I don’t know what to do anymore, my OCD has really started to mess with my work life. I have gotten written up for my absences because I just can’t work up the motivation to go to work, it just gives me so much anxiety and stress to even think about work but I have worked so hard to get to where I am with this career and I just don’t know what to do and I am stressing so much because I am so miserable
Talk to your therapist.
Maybe you could take a sick leave ?
I was in this exact spot about a year and a half ago. I would recommend contacting your company's EAP program (Employee Assistance Program) to find a therapist. Usually you get a few free sessions from the EAP program. While finding a therapist, you're probably going to want to talk with your manager to let them know you're having some personal struggles, but are working to address the issues. As you find when you will be meeting with your therapist, you can include that with you conversation with your manager, assuming you may need to step away from work for an hour once a week or so. A therapist will be a big help in getting your stressing feeling under control. I felt the same way with my job. I'm an engineer, I've been working hard and continuing my education for about 20 years, and had worked my way to the job of my dreams, only to start having trouble getting my work done due to my rituals distracting me and stealing my time. Anyway, it has taken me a long time to get my stress and anxiety to calm down a bit, and while I still in the early stages of trying to resist my compulsions, I can consider the 'thought' of not doing a compulsion. That doesn't mean that I'm able to resist the compulsion yet, but it means that I can consider the idea of that, and I couldn't even think about not doing the compulsion a year ago. It frustrated me so much if someone would suggest not doing a compulsion. Like seriously? What the hell is the matter with this person that thinks I shouldn't do ____. Anyway, I guess I just want to say, be honest with work and start looking for help, if you can see that you're having a hard time fixing your situation on your own. Again, for me, I am so glad to be less tightly wound. And now I recently started with nocd, because I think they are going to be able to help hold my feet to the fire with an ERP plan. The therapist I have been seeing prior to contacting nocd is a LCSW and she see patients for a variety of things, including ocd. Those therapy sessions have been about lowering my stress and anxiety, and I feel it has been exactly what I needed, to get me to this point where I can now work with nocd and really push into the ERP plan. I hope some of my experience can help you. Just trust that things will be ok, but also know its time to focus on yourself and caring for yourself so you can get back to where you want to be.
@Exhausted Uncertainty Thank you so much and I am glad you have been able to overcome some of your compulsions and have gotten your anxiety under control that is awesome! I am a nurse who has contamination OCD and can’t stop washing my hands constantly while at work along with a bunch of other things but I appreciate your advice and I will speak to my manager and see about an EAP program they might have!
Just sorta to vent and maybe get advice… I normally struggle with OCD and other MH/ medical issues.. I’ve sorta become acclimated to the stress, pain, mind games, and constant perfectionism. I thought I had it under control but this OCD has just been creeping back in small ways over time. I’ve caught myself doing behaviors and not feeling able to stop it. (This is combo of OCD but not sure how to categorize it all) - compulsively counting body movements til it’s the right number and feeling - adjusting papers/rewritten notes numerous times - irrational thoughts of my new pup being dead when I check on her - irrational thoughts that I don’t love my partner or he doesn’t love me after almost 10 years - every plate, cup, utensil has to be properly inspected before being able to use it - food can not have day of expiration (or even close to it) or a weird look or smell = it is inedible - recent close call accident led to dread driving and constant thoughts of a crash even though I did what I could and didn’t crash The list just keeps going.. but it has simply been a struggle that has lead me to feeling self conscious, unprofessional, childish, ashamed, and crazy. It’s a hard thing to accept that this has begun to return after finding ways to cope and manage in the past. I am struggling with finding ways to cope with it all cuz it is constantly disturbing my relationship, work, and personal well being Well that’s my truth for the day
I don’t know what I can do. I guess this is more of a depression thing than OCD but who knows. I have been battling this ongoing war within myself for years now and it’s been affecting my academic performance. situation of mine right now: I haven’t done a lot of work for my classes this month and I feel like I’m going to fail the semester again. I don’t know what it is but I can never seem to begin any work. I know I am capable but why can’t I get myself to start? why has this been going on for so long? I don’t understand. I have a history of good grades back in high school before I turned 17. I don’t even know how to describe it. it’s like I’ve been paralyzed and cannot do any work. but I can somehow do offside tasks like pinterest boards or random youtube videos. if I get rid of those, what do I do? I end up sleeping. because I’m tired. I have a low vitamin D deficiency & have been trying to get energy. I’m at a loss. I also bought unnecessary stuff on sunday when I went out with my family. I bought some things for the kids and I ended up buying myself a dress and a few accessories. now I have to work extra to gain that money back doing uber eats because I need it asap. it’s like I don’t want to work, for now. my coworkers who are around my age don’t work as much & I think to myself, “wow, they must be getting in the work done” meanwhile I’m working 3 days a week (which isn’t much) and attending school. I feel like if I change my schedule again, I’ll ruin it for the rest of my driver coworkers. I’m in a lead position at work so having to put on a mask is quite tiring. there’s so much I want to say that I don’t think it will fit in this post. I have booked a mental health session with a school counselor. all I want at the moment is to have my own place and be in a better mental state to take care of my cats. they mean a lot to me but this stupid ass undiagnosed mental issue is getting in the way. sorry for the long rant. I am tired.
I just started my new job maybe a couple months ago and I’m officially off orientation. I had a couple shifts by myself but the anxiety I feel being alone is honestly beastly. I keep getting scared that I’ll end up giving my patients someone else’s medications, keep having thoughts of “what if I give patient A medications to patient C.” My hair keeps falling out, I get such bad pre work and post work anxiety. On my days off all I think about is work. It’s taking a toll on my mental health and my relationship with my boyfriend. I am mad and stressed all the time. I’m just so tired and I honestly feel like I’m getting depressed. I want to stick it out a couple more months so I can get a job somewhere that’s not in a hospital. I just feel so stuck and scared all the time. If anyone else is a nurse with OCD what did you do to help with your anxiety and OCD?
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