COVID19 OCD

[Kpotter2020]

Hello everyone,

I was diagnosed with OCD at 9 and am now almost 22. Since COVID 19 and tornados in TN where I live, I can’t seem to stop obsessing. I have started smelling my food before I eat it again (didn’t do that since I was 9), working on grad assignments that aren’t due for a month, and twitching my body in compulsive ways. I check the news every five minutes and am very aggressive towards everyone I love. I worry constantly about contracting the disease or giving it to my family.

Is anyone else experiencing this?

[Lyndarosela]

I can relate right now. Using disinfectant wipes and sanitizer like crazy. I'm afraid to go to the store.

[Mumofhocd]

Hi there, I’m a parent of a fellow sufferer (not one myself) but I think your behaviour is completely understandable in the circumstances. Can you try and be a bit kinder to yourself, and remind yourself that yes absolutely, lots of people are feeling anxious, & worried about touching things, and catching or spreading the virus - but this too shall pass? It is terrible, and it is sad, and it is definitely scary - and here in New Zealand, where we’re in lockdown and can’t have any contact outside our own household, it’s also quite lonely and strange - but it will pass eventually. And you know this, because you’ve had this since you were 9. Which must have been really, really tough, I’m so sorry... But hopefully you’ve experienced some better times where it felt manageable? If so, remind yourself that you’ll have those again. And maybe when the thoughts come, you could tell yourself “that’s my ocd making me have that worry, and actually lots of people are having these worries, so I’m going to allow myself a moment to acknowledge that worry, and then I’m going to put it to one side. I can go back and worry about it again later.” Sorry if this is all obvious, or unhelpful, cos these are unprecedented times and none of us know quite how to deal with them! And obviously it’s 100 times harder for those of you with OCD. I just hope maybe it will help to know heaps of people are feeling like this, and hope you can be gentle on yourself. Stay strong, and reach out to others here again - there are many far more expert people on here than me, and they’re great at helping, but I think everyone’s been preoccupied wth this whole damn pandemic lately. You’ve got this 😊. You’ve gotten through worse!