What is Pure OCD?

Pure OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) is an unfortunate state of mind, which a surprising number of us may suffer from, where certain deeply distressing, intrusive and shocking thoughts refuse to leave us alone. The suggested solution doesn't target the thoughts themselves, but rather their underlying cause: shame and self-contempt.

FURTHER READING

“Few mental afflictions are as humbling or as terrifying as what is known as ‘Pure’ OCD or, more colloquially, Intrusive Thoughts. In standard Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, a person is haunted by a worry that compels them to repeat an often counterproductive or fruitless action with manic intensity: handwashing, turning off gas pipes, checking their pulse and so on. But in ‘pure’ OCD, there is no outward, physical action; the problem unfolds – hence the name – purely in the mind, yet it is, if anything, an even more distressing condition.”

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Music and Sound Design:
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[christianporter]

Having pure OCD makes it so hard to distinguish reality from intrusive thoughts. Editing: Reality is the perception that I have of my personality in relation to other personalities. Thoughts are the mental framework that emanate from the personality. And how I chose to respond to certain thoughts in action determines the outcome of the goal that I achieve. So thoughts are not reality they are just the framework that we as humans use to understand what we are in relation to other personalities.

[DOGOO]

It's like a voice in your head that never shut's up. It's pure suffering. I never feel good

[Penawashere]

I’m in tears, thank you for showing me I’m not a monster.

[polinagonch]

"pure OCD thoughts are not wishes. They are symptoms of radical self-distrust". I alredy knew that I have OCD, but this statement was a very helpful and somehow comforting thought.

[cricketandkarma]

One of the worst parts of this specific disorder is that it’s talked about so little that there’s no community for those suffering. There’s a sense of loneliness that isn’t there with many other mental health issues because we’re all terrified to open up about it. I know how it feels and I am so sorry that some of you do, too.

[Harrypotterxx]

This video made me cry because it felt like someone finally understood. Thank you so much for making this wonderful video!

[astropuke]

i’ve been bawling for the last half hour. i’ve never felt so seen, understood, and validated.

thank you for sharing.

[fatstan]

To all those suffering from this horrendous affliction, I just want to let you know that Pure OCD literally destroyed me in my early 20s to a point where I was properly suicidal. It was constantly there at either a mild or moderate level but occasionally reared it’s ugly head in the most extreme ways imaginable. This went on for years and years in cycles. I genuinely believed I’d lose everything including my career, my relationship and all my friends and never achieve anything because of this nightmarish condition.

Fast forward 12 years and I’m now married with children, have the job I always wanted and I’ve been essentially free from this shite for nearly 2 years now (although I feel it’s probably there subconsciously at an extremely low level, it doesn’t seem to bother me anymore). Basically I’m in control of it now, not the other way around, and life is good.

I could massively relate with everything in this video, and if you can too, trust me when I say you’ll eventually overcome this and enjoy your life again.

My only advice to you is to force yourself to stop doubting yourself and TRUST yourself that these thoughts mean nothing. There is a huge difference between THOUGHTS and DESIRES. The only reason you keep having them is because you believe they MUST mean something and that you are the worst person in the world. The reality couldn’t be further from the truth though. And actually, the only reason you’re having these thoughts is because they horrify you so much that you’re subconsciously constantly scanning your brain to “check” if you’re having them. The constant checking is what’s giving them power. Learn to accept the thoughts as just thoughts and nothing more and with a bit time and being kind to yourself, you’ll eventually let them go.

If this helps even one person I’ll be happy :) Trust yourself, be kind to yourself, you’re a good person and you’ll recover from this hopefully sooner rather later!

[Someinternetuser]

I relate.

1) Thinking obsessively about if I’m a pedophile and that I’m disgusting.
2) Thinking obsessively about being self centered and rude.
3) Thinking obsessively about how fat I am, wanting to check myself every second of every day.
4) Thinking obsessively about how it doesn’t matter if I like helping people if I think about hurting others.

[Orc_Remover]

The best way to overcome pure OCD, is to stop fighting the thoughts. Make yourself realise, that they are not a part of you, but purely symptoms of a mental illness. I did this, and as soon as I came to peace with the thoughts being there, they faded away with time.

[Angie_bae]

OCD makes you think of killing others, cheating on your loved one, make you think fortune cookies are trying to send you a spiritual message, etc. it’s a sickness. I’m suffering deeply

[GaboElGato]

Before I knew about pure OCD, I was certain that I was truly evil. I was afraid to leave my house, to interact with anyone, even my closest friends and family. I feared that I would become a disgusting monster. A rapist, a murderer, or a p*do. I honestly thought that suicide was the best option, that it would save my family the shame of being associated with me while also stopping the horrible thoughts that plagued me.
When I finally told my therapist about these thoughts, she seemed disgusted. She asked me if I had ever hurt someone, if I wanted to. Her words legitimized my fears. I never went back because I thought she could never look at me the same again, and maybe she couldn't.
I considered killing myself every day. I didn't know what was wrong with me, and I thought that maybe I was just crazy.
When I found this video a few years ago, the relief I felt was enormous. I cried for hours. Knowing that I wasn't alone, that I wasn't some horrid monster that deserved to die. I can honestly say that this video saved my life. I finally had a name for what I was experiencing.

[oliverread]

Dear OCD sufferers, all of you are highly intelligent people with very powerful minds. We are in such a corrupted world, we worry about being a certain person while the rest of the world goes on committing crimes without remorse. Our level of empathy is high, now it is time to reflect that empathy onto us, our own selves. OCD is a devil in disguise but with a shift of perspective, it is a blessing in disguise. We have complex brains, we cannot control our thoughts or urges, and sensations, not ever will we be able too. Let's change our reactions instead.

[sullengirl]

Oh my god, this is it. All throughout middle school and early high school, I was tortured by intrusive thoughts that I was going to kill myself and that I wanted to commit suicide. Of course I didn't actually want to, but for some reason my brain was constantly thinking about it, and seeing a knife and imagining stabbing myself or something would trigger a huge panic attack. I thought something was deeply wrong with me, and it got to the point where I was so miserable, I started to lose all hope. I don't know if this is possible, but after about 3 years of this my brain suddenly kind of snapped out of it. I still get stuck with intrusive thoughts but it's not 24/7, for some reason it's gotten a lot better. I don't know if anyone is reading this, but I am in college and am pretty happy now, and I thought I never would be. Getting better is possible. It may not 100% go away, but you can be happy and live a great life.
Edit: To the people just saying I’m an edgy teenager or making assumptions about me, shut the fuck up. I have gone through hell and back surviving domestic violence and sexual abuse and grappling with the aftermath of that. Many of my mental struggles connect to the horrors I’ve survived. You don’t know my entire life story, and I feel sad that you feel the need to minimize strangers on the internet. But thank you to everyone else who is supportive and I’m glad many of us are finding comfort in this video and learning we are not alone.

[larko]

I want to legit cry, because I thought I was insane. But it's just OCD. I felt so disgusted just being in my own body. It made me want to throw up.

[aidancunningham]

Former pure O sufferer here. I just want to let you know that you can beat this, it does get better and the real you is still in there. A big thing to help me was realising that it was the 'guilt' of having intrusive thoughts that made them cycle even worse. Then when your mood is down because you feel like a crazy piece of shit, the thoughts are more likely to happen because your mood is down / you are stressed.

Right now, I feel completely 100% normal. I know that if I was to have a flare up of pure O it would cause me do doubt that. And that right there is the devil in this horrible affliction. The doubt. DON"T LISTEN TO THE DOUBT, IT IS NOT REAL. YOU ARE NOT A MONSTER. YOU ARE NOT CRAZY. YOU ARE A HUMAN BEING

Don't try to to look for reassurance, just trust that you are not crazy and let the thoughts come, they will pass (Trust me I know how hard that is, but that is the way out of it) THEY WILL PASS. If you can let the thoughts happen without feeling guilty or bad for thinking them, they will go away. I cannot stress how much help mindfulness was in helping me beat this. I think of mindful meditation as like practice and then when the thoughts flare up, it's "game time". Mindfulness is a tool to help quieten the mind. If you get good at it (everyone can) it's almost like telling your thoughts "I'll be over here when you guys are done, just don't leave a mess and lock the door on your way out".

ALSO Curcumin / Turmeric has made the thoughts stop happening in the first place. There is an undeniable, but not yet fully understood link between gut health and the mind. I had inflammation in my gut so I started taking one Turmeric capsule ever day, I can't tell you how much of a difference it makes.

I realised I had inflammation from having "Post-Cold Euphoria", a sensation of feeling really really good for a day or so after getting over a head cold. The theory is that a lot of inflammation cells are released at the end of a head cold there by lowering inflammation in the gut (Lots of people have noticed this phenomenon). This led me to start taking something natural with an inflammatory property and boy have I not looked back!

Do I still get the occasional weird thought, ABSOLUTELY, but I'm almost able to laugh at it and think "there's good old crazy brain' and then that's it. Not responding to the thought with guilt is key. Try to almost laugh at the absurdity of the thought. In the way you would when a comedian says something really really inappropriate. "did he just say that?" and you laugh your ass off.

[lukieway]

wow shit, i'm actually crying. this is real? i'm not a terrible person? what is life? thank you sm for making this.

[jordanking]

Started bawling at "they believe they don't deserve to exist"

spot on. I wouldn't wish pure o on anyone. it has absolutely ruined my life.

[mycelium_]

Im discovering i might have OCD. As a kid I always felt the need to check my if my parents were sleeping (i was too young to remember why but I ABSOLUTELY needed to check, never sleeping until they were asleep) and then I developed intrusive thoughts that as a christian, I started praying for forgiveness constantly. I get sexually intrusive thought about family members or hurting my dog and I just lock myself in my room with intense guilt. I always over check my social medias in case I posted something on accident. I cant even trust myself driving a car cause my intrusive thoughts tell me to crash into something or someone. Its all painful, its a living hell. I wouldn’t wish this mental illness on anyone, cause your brain never stops thinking of awful things or worrying, it never stops to relax.

[JohnGeorge-pwxo]

I was severely traumatized years ago as a teenage, got diagnosed with OCD. Spent my whole life fighting OCD. I suffered severe depression and mental disorder. Not until my mom recommended me to psilocybin mushrooms treatment. Psilocybin treatment saved my life honestly. 8 years totally clean. Never thought I would be saying this about mushrooms.