- Username
- shar24
- Date posted
- 5y ago
I'm afraid I don't have any experience on minimizing that, but I can assure you that I have similar issues. Not only do I perform multiple cleaning rituals (picking at my eyebrows, skin, lips, etc.), but I also over-audit everything I say or write before sharing it. It's rough. The only thing I can offer on the latter issue is that I am starting to reach a point (at least in some aspects of my life) where I feel confident that I can just say something now and understand more later, whether I need to apologize for offense or I otherwise don't have the full picture and need more details. It's incredibly difficult to take that risk, and there's no rushing it for anyone - but I sincerely hope for you that you will make progress towards a point where you feel comfortable initiating a conversation in some form or another and facing the responses head on. It'll be messy for sure, but I genuinely think this can be counted as progress. :)
Hey, this definitely sounds like OCD although I don't struggle with the same compulsions. A lot of people view OCD as an umbrella and some people even have changes in their symptoms over time. Since I was a child, I've always picked at my lips when they are chapped, even to the point of bleeding. I've just made a habit of always carrying lip balm to avoid having flakes because I know if they're there I will pick them. The best known treatments for OCD are ERP and ACT. The first is exposure and response prevention where you gradually engage in situations that might cause you to perform a compulsion, but resist performing it, so that you condition yourself to do it less often. ACT is similar to mindfulness, and I know a lot of people on this app try to do guided mindfulness meditations because they really do help. Sorry I couldn't address some of those compulsions but believe me, a lot of people here understand what you're going through and wish you the best!
I have trichotillomania (I pull my eyebrows out when I'm anxious). It bothered me for years but then I just stopped caring when people thought.
Thankyou for your comments , means alot ☺️
*Long post so apologies. I just wish someone can understand where I am coming from and share their thoughts / emotions or experiences* I have not been diagnosed by a professional about my mental health, but I am pretty sure I experience OCD and anxiety on a daily basis. It all started from being really sick when I was little .. A bug hit me that I had never dealt with before that had caused me to throw up profusely. After this, from since I can remember I am “scared” of germs. If I knew someone was sick, I would contaminate myself from them and avoid all contact. I used to bring my own cutlery to restaurants. I have to wash my hands and use hand sanitiser most of the time. If I start to feel a little bit ‘icky’ I would be on google search to find out if I had symptoms of the bug. It has become such a strain and I have really bad anxiety about the fact of not wanting to be sick. I avoid eating in low rated hygiene places and I have to double check that certain foods are cooked / prepared (ie: chicken) is cooked properly. ... My other OCD situation is a little bit different and I’m unsure as to why and what. I have intrusive thoughts in my head that range from: not wanting to drive in the fear of a car crash. ??? Or I get worried sick knowing that my family and/or partner are driving long distances in fear that I will lose them to an accident. I make sure that they message me during and after commuting so my mind is at ease. I also have a distressing time processing about my childhood; I was once sexually abused that still makes me feel sick to this day. But because of this ... I have had thoughts of sexual “exploration” with my sibling who has nothing to do with my abusive past????? Nothing has happened between me and my sibling of course .. but my OCD is creating false memories that I can’t seem to get rid off? It makes me feel so sick and that I can not live with myself because of this. I then try to flashback all the memories of my past to see if there is some truth about it but it just ends up making things worse ???? I’m just really struggling in my current relationship because of this as it’s not the most comfortable or normal thing to talk about. Any help would be highly appreciated as I feel like I’m losing my mind over it. Sorry for the long text, there is more to it but I just wanted some of you to get the brief understanding of things.
I’m confused. I don’t know how this is supposed to work. Can anyone relate to this??? I don’t have anyone who understands just what my ocd is. I barely understand it. No matter what I do and where, my thoughts hit me. I can be blinking the wrong way and I have to blink until it feels right.. same for swallowing, touching things, light switches and setting down cups. I have to sit and stand up multiple times until it feels right. Step on certain things like cracks in sidewalk as many times I feel is needed. Wash my hands multiple times. Even when texting, I can type out a whole paragraph and my mind tells me to delete it all and start again because it’s not right. When something isn’t right my mind tells me that someone I love is going to die or get hurt. And for some reason I obsess over certain days, like a day someone I love it born. I will sit there and flip a light switch with that date in my mind and a bad thought that something will happen and I can’t stop until I feel that person in my head is safe and everything is fine. In a way I feel that I am saving them and myself from something bad. Can anyone relate? And maybe share how you’re dealing with it all? Please and thank you.
hello, I’m a young adult with extreme ocd that I’ve been struggling with since I was little it’s to the point where things like walking eating writing or driving has become almost an impossible task. how do some of you try to differ your ocd thoughts? even when I try to ignore them I’ll have panic attacks until I go back and do whatever my brain is telling me. I feel helpless my doctor has told me I have the worst case of ocd she’s ever seen and she “doesn’t know what to do with me” I’m just starting to feel hopeless
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