Hi, I'm Nathan Peterson, OCD and Anxiety Specialist. If you don't think OCD recovery is real, take a look at this!

I asked instagram "What can you do now that your OCD didn't let you before?" and the responses I received were mind-blowing. Close to 200 people sharing their successes.

I know when it comes to OCD, it can feel hopeless, like you'll never be able to do the things you did before. Let me bring you some hope and watch this when you need a pick me up, because man, recovery is possible.

Take a look at what people can now do that they couldn't before.... And this is all due to treatment.

"Hang out with friends, sit in silence, drink coffee, hold my steering wheel, watch tv, read a book, give someone a hug, make eye contact, go out in public, the list goes on and on."

"I think now I just know more not to let the feelings bully me around which gives me power and confidence. A year of discovery and therapy has changed a lot for me"

OCD and showering

"I can shower (and actually choose between a 7-min fast one or a 20-min relaxing one, whereas OCD previously always required a distressing 3-hour shower); listen to songs with triggering content; leave the house/go in stores; I can read again!!; change my clothes; sleep in my bed; prepare food and clean the house (period, but also without washing my arms a bunch of times in the process. I have healthy skin again!); and so much more."

"Allowing myself to just feel and experience what is happening to me mentally, emotionally, and physically in the moment. My mental compulsion to tense up and block out thoughts and feelings has become reflexive, but now I can recognize when I am pushing away."

"I'm going to tell you the simplest things - because these are the things you don't take a second to be grateful for usually, but are so significant when you can no longer do them. I can talk without counting the number of times my tongue touches the back of my teeth. I can now eat my food with a steak knife instead of struggling using a butter knife. I can cuddle my puppy and give him the love he deserves. I can shower myself and use the toilet without rushing through it, feeling immense terror, ruminating, self assuring and checking rituals."

OCD and bathrooms

"I can use bathrooms outside of my home. I can make food with dairy. I can eat meat. I can work. I can lay on the floor. I can use the bathroom without washing my hands. I can bring out the trash without gloves. I can do almost anything I did before my OCD took over my life. Recovery is possible!"

"Listening to metal I love, going to the grocery store that my brain says is emotionally contaminated and reading scriptures."

"Be home alone again and not be deathly afraid of myself"

"Access my kitchen freely, talk to people I was avoiding because I was scared I would hurt them by having any contact."

"I can watch romantic movies and listen to my favorite music again without fear that what is described in the sad love songs or happening in the movies might happen to me."

"My dog passed away in June but for the last year of his life I pet him more than I had in all the 9 years before I found ERP."

"Quiet. Being able to be quiet. Being able to just enjoy silence."

"Now I can think about the future without having to sabotage everything that makes my life worth living."

"Go to the movie theatre, buy myself clothing, watch tv/movies/read, walk past a fire alarm, drive down any street I want to, hold babies.. the list goes on!"

"Drive, be happy in my relationship, enjoy intimacy, enjoy life."

"Be around my family, especially my young cousins! Love them so much."

"I can go out in public without a mask. It wasn't a fear of covid but actually OCD about getting sick and vomiting!"

OCD and children

"Being alone with my son."

"Wash my hands once and be done, not have to wash them four more times."

"I can sleep, eat, and be in the presence of triggers without going into full on panic mode."

"Use knives and display them openly in the kitchen."

"I had a baby!!"

"Being able to read a "suicide" awareness billboard without feeling like I'm in an elevator dropping 50 stories from above."

"Read books"

"I can finally stop plucking my eyelashes, enjoy a tea or coffee from a cafe, and eat outside of a rigid time schedule day to day!"

"Drive a car without wondering if I am a bad person for the thoughts I am having."

"Fell in love and didn't let ROCD ruin my relationship."

"I can go into a hospital, sit in a chair, and I don‚t have to immediately shower and wash my clothes once I get home."

"Sleep well at night and I'm doing a job which I always wanted to do."

"I can shower for 1.5 hours now. Last time I used to shower for 3-4 hours daily."

"Enjoy holiday dinners instead of worrying the whole time."

"I can walk around my house without getting caught in compulsions every step."

"Shop for steak knives with my fiancé, cook, be around my parents, watch TV, and read thrillers.

"I can hug people."

"I can hold my daughter."

"I can SLEEP!"

"Live!"

Master your OCD from home

As you heard all the responses you'll realize that "recovery" means something different for each person. Your perception and goal is your own. It is possible.

A therapist can help you with your recovery goals, but sometimes that is not an option, luckily I've outlined a step-by-step how to master your OCD from home program, 42 videos, worksheets, and journal prompts that take you through exposure and response prevention. You can even preview it for free.

Also, let's keep this discussion going. What things can you do now that you were not able to do because of your OCD? Let me know in the comments.

You're all simply amazing!