Has anyone overcome Solipsism ocd?

[nikkim]

Hey guys.. Still struggling with this. It's been about 2 months now. It is getting a lot easier for me to deal with but the thought constantly constantly constantly pops into my head all day long. I've come to terms with the fact that I'm not the only real being in the universe but I'm sick and tired of doubting myself everyday and having to reconvince myself over and over again. It takes a lot of energy out of you.
I find myself asking myself weird questions all day like how do phones exist, how do mirrors work, is there a god, where did we come from, and then I start freaking out because I'm like why doesn't anyone else find all of these things as weird as I do?!

I'm definitely doing A LOT better but unfortunately I'm still battling this. Love and good wishes to all of you battling things right now. Don't give up and always reach out for help!

[Prospector]

no it's not weird to think any of that man, it's normal. Everyone wants to know the meaning of life, that's why we have philosophy. Sure isn't that a good thing that you can look at something with depth? Like how do mirrors work is really interesting. I mean, just don't think too deeply about it because you'll only confuse yourself.

As for this solipsism stuff, well if you really want to stress over a skeptical philosophy fine. The point is , solipsism is a skeptical idea, it's not worsened by doubt, it IS doubt.

I mean, it's a useless idea really. I think pretty much all skeptical ideas are useless: solipsism, brain in a vat, matrix, nihilsm. I decide on what philosophy I want to believe in. All of this stuff about life being an illusion is just silly talk. Semantics is the key.

[soblessed]

Yes, I have. But I think overcome is the incorrect word. Do not try to overcome something that doesnt even exist. This issue doesnt exist, it is a thought and you cant overcome thoughts you can only accept them and not put importance on them. Try to overcome the adjective/noun "fake".......
Did you overcome it? Or did you just pay no mind to it, did you treat it like a word and move back on to this Solipsism thought. If you are still thinking about solipsism while reading this period ---> (.) you have already overcame the thought "fake" that I mentioned above ^. You are not worried about that word, you are worried about the the thought of solipsism. So you have proved to your mind that solipsism is a matter of focus. However an average person without OCD, like my therapist, can think about Solipsism and not feel any negative feelings towards it. So are only OCD people doomed with solipsism?

If your addicted to problem solving and it feels like a bad riddle in your head then here is the riddle that dispels solipsism. If everything is fake, and only you exist. Then confusion doesnt exist, anxiety doesnt exist, ocd doesnt exist, suffering doesnt exist. So technically you should be not feeling any grief or discomfort. If you do then emotions exist. And if emotions exist then the theory is done.

During solipsism the greatest thing happened to me, It made me realize how perfect our world is. With humans who do exist. Like myself. I am real ,I am not imaginary, I have the busiest craziest brain lol. Now I talk to everyone and I am super social. I realize how real is love. Its so real, that your body and mind are out of wack when you think it. Love exists and it is beautiful and it creates life and hapiness. That's how you were concieved. love everyone, for everyone is slightly feelin alone, misunderstood and scared. Be the one who changes the world.

And what if solipsism is pure bliss, like what if everytime you feel this thought you get closer to every human and you chanel a signal of connection and flocks of people love you and come to you.

what if this thought of solipsism is the ending of OCD.

what if it is the beginning of a perfect life, by you seeing what is missing.

why does it have to be negative?

What if you are filled with so much love to give, that it stressed you to think otherwise?

You must be an angel, because you want to be certain of love, I hope I come across you guys struggling with this, because I am certain you are good people and would help me if I was ever down.

Now go change the world with your abundance of love. And watch how "real" people see your change and love you for it.

[Victor _ valentine]

Hey I've been going through the same thing for months now except mine has been about something kinda like the matrix like how everyone is a computer program and I'm the only real one and I'm stuck in some machine in the real world being controlled by aliens or something I sound crazy don't i. Sometimes I even think I have to kill my self to get out! It really does bother me.

[ElliStar]

Hi
I was wondering if the thread starter (or any of you other guys who commented) are still going through this or if you got over it/how you're doing?
I am experiencing this at the moment and my thoughts and feelings are exactly the same as people have described on this thread, it's horrible. I've only had this since Tuesday night - not long I know! I am an anxiety sufferer and have had mild depression before and I have had anxious and obsessive thoughts about a whole range of things, mostly it's health anxiety. I also have GAD and I do get quite stressed and anxious about things in general.
Never have I had anything like this though. It started on Tuesday night when I read a philosophy book out of interest and the first few pages were about Descartes' theory and solipsism. It really scared me and I haven't been able to shake the thought.
It has made me realise how much I like my life (too bad I couldn't have realised that before) and this week has been horrible. I have been crying whilst walking through town which I have never done before and I broke down at college today and ended up talking to my teacher and learning mentor about it. That helped a bit. I feel a bit better now, a bit more 'real'...of course I know deep down it's not true and I'm really here but it's just so scary, the thought of being alone and not being sure of the existence of anything around me. I just find myself breaking down in tears, mainly when I think about my childhood when I was happy, or even a few days ago before this horrible thought was in my mind.
Anyway I'm just wondering how everyone is getting on as it's a while since a lot of the comments on this thread were posted. It did help to talk to my teachers today. Before I was scared to talk to anyone apart from my mum about it because I thought I'd just be imagining that they were figments of my imagination but it did help. I would say it's definitely good to talk to people and even tell them about it, however crazy you think you'll sound. I was worried about passing the thought on as well, I didn't want to screw someone else up, but my teacher is not as impressionable as I am

[gui8311]

Hi Elli!

I am not one of the original posters, but I am working through the problem at this moment too.

what has made a huge difference for me is that I started working with the thought: no matter what love and human connection actually are, what they represent to me is valuable no matter what. At least this gave some value back to happiness, even if I still felt extremely lonely.

After this I saw that being happy could then never be useless and that what I think creates the most happiness is to embrace who you are as a human being, completely. which opened me up to spirituality, for the first time in my life.

I started to wonder... what if we, as humans can know the truth after all? and this started giving me hope, I started feeling more and more calm. after some days I went into a deep meditative state, and then something special happened: I had a moment where I sincerely knew I saw the truth. First I doubted a lot and I wanted to exclude certain possibilities so I went into another similar state a few days later. I wrote this sentence down - "I am at that place again. I am absolutely sure I see truth before me. love is sacred and free will is its foundation. utter and absolute truth, no doubt whatsoever."

Now please take in account that I am someone who always thought of doubt as something no one can surpass and always thinking that others who believed in something with all their might disregarded that you can not really be sure. but this experience was life changing for me.

Now I am starting to move closer each day to this ability to know truth. I know you will be thinking, oh it is an illusion, how can you be sure? I can not describe exactly why this state breaks that cicle of doubt, and I think you can only understand me if one day you go through the same. Just saying it might be a possibility for you!

you should try this path I think. you have nothing to loose, even if you live in illusion in the end, believing you don't will make you as happy as you can be. and after you opened up to this path, when you have your moment of truth, you will know what i mean.

Wish you all the best,
Gui

[lisa0406]

@victor_valentine - the Matrix thought is quite the usual anxiety thought just like how solipsism is. I suffered from thoughts like this due to Depersonalisation / Derealisation. I am over that most days (the DR/DP) but the Matrix thing is still a scary thing. I first saw this movie when I was a little child and it was so disturbing for me...just like the Truman Show or however that one is called.
Us in the DR/DP forum also made the horrible experience of a really ****ed up reality perception which doesn't acctually help with that.
Just wanted to let you know that you are not alone with that.

[Girl18]

I went through this a few years ago and it was probably the scariest thing. The best thing though is that it's NOT permanent. Your mind can go out of wack sometimes but eventually it finds itself back again.

Anyway I remember feeling like I was just observing people, like I was a sheep following and doing things because that's the way it should be done. I felt totally out of the loop. I don't exactly remember how it went away. I think partly because I went on and did everyday hobbies and things and accepted it as it possibly being there forever - which in reality it won't be there forever. You just have to accept the possibility.

[soblessed]

Yes, here is how my mind won...
First off this is classic OCD-
So it's not your fault it happened. You suffer from something you were most likely born with. It has it's benefits and I'm sure you are a great person sometimes because of it. But it causes you to stress over anything out of your control or anything you cant logically think through and work out in your head with confidence.

The idea of solipsism doesnt allow confidence of any kind, in fact it hates it. Tony Robbins (motivational speaker) said we change our mood and mindset based on the questions we ask our thoughts. Solipsism asks only 1 thought, what if, this is unreal, what if I am lonely, and this is wrong?

All our life we have been taught to avoid everything that is unreal, makes us lonely and wrong. So thinking about solipsism will surely bring emotional pain because we are focusing on an eternal wrongness and unconfidence. We are essentially thinking we are damned of uncertainty and pure loneliness for a lifetime. Why are we shocked that this is bothering? It would bother anyone! The fact is you have OCD, which wont allow you to just ignore it, we have a pretty big burden ahead of us now, because we must make certainty out of pure doubt. Pretty impossible if you ask me.

We need certainty or a level of it, hope or a level of it, meaning or a level of it, faith or a level of it to be happy and sane. Solipsism doesnt want nothing to do with this.

Solipsism should not be taken as a myth or philosophy or a point of view or even a plausible theory in the world of OCD sufferers. Our minds dont know the difference and cant brush off big ideas like this as fast as others. It is based on untruth, no truth, no meaning and is complete doubt. Therefore how would you consider it? because you couldn't as untruth is non existent and non considerable. That is the same analogy of someone telling you, You are searching for confidence, peace and reassurance in the subject of doubt beyond return of any hope. Which is what solipsism is. Infinite doubt.
The most awesome thing about our mind is, your mind knows its not correct, and has so much love and care for itself that it will send you panic signals whenever the thought of solipsism occurs. Why? It is trying to protect you from doubt, uncertainty, no motivation, no future, no meaning, your body knows this isn't healthy for you and isnt bringing you to align with your goals.

Solipsism is evil, because it is doubt bottled up as if it is a a mandatory lifestyle. I am doomed to do doubt all my life. All it is is consistent doubt misinterpreted for reality. It is the opposite of success and happiness. Accept that it is lie, and in the process you will marvel and appreciate everything around you that is real in this life, even the bad.

So here is how to have your mind and your reality show solipsism true colors- ask yourself this simple question,
" If solipsism is true, then whenever the thought enters my consciousness, unconsciousness or minds eye, if it doesnt pass my mind like any other random thought, if it makes me feel uncomfortable or anxious, then I can smile and say factually with certainty that solipsism isn't true. Why? Because it means this thought holds meaning and creates a chemical reactionin my body, thus pointing towards the fact that it is a thing and is there with me , thus I am not alone."

[viking111]

Hey!
I've been having similar issues, but not about solipsism.
The thought I'm having is that I've accidentally travelled to a similar dimensions where everyone is similar.
My brain began analysing everything when I had those thoughts. My mind analysed behaviour of others and such.
Sometimes I see something that is kinda strange, but tell myself.
"How many of these strange things haven't you seen when you didn't have thoughts?"
Then I realise that it's just me analysing and looking for things that are not real.