i am aware and conscious about my eye contact and it triggers my anxiety , i am not afraid to look others in the eyes but when i do i associate it with negative feelings and emotions. i started to be isolated and alone,
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nino777
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Hello. I have had this exact same anxiety. It's also known as Somatic OCD - or over awareness of bodily functions, triggering intrusive thoughts and loss of self-confidence. I am a teacher, so anxiety over eye contact is a big problem. Focus on your breathing and other senses, to take away the focus from the eye contact. Please go and see your doctor who can offer advice on anxiety management and can but you a waiting list for CBT or suggest medication. Be strong. You are not alone. You will get through this with some support. The more you fear the eye-contact, the more you will withdraw and the more anxious you will become. Don't let it affect what you do. Don't stop speaking to people. The more you face your anxiety, the more it will diminish but it won't be easy. You can bear it. It is hard but you can be strong. Please don't feel alone. Lots of people do this. It is usually due to other anxieties in your life that you are perhaps trying to suppress.
Hi Nino,
Have you ever had a formal diagnosis of OCD, is it something you have ever spoken to your GP or other health professional about?
I often see people try and categorise their OCD which can be a mistake because often most people will have different forms of OCD, and it is the 'thought process' and 'responses to thoughts' that is the problem, rarther than the actual symptoms themselves.
Where OCD is diagnosed is if you have obsessions, which cause anxiety and to be upset, which leads the compulsions (physical or mental), this image explains the cycle of OCD more clearly ocduk.org/siteimages/OCD/oc...
Best advice I can offer is to ask your GP to refer you to a psychologist or psychiatrist for an assessment and then treatment beyond that point, if it is OCD then it would be Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT).
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