OCD has many different 'faces', let's support each other .

[feathermucker]

Had it for years.

Mine manifests itself in different ways.

Sometimes as a compulsion to check on people, worry about them etc. I get a horrible feeling that only dissipates by carrying out certain behaviours, but then is replaced by a similar horrible feeling worrying about the outcome of having carried out the behaviour/s.

Sometimes, it's a compulsion to clean etc too.

Anyone else?

Anyone?

I have ROCD manifests itself in obsessive mental gymnastics about my relationships. Some checking behaviours and general fears of DP burning to death/being hit by bus/ being stabbed

It's hard I've been ok for about a year now though with good MH support x

Definitely identify with the obsessive part.

What do you think has helped you?

This is interesting to read. Until recently I thought OCD was getting urges to clean, flick switches etc. But I've actually realised I have OCD in many areas of my life in that I obsess over something constantly worth intrusive thoughts all day, every day. I seek reassurance, I google and read things to check if my thoughts are right. I realise now I've been doing it for a few years and it's recently got worse. So some silly examples - we recently built a chimney breast. I became obsessed with its positioning, how high the fire was in it etc. I worried about it constantly, would check photos on the internet and compare. It took over my life. Then it was finished and I forgot about it and it doesn't bother me now at all. I just thought it was anxiety but now I realise it's OCD as I convince myself my thoughts are real.

Only this week I've discovered ROCD is a thing and omg it was like a light. That's me. Especially over big life changes. It's now been affecting me for almost 6 months whilst going through IVF. Constant thoughts about my relationship stopping me enjoying life etc and now I'm seeing this is what I have. and so many people have it! I've made an appointment to go back to a counsellor and I'm really hoping she can show me coping mechanisms and that they work. But, it's nice to find other people going through the same thing. I look forward to supporting each other.

My OCD manifests itself in ways closely linked with my other disorders. I have Body Dysmorphic Disorder which is an obsessive preoccupation with looking and feeling (in my case) deformed, inhuman and horribly ugly. This led to an eating disorder which saw me obsessing over calorie counts.

My OCD also blesses me with intrusive thoughts. They can be anything really but the worst ones are ones that encourage me to harm myself or others. I never act on them and wouldn't but they trigger awful guilt. I can be walking home and all of a sudden I'll hear "jump in front of this oncoming car" and the compulsion can be quite strong. Other times I can be speaking to someone and my brain just goes "reach out and slap them". I mean, the last one is quite funny, especially as I don't act on them but it is annoying!

Finally, I have tics. They come out more with anxiety or if I think about them (as I am now). They can be vocal in that I need to say a certain word or sound out loud but not like Tourette's (which I believe is linked to OCD). It's more like if I'm talking I'll get an overwhelming urge to vocalise a word that ends in "ing" and I have to fit it in to whatever I'm saying at the time to relieve the urge. No one really notices!

My other tics are physical but subtle. I'll crane my neck back slightly, stretch out my back, toes or fingers and sometimes raise my eyebrows. Normally I'll do this until it's painful and keep going. Again, more annoying and frustrating than anything else.

I don't have cleaning or germ-based compulsions. I did once have an awful compulsion to straighten the sheets on my bed before getting in and if anyone touched them before I lay on them I would become panicked but that seems to have passed now! A newer one for me is putting something down and feeling like where I've put it is "not quite right" and having to move it by nano-millimetres until I'm satisfied. I also face all the food products in my house away from me so I see the back of the labels. I have no idea why!

OCD is a weird one. I swear I discover a new symptom every few months!

Anyone

I have never had cleaning compulsions, if anything im largely incapable of cleaning and tidying. I really struggle with throwing things away or similar. People always assume that I have cleaning compulsions, which annoys me as it’s so much more than that.

I have weird things like issues with emojis on their own, like there must be a pair or sometimes 6 of them. Can’t touch old or dead animal skins in case they contaminate me with fustiness. Can only get out of bed on one side. Gear stick needs to be wiggled 6 times before it can be left in neutral. So many random little things like that.

Then lots of big things, I’ve not been able to cook for over a year and various things.

I also have the checking on people thing, if someone is sleeping in say the lounge and I’m sitting there too then I need to constantly watch them to make sure they are still breathing,

If I think to myself I hope they have a good journey or similar, then I convince myself that I’ve cursed the journey, or whatever it is they’re doing (covers pretty much all things).

Ocd affects everything and people don’t understand its impact unless they have ocd.

My ds2 has severe OCD, with intrusive thoughts. It affects every element of his life (he also has autism) and despite ongoing CBT and high doses of medication it is very difficult.
Small triggers cause huge increase in his anxiety and intrusive thoughts. He is the most gentle and lovely young man who often believes he is dangerous :(

I never know how best to help him :(