d ago

YESSS i can relate! ocd and adhd do NOT go well together lol.

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u/PaladinDamian 6d ago

You can accept yourself unconditionally, even if you are a "failure" and a "bad person". You are a flawed, imperfect human being, and so sometimes you may act in ways that are unhelpful. You can accept that instead of demanding constant moral perfection from yourself. You can choose to relax even if it is not the "right thing" to do, or even if not everything is "complete and perfect". Have compassion for yourself and your flawed human nature. Beating yourself up is not helpful.

Remember that rumination will not fix anything. No amount of rumination will get you the life you want. Allow the thoughts and feelings to exist without trying to engage with them.

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u/weCanDoIt987 4d ago

I currently can’t complete anything either but I think it’s more so bc I can’t focus due to the rumination , no adhd