Dear Danielle:

I understand. I suffered from OCD for decades, so I understand. Because I am not living your life, I can see how what your boyfriend would be a non-issue for someone without OCD. He is so very young and was even younger then, and you were broken up and no one is 100% truthful a 100% of the time, not even you.

And yet, this logic of mine, regarding your situation, doesn’t make a dent in your OCD insistence that this is a huge issue.

Reads to me like you are not ready to choose breaking up. Not that I am suggesting that it is the right thing for you to do. What I suggested is that if your distress is just too great, you will need to do what it takes, consider possibilities.

It can get better, Danielle. Really. It is better for me. I still feel the OCD thoughts and, since I did a lot of compulsions in the past (the compulsion part of the Obsessive Compulsive Disorder), I still have urges to perform compulsions, but I don’t. Hardly. It has gotten so much better, and it can be for you too.

For now, take a long walk or a hot bath, something to calm yourself. Do something calming like this when your anxiety spikes.

anita