O.C.D

[pamb67]

I suffer with ocd and it’s getting on my nerves because I can’t stop myself cleaning and it’s wearing me out mentally emotionally and physically please help someone

Thankyou in advance 🩵

[Inkohblack]

have you tried exposure therapy? I’m sorry You are in this, you are not alone, big deep breath! There’s little things that you can do to begin your recovery journey and they can help work through your compulsions. It’s not easy but it is worth it to take your strength back and not let the beast win 🌻

[pamb67 in reply to Inkohblack]

Thankyou for replying appreciate it

[Inkohblack in reply to pamb67]

You got this. See if there are any cbt therapists in your area and they can see what they think would help you the most. Mine does virtual sessions or in person 😊 the beginning is so exhausting. I used to have to make sure I could see every plug socket in my house before I left and do lots of breathing things. Very draining all of it. You’re doing great, keep going!

[pamb67 in reply to Inkohblack]

Awww thankyou that’s very kind of you 💙

[BlueType]

Hi Pam, I'm struggling the same way, even showers make me feel dirty at this moment... Maybe watching a podcast on O.C.D., or trying your best to put on music you like, even during the cleaning episodes. Brain Lock is a good book on O.C.D. as well. I found myself almost holding my breath when washing, as I was so focused on my hands, or what order to wash myself.

We got this, little steps, even during backslides, let's all keep trying for each other....

[pamb67 in reply to BlueType]

Thankyou 💜

[Sallyskins]

Having OCD is exhausting, isn't it! Medication can help, so if you're not on it at the moment, ask your doctor about it. It isn't the whole solution, but it can damp down the OCD and make cognitive behavioural therapy, or CBT, easier to do. The SSRI class of antidepressants are the medication most commonly prescribed.

But the heavy lifting is done by CBT. It can be done with a CBT practitioner, but if you haven't got one, or can't get one, you can try creating your own programme using a self help book like Overcoming Obsessive Compulsive Disorder or The OCD Workbook, which are CBT-based.

It does involve quite a lot of discomfort, but you do get used to it. For example, if your kitchen counter is already clean, but you feel it's still swarming with germs. then resist the temptation to clean it again. Put away the bleach, and get your lunch or dinner ready on it. Then eat it - no excuses! It honestly won't poison you.

Or if you think your bathroom needs yet another going over with the bleach, again resist it. Allow the feelings of contamination and disgust to swell long enough to make you feel really filthy and uncomfortable. Then let them subside.

It isn't easy, and you do need to accept a little discomfort. Not to worry if you don't manage it. The attempt is what counts. And each attempt helps to unpick the hold OCD has over you.

By the way, I always feel really filthy after cleaning my bathroom, though I wear rubber gloves and wash my hands well afterwards. But after a while, it goes back to normal.

[pamb67 in reply to Sallyskins]

Thankyou I’m going to try what you said 🩷

[Sallyskins in reply to pamb67]

Give it a go, but don't feel bad if you give in and go and clean some more. CBT is difficult, and it often taken more than one go. But the more you can tolerate feeling dirty, the better. It does get easier with practice!

[80_Zil_ian]

- Reading books about OCD will make you more comfortable because you stop seeing yourself as alone in this situation and learn that millions of people have the same thing. The subject is widely studied nowadays.

- Therapy, I didn’t do it for much time, but it is helpful. My symptoms are more focused on thoughts with few or no compulsions, but for treating compulsions, CBT therapy is a great tool.

- Medication, this is what works best for me. After some time, it reduces the symptoms by 90% in my case. The side effects are a pain in the neck, but after weeks or months, they start to soften. In my case, the medication doesn’t need to be continuous forever. I can take breaks of even a few years after the symptoms have been drastically reduced. They always come back after a while (sometimes quite a long time), but at least I have some periods of peace.

[BlueType in reply to 80_Zil_ian]

Brain Lock is a good book, I just bought an OCD workbook too, along with some adult coloring books, and a mindfulness x-word

[pamb67 in reply to BlueType]

Sounds nice thanks