i (26 f) struggle with ROCD (relationship OCD—it developed after an abusive relationship) and one of my compulsions is to ruminate over the past that i don’t even know about and compare it to myself.
i’m about halfway through. the main character is 21, naive, and struggles with the same intrusive thoughts and loops that i do. literally as i was struggling with it last night, i read a scene where the MC starts to say Rebecca’s name, thinking it energizes her when in reality we see that her obsession with Rebecca is eating her alive. that is how ROCD feels, at least for me. my girlfriend was engaged before me and i have done a lot of work to resist any compulsions with that but it is difficult.
it kinda snapped me out of it, to look at someone else having the same thoughts and noticing how unhealthy it is for her helped me ground myself.
it’s definitely not ideal to relate to such a naive, obsessed character but i do and it honestly helped me reflect on myself.
by Deep-Big2798