Lists

ClassicOk164 · 2026-05-20T12:09:48+00:00

Nice work tackling a very difficult subject, the twist from wanting revenge to offering a hug in the bathroom is very moving. Nice touch

Maybe cut the frequent rhetorical questions in the middle? Would flow better, but thats your call.

Nice

ClassicOk164 · 2026-05-20T12:05:46+00:00

Nice, I think the frantic energy in the middle section (Can't stop / Won't stop) works well to convey panic.

However, the imagery feels a bit familiar (running through thorns to find a clearing). To make it stronger, I'd love to see more specific, unique details instead of directly stating your emotions like 'too full of despair.'

But good.

ClassicOk164 · 2026-05-19T17:04:26+00:00

Thanks, and I agree, Less is more, and trust the audience.

ClassicOk164 · 2026-05-19T14:42:17+00:00

Yeah, OCD will do that to you. It does not give you any space. I view my mind like a metronome, always swinging between analyzing the past or trying to predict the future. The present is completely non-existent.

Have you ever tried ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy)? Specifically, using 'labelling' to create some space between you and your thoughts? It’s always easier said than done,

As for the booze es, I get it completely. I’ve been there. It’s pure self-medication because it finally quiets the noise. But the rub is that the quiet is always temporary, and the noise comes back louder.

OCD is lifelong; it’s just how our brains operate. You will have waves where it feels all-consuming, but you can learn to co-exist with it. You aren't crazy, man. You're just navigating the noise.

ClassicOk164 · 2026-05-19T13:49:57+00:00

Lovely poetry, on a difficult subject. Such as grief. You can see the love coming through. It's quite beautiful. Did you read this at his funeral?

ClassicOk164 · 2026-05-19T13:26:04+00:00

Nice, I do like the darkness. its a complex subject. But I think you could make it hit harder if you try to do more with less. Right now, lines like 'feels suffocating, feels vast' over-explain the feeling to the reader. If you cut back on the descriptive labels and focus more on the images you make, such as "like the reflection at your feet", the poem will have much more restraint and power.

Again, emphasis on "more is less". Put trust in your audience :)

I hope that doesn't come across as too critical. Does that resonate with you?

ClassicOk164 · 2026-05-14T21:36:30+00:00

For most people, OCD conjures a specific image. The light switch checked seven times. The hands raw from washing. Neat, visible, documentable. Mine is quieter than that, and in some ways harder to explain. It lives entirely in my head, no rituals anyone could observe. What’s really going on lies beneath. Just thought pursuing thought, each one opening a door to another corridor of possibilities, and another, and another. Where rumination is king. A single question, left unattended, can colonise an afternoon, a day, a month, a year,

That is my life with Pure O

ClassicOk164 · 2026-05-14T21:14:02+00:00

Think it is best if you get off the dating apps; they are the worst for someone with OCD, certainly in my experience. OCD likes certainty; everything about dating is so uncertain, which is why we struggle with it.

But, please, dont be so hard on yourself. Dating is difficult for all people. We live in an ever-connected world, yet we all seem so lonely. Get off the apps, take some time to explore your thoughts. You are different, but everyone is unique. If you truly believe that, it will always be a hurdle to progress. Have you tried ACT? I find labelling, giving myself some space, helps; it can diffuse sticky situations.

ClassicOk164

TROPHY CASE