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Sleeping-with-ROCD

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A Bad Rap<br />

A common misinterpretation of a sufferer's behavior is<br />

that he or she is a liar, playing head games, immature, or<br />

just mean. The truth is that he or she is usually being honest,<br />

both in confessions of love, and confessions of the opposite.<br />

This is difficult to understand for people who are<br />

unfamiliar <strong>with</strong> <strong>ROCD</strong>. It isn't that he or she is or was lying<br />

to the partner, it is that <strong>ROCD</strong> is causing sufferer to lie to<br />

themselves.<br />

Wolf in Sheep's Clothing<br />

During an onset of <strong>ROCD</strong>, the sufferer may experience<br />

thoughts that he or she is lying to or fooling those close, as<br />

a result of the conclusion that he or she does not love the<br />

partner. For example, while a couple is at dinner <strong>with</strong> the<br />

partner's parents, the suffer has persistent thoughts about<br />

how he or she is lying to everyone, including the parents.<br />

Thoughts in this circumstance are or are similar to the following:<br />

“You have no idea that I don't love your daughter.”<br />

“I'm lying to all of you, and you don't even know it.”<br />

“I am an awful person for stringing these people<br />

along like this.”<br />

The sufferer can experience feelings of guilt or shame due<br />

to the idea that the relationship is a farce, because he or she<br />

is only pretending to love the partner, and is fooling everyone<br />

involved.<br />

This eventually leads to confession and, possibly, a subsequent<br />

breakup, as the sufferer cannot handle the guilt involved<br />

in staying <strong>with</strong> someone they don't love. He or she<br />

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