How OCD can affect you at school or work

OCD is considered to be one of the most debilitating conditions, and it can severely affect your work or school performance in various ways: time-consuming compulsions might make you late and affect your concentration, or OCD might latch onto your work, leading to repeated checking, perfectionism, or other compulsions related to what you do at work. Thankfully, though, OCD can be treated and help is available: ERP (Exposure and Response Prevention) therapy is the gold-standard treatment for OCD, and it can help you break the obsession-compulsion cycle & get your life back.

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alissaa

User type: OCD Conqueror

Date posted: 35w

Back in 2012 before I knew I had OCD (or what it even was), I missed probably close to 50% of my 8th grade year. At the beginning of the school year, a girl passed out next to me in health class when she saw bl00d. I went into fight or flight, and from then on my OCD made me have a fear of fainting, and told me if I stay in the classroom, I’m going to faint, die, or have a panic attack. Ironically I ended up having multiple health issues myself that year, which my OCD saw as “proof” that it was right. My compulsions were to leave the class and go to the nurse or guidance counselor. I felt so misunderstood by myself and by the adults around me. Unfortunately no one, including the school adjustment counselors, knew what OCD was. Luckily some of the general anxiety coping skills they gave me eventually sent me down the right path to get it under control enough to enjoy the rest of middle school and high school. In 2018, I had another huge spike in symptoms and was able to find myself an OCD specialist to get confirmation of a diagnosis. ERP would’ve greatly helped me back in 2012, and this community would’ve helped me feel so much less alone as a 13 yr old. At 25, it makes me so deeply happy to know that kids can now have better access to treatment and community with NOCD. My lost, depressed, and deeply anxious 13 yr old self says thank you.

alissaa

User type: OCD Conqueror

Date posted: 35w

@alissaa I just want to add to this: the social stigma that came from my compulsions back then. Both with adults and peers. It always felt like the teachers judged me and saw me as a bad kid who simply didn’t want to be in class in didn’t like learning or putting in effort. In reality, I loved learning and was always an A+ type of student. It hurts me looking back the way teachers failed me in not seeing the abrupt change as a sign of something going on with my mental health. Everyone is so quick to want to label you as a problem child. Thankfully my parents were great advocates for me, even when they didn’t know that what they were advocating for was OCD. They were the only ones who tried to understand and empathize with what I was experiencing. I’ll always be deeply thankful for them. With friends, 13 year olds are really quick to move on from you and leave you isolated when you’re struggling. I can forgive them now, knowing they were likely all struggling in their own ways as well and doing the best they could. To any students/young people reading this: my life felt like it was falling apart back then. Now, it’s beautiful and I’m so happy I pushed through all of the pain. You will too, and it will all be a distant memory you only look back on when writing a post like this. ❤️

Mackenzie - ...

Date posted: 35w

@alissaa Thank you so much for taking the time to share some of your story with us! Keep up the amazing work!

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