OCD: Yes, it traumatizes us.

[@solarflare9562]

To say that OCD sucks is an understatement. I can say without a doubt that it's one of the worst things I've ever had to experience. I just feel so hopeless and alone sometimes.

[@annaduke5409]

You are not alone my friend. OCD is horrible, and it does really isolate us. BUT, there are so many of us who (ironically) also feel hopeless and alone. Hope you’re doing better 4 years later.

[@kahtic7166]

It happened to me when I was 22 years old. I’m now 36. It makes you question everything. It may start with not wanting your pants to be dirty, to HOCD, etc. then it’s everything. It’s the doubting of everything. It’s emotionally draining.

[@thatbrosteve9750]

im 22 and it started with hocd ,I've never felt so detached from myself and so "different" before in my life. I question everything

[@kahtic7166]

That's when my HOCD hit me, too. The same age. It gets better man. With all the great information out there now, including the one from this channel, you can manage it.

[@beastperson2950]

Do tough times make tougher people?

[@second5952]

​@@beastperson2950no, but surviving them and getting yourself over those times and conquering yourself does

[@emilyjudd5910]

I was 20 when I first experienced OCD. It was Harm OCD for about 6 months, then it kind of started to fade away and I wasn’t phased by it anymore. Now I’m about to turn 24 and for the past 4-5 I’ve had the worst ROCD in my most healthy relationship and it’s honestly torture. I just to be happy

[@Sakura_Glitter]

I can’t get over the fact that this blew up in my face and in one month my whole life changed. I don’t know how to make it through each day. And then thinking this is going to be with me forever makes me so hopeless

[@llamapajamas19]

It’s gonna be ok! A year ago I felt the same way. I literally couldnt leave my house most days and almost had to drop out of high school. Now I do improv shows, have a job, and am getting ready to go to college. The biggest thing for me was just having faith that I could get better, and slowly but surely i did.

[@matthewwilson3202]

You won't. Pure ocd used to beat the shit out of me. Now it doesnt. It may come back but i have the tools in order to get back into recovery

[@stephentreanor5044]

Sakura Glitter that’s how I feel

[@grandmajojo5211]

I just started the symptoms and i don't even know what to do. I'm so scared. My brain doubts everything and it my intrusive thoughts are unbarable? Any advice for a newbie to this? I have one of the worst subsets.

[@shazia1278]

Its always the good people who have inner core values that they stick to, develop ocd cuz they care about it so much

[@alr.3137]

Yes no doubt, Pure-O is very traumatizing. Being treated the wrong way by therapists, buying into your fears, having been suicidal, I went to dark places, I'd call it the depth of hell. Nowadays ERP therapy has made OCD better but the darkness in my soul has become a permanent thing.

[@grace0336]

It feels as if you’re tangled in a giant spider web

[@danielstamegna2391]

@@grace0336 oh my goodness yes...

[@Person-dq3dk]

The lord Jesus christ loves you so much that he died for your sins.

[@danielstamegna2391]

@@Person-dq3dk Amen 🙏 ❤️

[@milochamp1586]

Solution is to find safety and security inside of you that you did not have as a child. It is difficult to do but very possible. As soon as you feel safe inside of you, OCD compulsion has to leave. you

[@Emilyredeemed]

My OCD was so bad on my wedding day and it just sucks because I just wanted to have one good freakin day for once in my life.

[@Emilyredeemed]

@@whispywizard4380 Thank you so much Shannon. Your words are so encouraging and comforting, you have no idea! I just started ERP two weeks ago. This is very, very hard but I am praying that God will help me through this. Thank you for your beautiful comment. I hope that you are well. 💜

[@danielstamegna2391]

Hi Em, I'm sorry you experienced that on your wedding day. I too just had a big milestone I've looked forward to my entire life ruined by OCD and have been in a depression since. I wish I could see what Shannon wrote. But this video and your comment really helps me know I'm not alone and feel understood. I hope you're doing well and God bless.

[@Blodreina45]

I had my first episode with OCD when I was 8, or 9, can’t remember at this point. It went away for a few years and came back when I was 13. Again, went away and came back during COVID pandemic, that was the shortest period it was, now in 2023 this is the longest seasons of it and the most scary. The past 3 were all HARM ocd, but now it’s a combination of HARM, POCD and Real Event and I believe I will get better when I start treatment but now I wonder, what will I do when I’m better? It’s like sometimes I forget what my life was like before this all started and when I rewatch these memories in my head I think, “when I’m better, I don’t think I’ll be that old happy self again though.”

[@joeninety1042]

I've been diagnosed with OCD by a team of therapists. I've told them of my believed attraction to men (I'm male) they have all said its OCD. Even though those people have told me I still feel like i am lying to them and I'm just in denial. It consumes my day 24/7. I haven't been to work in months and I can't stop checking and reassuring. It's exhausting and unbelievably traumatic.

[@giuliaferrucci6662]

I know it's just not as easy, but remember that you'll never be able to figure out the absolute truth. But does it matter all that much? What counts now is that you're struggling, and you DESERVE all the help you can get, and you DESERVE to accept yourself unconditionally. I hope you'll feel better soon!! Just know that it DOES get better

[@carkrueger]

You can still do life. Acceptance! Amen. 2 Months into my 14 month ERP treatment, my spikes where almost non-existent. I remember the horror realizing my anxiety was still there. I said to Dr. Phillipson, “ I thought my OCD was the biggest problem in my life. I now realize it was ‘A ‘ problem.” I suffered with undiagnosed OCD for 28 years. No doubt I was traumatized. I will strive to rise above this adversity until my last breath. Life has to much to offer and I have too much to give to quit now. If you are suffering; recovery is possible. This nightmare will end. We are not bad people trying to get good. We are sick people trying to get well. Don’t delay ERP treatment. Work through it. You are worth it.

[@charakarapetsiou8625]

I really needed someone to talk about the trauma OCD creates. The amount of anxiety, fear and shame I would hide -even from therapists- and pretend like everything is going to be fine or think that no one is going to beleive me because it's all 'in my head' and I' m faking it is distressing and traumatizing. Thank so much!

[@noelkemmy1694]

I have it since 6. I've had trauma, parents died, shame through my ocd. Trauma through gang land. We all experience trauma. It's how we deal with it!!! OCD thoughts and especially a breakdown, it so traumatic. Happy now at 44. Therapist in O. C. D. Though I still suffer Chrissie, I take it one day at a time. F. E. A. R. FALSE EMOTIONS APPEARING REAL. LOVE NOEL.

[@LPJessica16]

Thank you for this video! I was diagnosed with OCD at 11. I had a rough childhood and it runs in my life. I’m so glad I’m not alone!

[@immunegarden5104]

Me too. I feel people like you are my best friend and more. I love I found people like me . hi

[@thekeralaface2673]

Me toooo I hate this I just wish I would die

[@susanemo9811]

@@thekeralaface2673 I know the feeling but you can get better .it's horrible but it's a illness not a badness xx

[@avadiamondcaster5130]

I've had it since I was like...I think seven or eight 🤔

[@milochamp1586]

Solution is to find safety and security inside of you. It is difficult to do but very possible. As soon as you feel safe inside of you, OCD compulsion has to leave. you

[@llamapajamas19]

I cannot express in a single KZbin comment how much these videos as well as everyone sharing their stoyries and advice here have been

[@llamapajamas19]

*stories

[@immunegarden5104]

@@llamapajamas19 Hi sarah

[@overandout9400]

One thought one day in the summer of 1995. Here I am 27 years later still tormented and traumatised.

[@kriskyssy2732]

I used to feel guilty and thought people have "real" traumatic situations but not anymore. The torment and fear attacks ocd causes are absolutely ptsd causing. This reality is completely ignored even by professionals it seems. You can find tons of articles about ocd caused by trauma but almost nothing about ocd causing serious trauma and even ptsd. Thank you so much.

[@jimnewt2138]

Exactly

[@appleitree]

Please just because we have OCD doesn't mean we want trauma. Because it either way takes the freedom of living

[@Mike-ol2dd]

This woman is a gift from god. Well done.

[@nicholasyoung3786]

This is a very interesting point. I never consider myself traumatized, but this bullshit really makes life hard and makes it a struggle to do some of the most basic things, especially if your themes are involved. Want to love your girlfriend but one of your themes is ROCD? better get to fighting. etc. You're awesome Chrissie! N

[@netabarbakadze-hr5iv]

It doesnt feel like chaos. It feels like hell((((((((

[@paulSmith-te8gq]

Its amazing to me how much you describe my exact emotions to perfection.... you live it as I do unfortunately but knowing you get it makes me feel I'm not alone and yes I am envious of those who go through life without it

[@KJ-yd9mk]

God bless you, Chrissie. Thank you soo much for this video! I have never though of ocd as being traumatizing but it definitely has been and still is.. It helps me be more compassionate and patient with myself when I think of it as trauma.

[@thephilosopher1663]

meditation is a great tool to helping you live in the present moment

[@solarflare9562]

Tell me friend, how would one get started with that.

[@michjagermeister6393]

I felt for years I was traumatized by my own scrupulosity which had me thinking for a long time that I had done something unforgivable and would spend eternity in hell. Part of it was the church I went to. I'm what happens when OCD and staunch evangelicalism come together. I've healed from it now and no longer believes that way. Changing my beliefs Helped a lot. My OCD manifests in other ways now. It seems if I conquer one thing it manifests another way.

[@fadadocampo261]

Ikr. After I left church my scrupulosity went away and I had minimal ocd symptoms for 3 years now it's back but manifesting different. Can't believe I ACTUALLY thought I'd gotten rid of it LOL

[@Person-dq3dk]

Yeah God isn't religious ,it's all about his mercies that push you to be obedient.

[@PeaceboneGotFound]

Thank you for what you're doing!! I have OCD and it took me a lot longer to get a proper diagnosis because I didn't know about (and the therapists who I saw didn't seem to know or pick up on) pure OCD. It took listening to advocates like you to understand that OCD isn't just the few minutes a day that I would touch my car over and over again so that I wouldn't get into a car accident; it was the flashing violent images in my mind and the hours a day that I would worry about whether I would stab someone in front of me or harm a child. OCD is like an iceberg; there's the small tip that others can see, but the biggest part of the iceberg is under the water, invisible to others and often to ourselves. Now that I've heard you and other advocates talk about pure O, I've been able to advocate for myself and get a proper psychiatrist diagnosis and start doing ERP for my mental compulsions (and compulsions like avoidance and reassurance-seeking for my pure O intrusions). THANK YOU!

[@TheMadonna20]

Wow I can relate so much! I am 34 and I don't even know who I am anymore and what I need to do with my life..

[@moulee7448]

I lost so many beautiful moments and relationships because of OCD. I don't know how to come terms with that.

[@immunegarden5104]

I love your videos. I'm so glad I found you. I feel like I found my best friend here.this women is very much like me from a few videos I seen. Ty

[@persevere6326]

OCD is very much trauma induced

[@grace0336]

I do have my low times but I can tell I’m getting better over time. My OCD was really bad a few months ago, but I’m getting support and I’ve started taking SSRIs so I hope I will be able to cope with this

[@katiec3768]

I also found accepting the need for medication to be difficult. 😢

[@joshuaduke8613]

I am so grateful for you and your videos. Thank you ❤️

[@c.k.1958]

Your videos have helped so much Chrissie xxx

[@Alliecat-jf1pg]

This is so important! I’ve been wondering about this myself and this video came at the perfect time!

[@iliaskrikis8789]

That's exactly what it feels like.I feel so alone,tired and confused and i don't understand why this had to happen.Tese past 2 and a half years i'm stranglng with hocd or that's what i believe and lately things have become so strange that i doubt this is hocd.I feel jelous of others and also have a feeling that i miss every person in my life because i feel like i'm losing myself and also lose everyone and also maybe that's it because every interaction with them is ruined by my thoughts.I just wish that i will wake up one day and forget everything about it.

[@rach2.2]

Thank you so much for these videos, Chrissie. ❤️

[@Zgembo121]

Great video, thanks for sharing. Good to hear from someone with lived experience.

[@nikkidudek]

I have horrible ROCD & ive had it for 1.5 years ... the thought is “you don’t love him” or I wanna leave him

[@immunegarden5104]

I get all that stuff. I have extreme sex thoughts and worries . I find it all gets worse when I sleep less or worse.

[@chuckcrabbe5552]

Great video Chrissie! Thanks for all the amazing work you do and for always keeping it real. I appreciate you.

[@isag5681]

"What if I'm not listened exactly to her/him?" "Did I really get it?" - That's where the horror of my mind started 7 months ago... I'm so done with it. I want my old program back

[@c.k.1958]

Thank you for all your hard work 💝

[@justmadeit2]

I ended up in a psychiatric unit for 3 weeks voluntarily after having a bad ocd flare up of memories from a long time ago that was tormenting me, I got insomnia and felt sui cidal. It’s the hardest thing I’ve been through. 3 months since leaving and I’m still struggling as it’s changed to something else now

[@chloeogden4419]

This is so important to share thankyouu ❤

[@BRACALONEBORDINTEAM]

You make me laugh a lot, especially the part when you were graduating and you were thinking I'm gay or not, totally my experience

[@souravmukherjee2497]

I would remain grateful to you Chrissie! Thank you from the core of my heart. More power to you!

[@calebbaker6423]

I think this is why attraction gets lost to the opposite sex when you have hocd. It’s kinda like ptsd

[@c.k.1958]

Thank you Chrissie for your video it really is true and helps validate us. Ali Greymond on KZbin is another great advocate for OCD check her out too xxxx

[@milochamp1586]

OCD is not what traumatized us. Events traumatized a child experiencing lack of safety and neglect. Then OCD is the avoidance rituals to keep us safe. These rituals could even be an addiction. Solution is to find safety and security inside of you. It is difficult to do but possible.

[@ChrissieHodgesPureOCDAdvocate]

People absolutely experience trauma from their OCD experience. I have had a lot of therapy to deal with the trauma I experienced from living with OCD for 12 years not knowing or having any relief.

[@Pyxis444]

Thank you for this video ❤

[@daveytolley]

Yup, I could not say it better myself, I have been plagued with OCD most of my life. I'm an old person now and still enjoy life some of the time. What are you going to do? Like Chrissie says 'Your not alone" and knowing that makes living with OCD a little easier. Its help me this morning.

[@appleitree]

You know what my OCD says? Its says that I am a good person only because it exists. 😂. I never chose to say, oh omay let it be. I am a good person because I chose to be. I still could've been even if I didnt do the compulsions. And this is no excuse for OCD to exist.

[@appleitree]

11:43' dont worry about that

[@ghtriumph]

Great video. Thanks for sharing. What class of medicine is best for OCD sufferers?

[@mimicamimi6990]

Dear Chrissie, can you tell me how to be in relationship if you have sexual intrusive thoughts about familly member....(becausce pictures in head when I am with boyfriend, groinal simptoms...) How to relax when I want to kiss boyfriend for example, because I have that fear of having groinal and what if it means that I am atracxted to that familiy member? Plis tell me how to relax?

[@AliciaBrowny]

Mimica Mimi for me, medication was the only way I was able to finally feel any sort of relaxation, or it at least gave me a less anxious standing point in order to make better assessments of my thoughts x

[@mimicamimi6990]

@@AliciaBrowny Than you darling :))

[@llamapajamas19]

I have similar troubles. I’m a lesbian and every time I see a pretty girl I start picturing male genitalia and stuff and it’s so uncomfortable. Then I start avoiding women to avoid the thoughts and that only adds to my ocd of course bc now I’m not noticing women anymore. It’s a friggin rollercoaster

[@bd-ps1gn]

Im also so scared of that i cant get into any relationships.

[@madeleinebugbee2986]

Love you Chrissie

[@c.k.1958]

Trauma therapy sounds good xx

[@krysia4005]

Thank you

[@annecampbell2891]

chrissie, i have lost hope. I know you will not answer me but all my life i have been like this so how can i be well if i have never been well.

[@phildorge2052]

Super helpful

[@sinead4587]

I relate so much

[@dmed8441]

Can you have the same ocd theme for ever ?

[@calklobuchar]

Do you take medicine lexapro helps me

[@toshiornamillington9274]

😊😊

[@jimnewt2138]

Pure o themes are much worst than trauma! Its actually one of the worst experiences a human being could go through its like getting raped every day such a soul crushing experience..ofcourse it causes PTSD and all other issues