Anonymous
- Date posted
- 1y
Getting through school with OCD
Has anyone felt very anxious from OCD and still successfully gotten through school? If so do you have any tips? (I’m an engineering major in college)
BoosbootsBoosboots
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 1y
it’s all about learning about yourself and who you are and about finding a career / school/ major that best suits you’re needs and wants especially as a person with OCD. Also all schools should have a Disabled Student Services and OCD is under that. They do differently accommodations to help with that. Also you’re school work !! this can be an upside i like to look at with ocd is i am very organized use that power and channel it into something that is good something that is positive. I organize everything when it come to my school stuff! As well as note taking! Look and find different note taking app or tools and try to find the once that best fits your needs and classes. maybe take a care and life exploration class at your college ! School hasn’t always been easy for me mentally but oh boy did i graduate with 4.2 Gpa! i’m currently getting my masters in psych ;)
AnonymousAnonymous
- Date posted
- 1y
@Boosboots Well I’m a third year in civil engineering and I’ve had internships already. I have it figured out and I like it. It’s just recently somehow going through a negative thought cycle which I guess is OCD and it’s made me anxious and not focus in class. Then I worry if I’ll not be able to do well on tests and I have two tests coming up this week I’m not ready for yet bc I wasted time being anxious. I also don’t want people to notice that I have an issue. But that’s great you graduated with a 4.2 gpa, congrats!
madeleckmadeleck
- Date posted
- 1y
Hi!! I am in a similar position. Definitely a battle, and I find my symptoms get worse during high stress periods like exams. It is distressing but I’ve found that as much as you’re able to, leaning into school can actually reduce symptoms: obviously it reduces stress to accomplish tasks, but also, it gives your mind something else to focus on. That said, it’s not always possible, and it is incredibly important that you’re kind to yourself during these times. If you need to drop a class, or take an extra semester, that is 100% okay. People do it all the time for all kinds of reasons, including physical and mental health issues, but also just stress buildup! STEM degrees are incredibly demanding, and there is truly 0 shame in needing to take breaks or lighter semesters. I find it helpful that many of my neuroscience professors talk about their ‘failures’ — poor grades, semesters they took off, not getting into graduate schools. Having a hardship like a mental illness does not mean you won’t succeed.
AnonymousAnonymous
- Date posted
- 1y
@madeleck It is good to stay busy and focus on school. In the past I had to drop classes because I lost confidence from being depressed and anxious. I’m taking a lot of credits now but my classes aren’t as tough as before except a couple of them. I don’t really wanna take longer but I guess if I have to I will. Thank you for the advice, I really appreciate it. Because I feel like this will ruin my life and it will never end. I got an internship with a company I really wanted and I hope by the time I start I’ll feel myself again. What’s your major?
madeleckmadeleck
- Date posted
- 1y
@Anonymous I study neuroscience, so different for sure but still very demanding. I get that completely — sometimes it feels like if I can’t succeed in school there’s no way I’ll succeed in a job. This isn’t true! School, especially STEM I find, had an odd and incredibly demanding structure and little immediate reward — the feeling of getting an A lasts about 5 minutes before you have to start worrying about the next assignment. Jobs have financial motivation, much much much more teamwork and communication, and you already know what has to be done a lot of the time — applying skills instead of acquiring them. Honestly, of all the successful people I know, very few of them were straight-A students. Things happen. University is a complicated time of life. I am taking 4 courses/semester and taking an extra semester because I found I was ALWAYS overwhelmed with 5, and my mental health is more important than a timeline I made for myself in high school. Take time to decompress after the semester and I’m absolutely sure you’ll feel up to the internship by the summer. PM me anytime if you want to talk more!
AnonymousAnonymous
- Date posted
- 1y
@madeleck Thank you for the advice, I appreciate it. How do I DM you? Im so tired of noticing these sensations and it’s shifted from breathing to noticing my heart and I barely slept last night because of it. I have a test tomorrow and idk what to do with this. I wanna get rid of it.
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moomoo22
- Date posted
- 23w
pls reply if you have help
i am a freshman in college and i have always struggled with depression, anxiety, and OCD. i have never received help for my OCD despite being medicated for my other two issues. i have noticed that what most of my panic stems from is my OCD and more specifically my OCD around school. i haven’t been able to get myself up for class for multiple days and im starting to panic about everything im missing and think about every little thing i have to fix. i am so behind that it makes me want to panic and i feel like i cant fix this. i just want my mind to feel normal but it feels like my whole world is falling apart all because i am feeling stuck in school. please help me i just want to feel okay but i dont know how to. i have tried doing all the assignments i can do to catch up but it isn’t enough i still feel so panicked
littlemiss.s...
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 22w
Thriving in School with OCD: The Power of Support and Accommodations
When I started therapy with NOCD, I was stuck in a debilitating OCD spiral, feeling lost and alone. ERP changed my life—it wasn’t easy, but it helped me resist compulsions and sit with uncertainty. Even when I had to pause therapy to move for my Master’s degree in the UK, the tools I learned stayed with me. NOCD not only helped me manage my OCD symptoms but also gave me the confidence to take on one of the biggest changes of my life. As a Master’s student, OCD made completing assignments incredibly difficult. I developed compulsions that forced me to reread and rewrite endlessly, making deadlines stressful. After speaking with my advisor, I applied for an Individual Learning Plan, which provided accommodations like extended deadlines. Knowing I had that flexibility lifted the pressure and allowed me to do my best work—I finished my degree with Merit, close to a 3.8 GPA. If you’re a student struggling with OCD, know that support is available, and it’s okay to ask for help. What strategies or accommodations have helped you succeed in school while managing OCD?
Anonymous
- Date posted
- 21w
Advice on getting by?
Hi! I’m new to the NOCD community, but I’ve been dealing with OCD since I was 12. I’m almost 29 now, and my biggest issue is health anxiety. It’s gotten to the point where getting work done is nearly impossible because i can’t stop spiraling. I’m lucky that i work remotely, but also makes it easier to be in my own head… Asking for advice - how do you all deal with the intense anxiety and are able to make it through a 9-5 work day? Any suggestions on how I can actually be productive? Thank you!
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