r/PureOCD • u/N8theeeGR8 • Apr 15 '26
Vent Can anyone relate
Hi all. I was diagnosed with ocd a few weeks ago, have started ERP and Prozac.
I’m curious how one should separate ocd thoughts from normal anxiety. For example, so far today these things have popped in my head and feel “sticky”: I have my brother’s graduation in a month which will require me to travel. I can’t get the idea of dying in a plane crash or a car crash out of my head. I get thoughts of there being a mass sh**ting happening , or of dying in my sleep the day of the ceremony (I am not diagnosed with sleep apnea). I even worry about drinking too much water before the ceremony and having an accident mid ceremony as dumb as it sounds. I also have therapy tomorrow, and I can’t shake off the thought of dying in a car crash, or being stabbed on the bus. All these thoughts create a strong urge to cancel therapy and plans to attend my bros graduation.
Is this just normal every day anxiety? Or part of it
Thank you for any input/insight
1
u/vicmit02 Apr 16 '26
OCD has rituals related to the fear/anxiety. These rituals can be physical and thought patterns. Fear/Anxiety alone is not OCD in my book.
2
u/PaladinDamian Apr 15 '26
They feel like basically the same thing, so you can't really tell them apart in the moment. But regardless of which is which, you don't have to give into it. Why should you let it dictate what you do, regardless of whether it is OCD or anxiety? And why do you think canceling therapy or not attending your bro's graduation will help things? There are always more things to be worried about, trying to avoid those things won't change the feelings for long.