I’m meeting my bf’s family tomorrow and, should time allow, his coworker friends. Unfortunately I’m approaching my period, so my OCD symptoms are spiking. His friends especially have been a huge trigger for me. I’m really really hoping I can confront this important meeting with a clear and sound mind, but I know the nerves will be there there regardless. Anyone got any tips?
Prioritize self-care activities in the days leading up to the meeting. Engage in activities that help you relax and alleviate stress, such as meditation, deep breathing exercises or taking a walk. Use your coping strategies or techniques that have worked for you in the past to manage your OCD symptoms. This might include grounding techniques, mindfulness exercises, or challenging negative thoughts. If certain situations or topics are triggering for you, it's okay to set boundaries. Let your boyfriend know if there are specific triggers you'd like to avoid during the meeting. Practicing mindfulness can help you stay focused on the present moment and reduce anticipatory anxiety. Take each moment as it comes and try to stay grounded in the here and now. that it's okay to feel nervous, and it's important to be kind to yourself. Recognize the courage it takes to face your fears and be compassionate towards yourself. Remember that it's okay to feel nervous, and it's understandable given the circumstances. Take things one step at a time, and know that you are strong and capable of handling challenging situations.
@Anonymous - Thank you so much, these are incredible tips. The mindfulness mention especially is great, I will have to keep that in mind. I always forget to be present in the moment, hoping that my anxiety will help me prepare for the next “threat”! Thanks again. I will return to this in the future. ♥️
@Chibee Any time 🙂. Everything is gonna be OK. I wish you the best as you want.
how do you all deal with going to work while having ocd? i have to go to work tomorrow for the first time in a while and i’ve been obsessing really bad the past couple of weeks. i’m scared i won’t actually be able to function or anything because all i’ve been doing every day all day has been obsessing. i’m really nervous. any advice will be appreciated.
Hey everyone! Hope the new year is going well for everyone so far. I'm seeking some advice for managing anxiety spikes related to a menstrual cycle. I completed NOCD therapy a bit ago (whoop-whoop!) and feel like I'm fairly successful managing my OCD most of the time. But I've noticed a very distressing pattern lately. About a week before my period starts, my OCD becomes very hard to manage. I get terrified, frozen to do anything, and get triggered super easily by things I can normally brush off. This lasts until a couple days after my period starts, which is normally when the anxiety wave "breaks" and I feel back to my "normal self". In total, I can spend 10-12 days in this awful anxiety funk, which has been hard because I feel like I've made so much overall progress in my recovery. I really try to prepare for this each month and be extra strong, but I feel like I have to break down into tears at some time and can't get through my cycle without at least one big breakdown. I also feel extra isolated during this time, as my bf (who's been super supportive of my OCD experience and am truly grateful for him) does not have the most sympathy when it comes to my period. I don't think he understands how much this affects me. I would love any tips/strategies for how people manage this time, so it's not as disruptive. I know it won't be perfect, but I think I could be doing more to manage this time better. Thanks! :)
My aunt and her family came in from out of town, and we all want to go on a road trip. I was already anxious about it before and now because I got my monthly a couple days earlier, I’m even more anxious as my contamination OCD is always so much worse when I’m on it. I feel like going would be a great exposure for me but at the same time I don’t know if it will be too overwhelming for me staying in a hotel, and just generally coming into contact with all of these germs. I know going will be a great exposure for me, though I don’t know if I’ll even enjoy my time and I don’t want to ruin it for anyone else. Ugh OCD can be so debilitating.
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