Woman with OCD followed her therapist’s advice to resist fire-related compulsions — what happened at work the next day made her quit therapy
A small change in a daily routine can feel overwhelming for someone living with anxiety-driven compulsions. A woman shared how she tried following her therapist's guidance to stop performing rituals linked to her fear of fires. The story was posted by a Reddit user who goes by u/Longjumping_Sea_8753 on Wednesday, July 8, 2026. What happened the following day at her workplace left her questioning whether she wanted to continue the therapy sessions.
Did what my therapist told me to do and worst fear confirmed
by u/Longjumping_Sea_8753 in GirlDinnerDiaries
The woman explained that many of her compulsions were connected to a constant fear that a fire might break out. Her therapist advised her to stop those routine acts to show that the rituals were not preventing anything. The day she stopped, her workplace caught fire, forcing everyone in the building to evacuate. She said the incident made her OCD much worse because it felt like the event had proved her fears were correct. She admitted she was now afraid that following similar advice again could lead to another frightening situation.
According to a review published in the National Library of Medicine, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental health condition marked by unwanted, intrusive thoughts and repeated behaviors or mental acts, known as compulsions, performed to reduce anxiety. Common symptoms include repeated checking, cleaning, counting, and fears of harm or contamination. Mental health recovery can become more difficult when a real-life event appears to confirm an existing fear. The woman shared that the workplace fire strengthened her belief that avoiding compulsions was dangerous, making everyday life feel even harder. However, she found herself confused about how to proceed. "I know that I won't make any progress if I ignore all advice," she remarked.
Taking professional help doesn't always backfire. Often, it can aid in bringing positive changes and better outcomes over time, as proven in another incident. A woman recalled being taken to therapy as a child after her parents blamed her for creating problems at home. In reality, she was dealing with narcissistic parents who expected the therapist to "fix" her. Instead of accepting their view, the professional spent time understanding her experiences and realized that the situation at home was much more complicated than it first appeared.
After meeting with the parents, the counselor gave an honest opinion. She told them, "Both of you need to be in therapy. Your daughter is the healthiest in the family." Instead of accepting that advice, her parents stopped taking her for sessions because they did not agree with the conclusion. Looking back, the woman believed the therapist helped her understand that she was not responsible for the behavior she experienced at home. The incident also showed that professional support can uncover deeper issues instead of simply blaming one person for every problem.