OCD support thread: stories, coming strategies etc..

[littlechocolatechippies]

Hello everyone x

I posted a thread a couple of days ago about my OCD (currently relationship focused) but didn't get any replies.

I thought we could start a new thread to share our stories and some tips on how to cope better ( still working on that). I'm surprised OCD is so misunderstood and yet so many people have it.

My therapist is on holidays atm so some chit chat might be helpful, as last couple of days have been horrible.

I have always had OCD, mainly health related, and Internet has made it worse.

Hi, this may not be the right thread for me but I suffer from health anxiety and emetophobia which some therapists now say is a form of ocd. The only rituals I have is I wash my hands before eating and try my best not to put them in my mouth other than for eating, I do not touch public toilets by hand, put loo roll over my hand to flush them and I always have to make sure the lid is down on a toilet before flushing. If there is an outbreak of something I will disinfect a lot. I'm here to talk if anyone wants to but might not be same stuff, sorry.

I used to keep my shoes lined up in the same order every day, couldn't throw away bottles of cream or shampoos and had to keep them in the same order; switched lights on and off an even number of times and blinked odd times.

It took me years to get over it but now OCD has taken different forms, so I mostly analyse old events and keep wondering what if something different had happened. It's getting mentally draining.

It is mentally draining to make sure you're doing the things you feel will keep you and your family safe from whatever perceived threat.

Hello, just wanted you to know that someone else is reading the thread. I recently worked out that I have Responsibility OCD and found the short video on that page really illuminating.

I've just started trying to push myself through my comfort zone when something occurs to me as a risk that I need to fix. It's really hard but I think having a child is making me want to finally get it under control. When my head is buzzing with anxiety and trying to work out what to do I know I'm not a fun Mum to be around, plus I'd hate for my child to pick up bad habits from me and think that the world is a dangerous place.

Has anyone tried doing Exposure Response Prevention by themselves? I really can't afford to use a therapist at the moment so am trying to follow the advice in this booklet cypf.berkshirehealthcare.nhs.uk/media/168487/managing-ocd.pdf