u/AkatsukiPineapple

Hello to everyone, I am diagnosed with OCD since 2022, my fear is scrupulosity mainly and health anxiety as second.

Two days ago I was walking during night listening to music and staring at my phone, just scrolling, when I kinda saw at my forehead level/top of my head a shadow, it might have been a branch, but my brain started thinking of a bat (I’ve seen bats before around those trees)

Then I started to freak out thinking I might have been bitten or scratched, even tho I didn’t clearly see a bat. I showered and scrubbed my face, then I saw a red line above my eyebrow, and I am spiraling thinking it might have been a bat scratch.

My logical side is saying it must not be one as I didn’t see anything and I would have seen a bat scratching my face, but ChatGPT (wrongly used I know) told me to care about bat scratches and well I’m ruminating this

I am taking Escitalopram as SSRI and it has helped me, but sometimes I have these spikes, I have been vaccinated for rabies before and I think my OCD wants me to do it again to be safe

How can I differentiate OCD from real thoughts? And what can I do as ERP in this situation?

Thank you all

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u/AkatsukiPineapple — 9 days ago