How Does Ocd Affect You?

[Im-revived]

Very similar to the other thread, but OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) can effect people from a minor degree or a major degree. For example in the minor degree it could be like simple habits that occur a lot. To a major degree it can effect most of a persons daily routine, checking things, sometimes not even managing to go in a room because of fear of checking taps, plugs etc. Sometimes it includes number checking. How many off you actually have to check something so many times and if you loose count have to start again?

Im-revived

Help if needed via PM.

 

[InnocentOdion]

I have to wake up at 6am to get ready for university.
I wash my hands after touching EVERYTHING in the bathroom - even moving a towel wet. Even if I touch something with my foot, I wash my foot. I lign up the bottles, too.
I'm not someone who bothers much about numbers, because numbers and me aren't friends. At all.

IO

 

[akagordon]

I no longer have a large problem with it, but when I was younger I washed my hands after touching anything and went through a stage where I wouldn't even touch my toys (I was maybe 5 years old.) Everything I did dealing with numbers had to be even. Even when I called someone and it didn't ring an even number of times I would hang up. I always walked using certain paths and felt like I couldn't deviate from them. I counted things over and over. I would sometimes mumble obsessions running through my mind, which I think was the most annoying thing. I would flick a lightswitch on and off a certain number of times before entering or leaving a room. We had this one door that fell off it's hinges when I opened it. After that I checked a doors hinges to make sure it wouldn't fall off when I opened it, including hitting it just to make sure it was stable, and often slowly opening/closing it. I loved animals when I was little but I could hardly stand to touch or pet them b/c I would run and wash my hands afterwords. I would never use public restrooms and such on say camping trips. There's a lot more I don't really care to get into.

 

[Caitlin.ann]

I was diagnosed with OCD when I was around the age of 11 or 12. My fears always dealt with death. At one time I was afraid of food poisoning (resulting in death) or staying away from the house (resulting in death). This would often result in panic attacks in the middle of the night. Once I had a panic attack on my birthday because I was afraid of death. Some of my rituals would be saying mantras in my head, sniffing my hands, turning the lights on and off, holding my hand to my heart, and a few other things. I went to the counselor and overcame this with no medication. On a scale of 1-10 my OCD was initially at a level 8 and when I left I got it down to a level 2. Now it seems to be coming back, especially since I'm not on Depression medication which also helped keep the OCD under control. Some of my rituals are blinking, having to turn on and off my lights, and mantras. But I'm working through it and I know I'll be able to get it under better control again.

 

[blessedmomof5]

stopped the meds yesterday missing the OCD feelings, not overexercising, miss that alot, actually was not even caring...not good. no pacing...... no need to be obseessively clean(house) not good either..no need to spend money...dr was not thrilled, do you think there is a thing called a little OCD? that i would not mind........ looks like i will have to start my meds again, today, i think.

 

[Daysoni]

For me it takes up most of my day. At home everything has a place. I can't sit still if I see any thing out of place. I have not allowed people in to my home because I felt that they would mess up my order. When it comes to time on a closk things need to stop at number ending in a 5 or a 0. When exercising I can't stop if it's not a even number. If i'm going to be late I won't show. If someone is late I go into a panic and cancel. My hand are dry, soar, and peeling from washing. If I think a hair is out of place I pull or pluck it. I don't use my bare hands to open public doors. And I would rather be in physical pain then use a public restroom. There is so much more. To much to go into. It pretty much effects anything I do. My therapist got the doctors to know longer put me on the scales even though it is a part of my treatmen for something else because I was controlling the numbers on the scale.

 

[LilLamb219]

My problems are pretty minimal. I think I'm too much of a control freak to allow my problems to control me. Wait, that's a problem.

 

[luv4godremains]

For me, it takes up certain parts of my day mainly, I am ALWAYS late to my lessons cos I had to tidy my locker again, or I had to wash my hands again, or I lost count of something like washing my hands and had to do it again.
It takes me about 2 hours to get ready for school, the hour showering, the ten-15 mins doing my teeth, and everything else, it just all takes soo long! and I HAVE to remember to take my own fork to school just in case I get hungry and grab lunch in the canteen, not that I like doing that cos they don't wear gloves when cooking! lol
Getting ready for bed takes just as long really, showering, teeth, changing, hair, etc... but my OCD is only mild though thankfully, I'm really glad cos it's hard enough to live with sometimes as it is, let alone if it were worse!

 

[goldenviolet]

i catch myself when i'm stressed out. i hardly think anymore about my little quirky things. it's the impulse and frustation of it when i feel the pressure nabbing at my body. like a slow panic attack. i sorta stop thinking and get stuck thinking. but my therepist gave me a suggestion three years ago, that i have worked on. that is a time limit. he got me into the habit of timing myself of 15 mins (choosing less time as i got good at it). whatever i'm doing, i have to stop. at first, it didn't work at all. infact it made me mad. but i couldn't stop trying finally i got to more control over it. after awhile i started losing intrest in it. i'd recognize i was doing it, then just stop or redirect myself. so now, only if i have any breakthrough issues off meds is my only real struggle. but that goes off into other diagnosis issues.

 

[Im-revived]

Interesting GV, when I suffered it, the way I was also asked to try was by lessening the times of checking for example. With one of my issues then was checking door handles, I had to open the door, shut the door, push it til it clicked 28 times, if I lost count I'd have to start from one again, the help I got then was every week I had to try and knock 2 numbers of, it was hard but I had to do a chart daily it finally took 2 years to get to the point of checking once and having the will power not to check again. It was frustrating but I got through it.

Im-revived

i catch myself when i'm stressed out. i hardly think anymore about my little quirky things. it's the impulse and frustation of it when i feel the pressure nabbing at my body. like a slow panic attack. i sorta stop thinking and get stuck thinking. but my therepist gave me a suggestion three years ago, that i have worked on. that is a time limit. he got me into the habit of timing myself of 15 mins (choosing less time as i got good at it). whatever i'm doing, i have to stop. at first, it didn't work at all. infact it made me mad. but i couldn't stop trying finally i got to more control over it. after awhile i started losing intrest in it. i'd recognize i was doing it, then just stop or redirect myself. so now, only if i have any breakthrough issues off meds is my only real struggle. but that goes off into other diagnosis issues.

 

[Daysoni]

Looking at OCD from a humorous way I am the cleanest person in the house. And my room is the cleanest. My bed is better made then one in the hotels. And most people sleep with a stuffed animal or a lamp by there bad. I sleep with a lint an fur roller. Just incase there is pet fur or something in the air that lands on my bed.
Imagine getting that stuck in a head of hiar like this.

 

[little_lily613]

I would say mine is in the middle somewhere. It does affect my daily life (ie. I MUST wash my hands after touching certain things, or I can't get to sleep if it gets into my head to get up and check the stove or the locks, etc), but it is not so severe that I will not enter rooms because of it, or that I have do everything a certain number of times. G~d bless,
~Lily~

 

[powerofprayer]

Well, I've had OCD since I was 5 and I'm now 40!
My symptoms change from time to time but they are mostly obsessions. I re-read everything, I constantly replay conversations in my head (and sometimes I change them if they didn't go the way I planned!), if I get interrupted while I'm praying - I have to start all over. Let's see...I "play" worst case scenario as a way of protecting people, I'm the worlds worst procrastinater, and I doubt EVERYTHING. Sometimes I even doubt if I really have OCD! Everything has to be symmetrical, nothing is ever clean enough, I live in "organized chaos"....but this is who I am! God made me like this for a purpose and maybe I won't understand on this side but then I'll have eternity for Him to explain it to me!!!

 

[powerofprayer]

Well, I've had OCD since I was 5 and I'm now 40!
My symptoms change from time to time but they are mostly obsessions. I re-read everything, I constantly replay conversations in my head (and sometimes I change them if they didn't go the way I planned!), if I get interrupted while I'm praying - I have to start all over. Let's see...I "play" worst case scenario as a way of protecting people, I'm the worlds worst procrastinater, and I doubt EVERYTHING. Sometimes I even doubt if I really have OCD! Everything has to be symmetrical, nothing is ever clean enough, I live in "organized chaos"....but this is who I am! God made me like this for a purpose and maybe I won't understand on this side but then I'll have eternity for Him to explain it to me!!!

 

[littlegurlinlove]

Very similar to the other thread, but OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) can effect people from a minor degree or a major degree. For example in the minor degree it could be like simple habits that occur a lot. To a major degree it can effect most of a persons daily routine, checking things, sometimes not even managing to go in a room because of fear of checking taps, plugs etc. Sometimes it includes number checking. How many off you actually have to check something so many times and if you loose count have to start again?

Im-revived

Help if needed via PM.

i have been battleing with ocd for as long as i remember and it is screwing up my life.... i wash my hands every hour no matter if i have touched something or not, i have this thing where i have to count everything i see and i have to have even numbers of everything.... even tests and homework.. if there is an odd number of questions on a test or homework.... i cant do it because it bothers me so much....

 

[gracechick]

stopped the meds yesterday missing the OCD feelings, not overexercising, miss that alot, actually was not even caring...not good. no pacing...... no need to be obseessively clean(house) not good either..no need to spend money...dr was not thrilled, do you think there is a thing called a little OCD? that i would not mind........ looks like i will have to start my meds again, today, i think.

I sort of see what you're saying bcause I have a spectrum disorder cousin..Social Anxiety.
My brain gets so stuck wondering what people think of me...are they talking about me...do they see my panic disorder symptoms & think less of me. Are they thinking negative things about me....blah blah blah.

It usually happens as soon as I walk out the door and into my yard. We don't have a privacy fence which really makes me anxious & none of my neighbors do.
I grew up on a farm & had all the space & peace I needed, but this place makes me crazy bcause of the SAD.

I constantly worry if people really knew me maybe they would reject me for this or that. They would think this or that about me...I bet they won't even talk to me. Silly isn't it...so irrational
My brain is so locked on this, I need to work, but Im a stay at home mom bcause of this constant ruminating & checking.

& I too replay conversations & actions over & over in my mind trying to figure out if I did or said the rite thing. My thought process is so negative...& yes I take meds myself bcause I can't stand the panic disorder or all the negative thoughts that flood my brain.
I went off of them bcause of pregnancy & did realitivly ok, but months later the symptoms are back with a vengance so I went back on the meds.

Big 's to everyone here.

I think we are stronger then we often times give ourselves credit for. I'd like to see some people I've met or relatives live a few days in my shoes...I think they might learn somethin...at least I hope so

 

[rushingwind62]

In my case I have several disorders that feed into my ocd. So I have to really look at what I am doing and my behaviors to deciefer which disorder is affecting me. Along with ocd I am bi polar, have social phobia, and a couple other disorders.
With my ocd I have noticed I throw myself into things at first but quickly burn out. I can't tell you how many job oppertunites I have destroyed because of this.I start moving up fast in my jobs because I am good worker until I get so burnt out that I quit. Then I become the procrastenator and isolate myself from everyone and everything.
I have found that I have to say to myself, slow down...patience. I have also found I have to work really hard a living a well balanced life rather than throwing myself into one thing. Otherwise I become obsessed with that one thing. I have to force myself to get up at a regular time, eat three meals a day, exercise, and spend a couple hours a day doing something I like and enjoy. It has helped me to become more responsible. I try to get out for a little while everyday to enjoy the sunlight, even if it is only for a few minutes each day. I find that helps me to sleep at night.
It took me three years to sort out my life and figure out what the symptons were for each disorder. Usually there are no quick answers and it takes time to get straighten out once you realize and admit something is wrong.
So if you are struggling with the samethings or similar things my advice is just keep telling yourself patience. And don't be afraid to step out of your comfort zones......God Bless EVERYONE!!!!!....Rush

 

[Julianne]

Hi everyone,

I've had OCD for years..but only sort help in the last 3 months. I think I thought everyone would think I was weird. I have Guinea Pigs and I must check there cage 30 times before I go to bed. I also check down my bed and the ceiling for spiders and I'm afraid they will come down during the night. I also check the bed sheets for spiders as well.

I hoard things in massive amounts. My spare shed is full of stuff..even paper!

I'm a perfectionist at worker..it has to be right the first time or I have to do it again.

It seems like I'm not alone with this disorder. I'm glad to meet others out there like me.

 

[kashkablue]

I have had what seems to be a rare form of OCD for more than 25 years. Obsessed with symmetry and perfection I cut my own hair constantly. For the past 2 years I have buzzed and rebuzzed my hair down to a nub.
I've prayed for healing and questioned over and over why this has befallen me...why God has allowed my suffering. Perhaps it it so that I might understand and be supportive to others with the same affliction.

 

[frank1234]

I have what you would call religeous OCD, mainlly I confess/repent about 40-50 a day over things that not even sin. My mind is pretty much overworked over which is sin and which is not, where now It's extremly difficult to not repeat them anymore. I also have to repent in a ritual way concentrating on "words" instead of in a relationship way. It also effects me at night when I try to go tp sleep, where usually It won't let me go to sleep till 3-4 Am. I also have to do certain OCD re-checkings of lights and doors and alarm clock, etc...before I can go to sleep.Any body else like this?