How do I know if I'm being horrible

[Cat Dancer]

I feel like such a disgusting, repulsive, horrible person who just spreads evil around and destroys people. How do I know if this is true or OCD thinking? It seems so so very real. I can think of things that I have done that show that I am horrible and bad. Isn't that proof?

 

[Retired]

Listen to the people here who know you who will probably tell you the same ting: you are not that horrible person your OCD wants you to believe. These are only thoughts and not reality.

We here all know the real true "Cat Dancer" who is a kind, compassionate and helpful person.

Believe the people who know you and who want to support you in your time of struggle.

You are A-OK!

 

[rdw]

Not true -it sounds like OCD thinking to me. I'm with Steve; you're a kind and compassionate woman. Try to remember that!

 

[NeedaName]

Not that I know you, but it sounds highly unlikely. I've never known anyone that was disgusting, horrible and repulsive that actually cared that they were disgusting, horrible and repulsive. They leave that for the nice people to worry about.

 

[MHealthJo]

I feel like such a disgusting, repulsive, horrible person who just spreads evil around and destroys people. How do I know if this is true or OCD thinking? It seems so so very real. I can think of things that I have done that show that I am horrible and bad. Isn't that proof?

I am able to know, even without knowing anything about you or meeting you, that these thoughts are not true, because they contain cognitive distortions. Cognitive distortions cause a thought to not make sense and be incompatible with the nature of reality. I dismiss these thoughts on that basis.

Your thoughts written above contain distortions such as labeling, all or nothing thinking, mental filtering, and probably others. I can never remember all of the cognitive distortions off the top of my head. David Burns is wonderful at teaching recognition of them, or helping with tuning up.

Hang in there. Hug!