r/OCD•
Dead_Mutt

i cant breathe normally anymore and it sucks

Need support/advice

honestly i dont really remember exactly how it started, but i developed the need to exhale forcefully whenever i smelled something gross, or even if a person i consider unclean is near me and i dont even smell them but i know their germs are inside me now.

its gotten to the point where exhaling sharply doesn't help the bad feeling go away, and now i unconsciously breathe extremely shallowly. if i smell something gross, i can't get it out of my nose for days. a few days ago i was in the car with my sister and her smell was literally invading my nostrils. i tried taking really shallow breaths and leaning out the window but it just kept invading my body. i nearly passed out from lack of oxygen. it sucks a lot, kind of feels like drowning sfter a certain point because obviously your body can only take shallow breaths for so long.

im currently stuck up at nearly 4am because my nose still feels so open and i have to keep exhaling sharply but it doesnt help. everything has been so hard lately. the constant headaches from shallow breathing and having to shake my head whenever i leave and enter a room, combined with not being able to bathe is making my life miserable. i honestly don't know what to do because i only feel better when im far away from my family. im about to start cbt but so far my weekly appointments with camhs are only making things worse so i'm guessing cbt isnt going to help much if its just more talking.

i know that realistically there isnt much advice anyone can give me unless you have a magic wand, i mostly just wanted to vent and maybe there's some tips people can give.

Posted Apr 8, 2026, 2:54 AM UTC

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