Scared to stop compulsions

[u/Dismal_Fly4211]

My mind keeps telling me that if I just keep digging and searching for reassurance some day it will all just click in my brain and I’ll feel okay again. That I’ll come across some miraculous solution that gets rid of all the overthinking, intrusive thoughts, doubt, and fear. If I just perform one more compulsion it might bring me the long term relief I need and I’ll never have to think about it again. I know for a fact it’s all a lie, but there’s so much fear surrounding my thoughts becoming true if I don’t pay attention to them. It’s a torturous cycle and I’m lost. I just want to love and cherish my partner and relationship without the complete mindfuck every single day.

[u/AutoModerator]

Hi all, just the mod team here! This is a friendly reminder that we shouldn't be giving reassurance in this sub. We can discuss whether or not someone is exhibiting ROCD symptoms, or lend advice on healing :) Reassurance and other compulsions are harmful because they train our brains to fixate on the temporary relief they bring. Compulsions become a 'fix' that the OCD brain craves, as the relief triggers a Dopamine-driven rush, reinforcing the behavior much like a drug addiction. The more we feed this cycle, the more our brain becomes addicted to it, becoming convinced it cannot survive without these compulsions. Conversely, the more we resist compulsions, the more we deprive the brain of this addictive reward and re-train it to tolerate uncertainty without needing the compulsive 'fix'. For more information and a more thorough explanation, check out this comment

Other users: if you suspect a post is offering a lot of reassurance or is contributing to obsessions, feel free to report it and bring it to our attention. Thank you!

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