OCD (Obsessive-compulsive disorder)

[Loveisdestructive]

I have a mild (I think) case of OCD.
It's like, I'm doing something, then suddenly a thought pops into my head. What kind of thought? It could be literally anything, but they're almost always devoid of logic and reasoning, and I have to think that thought a certain number of times or else, I won't feel "satisfied".
It is starting to affect me because it completely ruins my concentration on anything, sometimes it gets "triggered" when I'm driving.
Who has or had OCD and what do you suggest that I do?
I can't afford a psychiatrist or psychologist, so, I was hoping to see of I could control it or do anything by myself.

[Pi.R^2]

I don't have OCD but have some minor 'rituals' that are kind of similar on a much smaller scale I guess. I manage it by finding ways to limit how much time I can spend doing the rituals (e.g. with hand-washing I don't carry alcohol hand gel, so if I'm out somewhere not near a sink I just have to not do it!).

Does anything spark off these thoughts? And have you ever managed to successfully distract from it and therefore not carry out the required number of thoughts? Maybe it would help to sometimes do something really distracting instead of following through with having to think it a certain number of times, to help challenge the assertion that you *have* to do it.

I don't know how the healthcare system works over in the US, but is seeing a GP possible? Maybe they'd be able to offer some ideas of low-cost support options in your area.

[NYC18]

If you don't have access to professional care, you can start by doing the research and learning as much information that you can. It's important to do this to understand and learn about which type of route for treatment would be best for you. Also to understand about most of the nonsense that is involved with OCD to begin with and the knowledge will help you to understand this.

[PassedExpectations]

Exposure and Response Prevention aka Exposure and Ritual Prevention is the gold standard for OCD treatment. It is ideal to have a trained therapist with expertise in OCD help you learn to do it, but it isn't necessary. Take a look at www.iocdf.org and get a good workbook (ERP based) and if you actually do the therapy, you should see results pretty quickly

[tiptoes]

Closing due to age