u/reptomcraddick

It’s a gift article so anyone can open it

My therapist suggested I probably have moral OCD last week so I googled it and looked at what types of things I can do to try and help, and the number one thing that came up was ERP, but I do not understand how this can be helpful with moral OCD. Up until a few years ago I didn’t even like reassurance for my moral OCD, and I can’t say I seek it out all the often now.

Based on my reading my understanding is ERP for moral OCD is sitting with the thought that you might be a bad person for mistakes you’ve made in the past. But for me, I am convinced I am a literal piece of human garbage 99% of the time and probably don’t even deserve the air I breathe. And this started a long time ago, like as a kid, I never thought “omg I forgot to throw away my garbage, I really suck, time to do a million good things to make up for it and convince everyone I’m not a bad person”, my thought today is “omg I forgot to throw away my garbage, more proof that even though everyone thinks I’m a good person I’m actually the worst and I have to do everything I can to try and make up for being the worst even though I’ll never make up for it and everyone should hate me forever no matter how many good things I do because I’m not perfect so therefore I’m garbage”.

So I don’t understand how ERP could help with that? My understanding is I did ERP for my moral OCD without knowing that was what I was doing when it first presented itself when I was a kid and instead of learning that I’m not perfect but we all are just trying are best and if our intentions are good, we’re doing pretty well, I learned that I am actually human garbage, and I need to do everything I can to try and make up for it, but it’ll never be enough.

Am I misunderstanding what ERP for moral OCD looks like? Am I the first person to have this kind of response to it? What should I do to try and help with my OCD since the idea of this treatment won’t work? When I googled it Google was no help.

Thank y’all so much! This is definitely a new area of mental health for me that I don’t know as much about, so I’m sorry if I said something wrong or incorrectly.

I was at the railroad commision open meeting today and Wayne Christian told a constituent after their very respectful public comment that "they needed to stop stirring up stink and bitching at the Capitol" (paraphrasing, but "bitching" is the operative word here), and then when he asked her a question, didn't let her respond and Craddick nearly threw her out, it was ugly to watch. (Here's a link to the video, it's not mine, https://x.com/Sarah4Texas/status/2099961546965123164)

Has anything like this ever happened before? I understand it's not the most calm of governmental bodies but Christian was being mean and personal and then cursed at someone he represents after they were nothing but respectful that day. If yes, who? And why?

Thanks! I'm genuinely curious because it seems like an insane thing that a government official should have explicit consequences for if it happens, no matter the context.

Hey! I've recently gotten into photography, but I haven't been able to find anyone locally to develop my film, I've been taking it to Walmart, but it takes almost a month to get your photos back and I'd rather support someone local. I know there's not a camera store, but even if it's a photographer that does it at their house, I'm happy to use them. I also can only find Fujifilm film at CVS, Walgreens, and Walmart, and I'd like to try some Kodak Gold.

Thanks so much!