Can you tell me about your OCD

[Hangingover]

Hello MNers,

Can anyone who has experience of having/being close to someone with OCD describe what it's like for them and how it affects them and (hopefully!) how they've managed it?

I think I may have it but I'm reluctant to pursue treatment at the moment for various reasons - it'd be good to hear other people's experiences.

Thank you

I've never written this down or told anyone this in RL. I have ocd since I was about 7. I lost a bag on holidays with presents and addresses for people we met on holidays. My mother never let me forget it
I have rituals around losing things. So I memorise what I wear going out, what I get when I'm out and when I come home I go through everything to make sure it's there. I drive myself absolutely crazy. I now have 3 small children so go through all their things too. I definitley have anxiety also.

I love everything clean and in its place. I'm getting better at this.

But the keeping track of items - causes me a great deal of stress

And to add. Grew up in a very hostile environment. Seen things noone should see. Plus my mother is someone I'm terrified of to this day

I had some OCD as a child based around danger and disasters like the house burning down if I didn’t follow my routines. It was exhausting I do remember that.
I feel it must be genetic in some way as my DD 14 suffers with anxiety and OCD which came to a head last year and we sought help.
GP route was no use for us as we were offered a sort of youth cafe thing where you might get to see someone for a little CBT or you might not it was very much drop in style.
This was never going to work with an anxious teen as even going to that sort of environment ramped the stress up.
We paid for a youth trained counsellor in the end she recommended general talking therapy for 6 weeks to discuss the issues around the OCD rather than seeing it as we must cure the OCD.
She was very good and my DD is much better this is always going to be how she is made but the counselling helped her understand that’s ok and she can work on the reasons that feed the OCD as this is a manifestation of those fears/worries etc.
Hope this makes some sense!

'pure o' for me. Though in fact compulsions are internal. Years of undiagnosed hell, years of CBT and ssris.
Get treatment - life is too short to spend that anxious.
check out ocd-uk for a start.

OCD. Obsess about the holocaust and it's likelihood of reoccurring.