I’ve always had a really hard time with my OCD when I’m not busy. Anyone have the same experience, and what strategies do you have that helps with that?
Yes, my father has always told me, “you don’t know how to relax!” & he’s absolutely right. I am still trying to figure it out but just know you’re not alone.
Same my Brain doesn’t want to relax but my body needs it
Yes, it’s been a lifetime struggle for me too. I’m not sure what to recommend, except to avoid numbing behaviors like substance use, whole other bag of worms you don’t want. What compulsions are you experiencing when trying to have downtime?
@It’s okay to have OCD It’s just mental compulsions. Mainly surrounding my inability to accept unhappiness
Yes I'm a teacher and off ii summer lots of unstructured time. Last fall I was happy to go back to work because my summer was a terrible spiral. Everyone else was saying how great their summer was. I couldn't figure out what was wrong with me even went to England for a week and was not doing well. This summer I was recently diagnosed with OCD. I've been making a schedule and using ERP therapy. I'm doing better
@Kim27 I am a teacher as well and this has been the worst summer. My therapist says she thinks I’m stuff in fight or flight mode and cannot get off the loops. It has truly ruined my summer all the worrying
@Soccer101$$ I make a schedule alot of it may be appointments. Gym at 11 , Dr at 2. I put things on like mindfulness meditation, ERP exercise. First week of summer I got into 2 hrs loop, was 30 minutes late to hair appointment. Took a nap because I was exhausted but then felt like I wasted time napping and was worried about loop. At first I beat myself up for not being able to keep schedule and get to all my appointments on time. Last 2 weeks have been better. I write a proposed schedule and then actual schedule. It's getting better not spending 2 hrs in a loop but I notice it may take me 2 hrs just to do 10 minute mindfulness med,10 min Bible app. I get a little frustrated with myself because it's hours before dogs go out and then I'm late to gym class. Plus my husband gets mad and doesn't understand why I didn't take dogs out. It's getting better. First week of summer was tough but last 2 weeks are much better and I'm not spending all my time sleeping and watching news. Though I do take a 2 hrs nap everyday and feeling less guilty. There have been times when I took a nap because I was bored or to avoid thoughts in my head. Now it's because I'm tired. It's a work in progress. Wish I could just say I'm going to the beach then I'm going to do this activity and not have it take so long to do one small thing that I don't get to a big things. Plus I don't like to do things by myself because get stuck in thoughts in my head. I'm getting to appointments but need to figure out how to just spontaneously go do a leisure activity without overthinking if it's right thing or take too long on little things on schedule or I don't put beach on schedule at all because it seems like it's too hard to get there and enjoy it so I avoid. I don't know if this text is helping or hurting. I'm doing so much better this summer than last summer and last 2 weeks vs first week of summer. Wish I had friends to do things with to connect and want to find ways to contribute and be productive. Just remember your summer isn't over. You can still turn it around. Last summer I wasn't taking right medicine and I think I'm on better medicine now. Sounds like your therapist might give you some better suggestions for erp like making a schedule and not just say you're in fight or flight. My therapist would say I'm overexplaining. I want to get this text just right to help you
@Kim27 I think this school yr was the worst one yet and I cannot get off the fight or flight nervous system response and so the ocd and anxiety are just out of control. I wasted 2 weeks at the beginning on something. That ended up being. Nothing which took so much of my summer and happiness and worry. It’s just gotten out of control since with the worrying and rabbit holes.
@Soccer101$$ Do you like your therapist? Jen Rosa is my therapist on here. One of my biggest fears was facing summer this year. Plus I want to retire in a few years but retirement is one never ending summer. I get tired of my job but like the structure it provides
@Soccer101$$ It's hard for me to read because of ocd. I have to read and reread same paragraph. I used to love to read when I was in high school
@Soccer101$$ When do you go back to school? I got back Aug 3rd
@Kim27 I have that too!! Even while reading these posts! It’s exhausting for sure.
@Kim27 I do like my therapist. She is very straight forward and doesn’t given in to my worries. I got back for teachers July 24th. This is only my 8th year teaching
@Cher54 It's nice to know someone can relate to how difficult it is to read with ocd. I recently learned that was an ocd thing. Some people will say just read a good book to distract from ocd. When I ask people without ocd what they do in the summer they often say they like to curl up with a good book. When I'm reading it's not the thought loop it's more did I understand what I read. It really stinks. Ocd ruins everything
@Kim27 Well, I guess mine is both but probably mainly the loop where I keep going over the same thing over and over. It makes you feel like you’re going nuts. And you are right OCD ruins everything! And it is so hard to control even with the right tools. I think it’s a combination of our brains being different and then it gives Satan more ammunition like he needs more, to mess with us. 😡
@Cher54 Yes so true I get on this app so I can see that other people feel the same way as me and I also want to help people. Then I think why am I giving advice? I'm sounding like Miss therapist. I ask myself what did I do today? I watched morning news, some house hunters, didn't go to church or watch church on TV. Husband was off today. I did finally plant 2 plants. Other than that I took a 3 hr nap. At least nap wasn't escape from my thoughts. Maybe because I was bored. I haven't left home all day. I wonder if this app is becoming a compulsion. It's nice to feel like I have friends on here and can be myself. I really only have a couple friends that I rarely see. I've also been rejected by friends. Don't feel like I can be myself with people. Hate small talk and don't like being alone. But I didn't get into any bad ocd loops today, small one this morning and I'm not waking up with doom and gloom and thoughts about what am I going to do today. So that's progress. I have to keep in mind how far I've come. I don't always have to be productive
@Kim27 I do find sometimes staying busy is hard and forcing myself is the worsy cause I know my body needs it
@Soccer101$$ I agree. It’s so hard. Our thoughts and with me, depression, makes it hard to come out of all that. It’s hard to even try at least for me. It makes u tired because we r all just mentally exhausted at times or a lot of times. 😩
@Kim27 Don’t be hard on yourself. U did plant 2 plants and maybe u needed that nap. Sounds like u were kind of down and bored and sometimes u can sleep it off. U can start over tomorrow with a brand new day. I need to take my own advice!
im here with you i completely understand this
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