Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Thread

[PassedExpectations]

for people that i kinda want to explain to but not all the way, sometimes i'll let them know that i have ocd, but let them think that the compulsion is for a different reason.... for example, i have no problems with germs or cleanliness. i have a lot of scrupulosity obsessions/compulsions though which are embarassing and harder to explain. so i'll let people think that the reason i get freaked out around beer is because it was fermented by bacteria (and just pretend that i don't like cheese or yogurt either) or that kissing bothers me because of germs since that is easier to explain.

for doctors, you've just got to take the plunge and say it. professionals who know alot about ocd won't be shocked. sometimes you can work yourself up to talking about it by writing a script and then reading it out loud to yourself...

[SoDark]

I am completely messy and I don't worry about germs. My problem is checking. It usually seems completely silly. I often tap my pockets to make sure that my wallet, keys, phone are there. I can't use a purse for these items. I am very obsessive about my laptop which I often have with me. I will have to reach over and open up my backpack to touch it while I'm driving. I mostly hate when when someone will ask if I have my credit card or something and I know I have it but they said it so I have to check. I have to get to work, class, whatever early, just in case something happens. I am also not officially diagnosed but I'm not looking to add to the list.

[StarBright]

Thank you! I really like the idea of writing it down and maybe I can repeat the words back to myself enough. Maybe there will come a point after some repetition that it won't feel like such a big deal. :)

[Veggie]

Im glad i found this thread, i have been feeling like maybe i was crazy with how i have to do things a certain way but from all the post i read im not which is good. other people are going through what i am.

Im really bad about checking to make sure the door, oven, and iron (even if it is sitting on the shelf ill have to check and make sure its not plugged in and on). I count alot too. which bugs everyone, i have to do it a certain way or i have to do it again. I think the worst is getting caught on certain words..Like new words, things that dont sound right to me or foreign words especially..

There is so much more that i do that is just strange..

[PassedExpectations]

i'm going to the IOCDF (international ocd foundation) conference in chicago this weekend. mostly to meet up with some friends from when i was in treatment and hopefully see some of my old doctors and that. and to learn any new stuff about ocd that i don't already know (i know alot... for a while was obsessed over knowing everything about ocd).... anyways, if anyone has specific questions i'll try and get info on those things while i'm there. also www.ocfoundation.org is a really comprehensive website

personally having a rough day today, been rewriting a paper over and over and it isn't even for school. but thats how it goes right. i'm fighting as best i can.

[PassedExpectations]

this sucks. blah. bad day. resisted most of the compulsions but it was harder than it has been in a while

[Buttons.]

^ Sorry that was such a bad day for you, hope things are a little better now.

Shameless bump.

Basically yesterday the MH worker who came out to see me because things were pretty rough said that they're pretty sure I have OCD.

I refuted it at the time because mine isn't 'typical' but I do think that she's probably right as I do have fair amount of traits. For years now I've really struggled with some quite intrusive unpleasant images popping into my head (not real like flashbacks just general and unpleasant) and I had/have elaborate rituals to get rid of them from my head and to make up for the fact that they were in my head in the first place.

According to this woman this is an OCD trait which I didn't really realise, I was slightly concerned it was some sort of weird hallucination. She also said OCD might be the cause of my 'funny ideas' such as where I feel like really bad things are going to happen to the people around me if I say/do something or don't say/do something. I won't go into that any more because I still struggle with worrying about the consequences in other peoples' lives if I talk too much about that because one of the 'rules' is that I can't talk about it. I have other ideas as well but I'm still concerned they might be true so again, can't talk about it.

I just wondered if anyone had any advice on dealing with these images, refuting the 'odd ideas' and also reducing the reliance on rituals because they are really beginning to be more noticeable and particularly a certain one in my head can go on and on and on for a very long time. The images in my head are particularly distressing to me so any advice at all about getting rid of them would be fab.

[Bellatrix]

^That's the sort of form of OCD I have been diagnosed with.It's confusing because it's described as 'bizarre
' and I don't understand it/can't read much about it.

[Buttons.]

^ Thanks for sharing hon, and yes it is very odd isn't it 0.o

[Ballerina123]

I guess like all forms of OCD a CBT work book could help.
CBT is really good for OCD, it helpped me a lot when my OCD was bad.

Your form of OCD is not typical in the way it presents but the way in which thoughts become compulsive and obsessive is similar to more common forms of OCD so trying a OCD work book could be of benifit to both of you.

[StarBright]

Bump!

I had no idea that OCD presenting in that kind of way wasn't typical. Now I'm feeling a bit panicked and need to find out what a CBT is.

Hope you guys found some work books or other helpful things. :)

[Sarah]

Intrusive thoughts, in forms of images or any other nature are common in OCD.
They are often less talked about in a general environment because they are often associated with more guilt or shame.
Mothers having intrusive thoughts about smothering their children for example is more common than people would wish to believe.
This is obviously disturbing for the mother and tied with extreme guilt and shame, but there is never any intention or threat that she would carry out such actions.

CBT is the most common form of therapy for OCD. Self help books can often be very useful with cleaning and checking type OCD so long as you are prepared to do things well out of your comfort.
I would always advise seeking out a psychologist who can go through this with you however. The emotional adjustments, challenges and steps you will have to take are often better when worked through with a professional.

As for intrusive thoughts, because of the severe emotional disturbance that they cause, i would always recommend therapy. Even if you manage to get the thoughts from your head, you will likely still need emotional help to understand that these thoughts do not reflect you as a person and it does not make you bad etc.

Working through OCD will take time, perseverance and support but you can all do it. Good luck

[PassedExpectations]

specifically, within CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) you want to be sure to do Exposure Response Prevention. this is effective for most people no matter what sort of "flavor" their ocd is. if it is something other than cleaning, checking, you just need to get more creative when you create your exposures. feel free to PM me too. i've done a whole ton of ERP for pretty much everything, and what i haven't done, my friends from treatment have had to do and i've seen them do it

[_Faint_]

Though i should bump this



Am cleaning my hands a lot of anti bacterial hand cleaner every 5 minutes because am scared that am going to get germs from my key board as my last time my nephew was here he had a cold and was using my keyboard as i had the lap top in the other room with me because i was going to bed and needed it to listen to some music as i sleep
its been a week since my nephew was here but i have been using the hand cleaner everyday since at 20 minutes intervals but today its gotten a lot worse
I also have a cold which doesnt help either i wash my hands every half an hour
but there is still germs
Av never been diagnosed with OCD and i have yet to ask my dr about it
but this has been going on for a while
I also have intrusive and obsessive thoughts but that could be my psychosis
Also i count as well everything had to be 3 or 6
Like if am out shopping i have to buy 3 or 6 bottles of juice or if am having a coffee or tea i have to put 3 sweeteners in it
I count 1...2..3 as well when am nervous or anxious

is this OCD or just me being weird

[PassedExpectations]

i would talk to a doctor, but it sounds like it could be to me... from what i know part of the big difference between psychosis and obsessions from ocd is that with ocd you are aware that the thoughts don't make sense and are not real, but just can't get them to go away. whereas in psychosis, you don't realize that they aren't real

[_Faint_]

Some of my thoughts are like i think am going to hit people but i know myself that am not going to because am scared i might but other times i think something is happening and its real like the world ending it feels real to me and i have to kill myself to stop it

there are sometimes things i have to do to stop things from happening like get 3 or 6 bottles of coke or 3 sweeteners in my tea or coffee I get anxious around people because i think there influencing my thoughts So am not sure what that is

[Doikers]

How did I just discover this thread??

[_Faint_]

Today i need to wash my own plate and cutlery but my husband said that its already clean but i need to wash them again...Everything is dirty
i have to clean , not talked to the dr about the OCD

I keep thinking that am going to get some sort of disease from other people touching things that i use or touching me

I need to clean the plate now am starting to feel panicky

[PassedExpectations]

if you clean it, the panic might go away for a bit, but it will just come back. stronger...

[angeldevil123]

For me it's about being able to do a certain amount of miles on the bike and burning of calories
I also log every time I eat