Here are some things that help me when my OCD is at its worst. OCD and medication are only part of the story - there’s lots you can do to help feel better! ~ Cutting down on sugar. I am a TOTAL sugar maniac. I eat so much chocolate it’s ridiculous! But sugar can also be a natural stimulant (increases anxiety) so you might find that after a few days after cutting down (don’t go crazy, just limit junk food, soft drink etc.) you feel a little more clear headed. ~ Stay hydrated. Yeah, I know, we’re ALL sick of hearing it. But when we’re anxious we can be too busy panicking to really take care of ourselves. Not drinking water is likely to make you feel a lot worse, last thing you need when you’re overthinking and stressing. ~ Meditation ??‍♀️ A lot of mindfulness meditations focus on observing your thoughts and not reacting to them, which can build a strong foundation for your ERP (and is a little less stressful) ~ Do something productive. When you’re obsessing, this is literally the last thing you want to do. But you can’t spend all your time dwelling on your thoughts. Pick something small you’ve been meaning to do (make the bed, put clothes away) or something you love doing (writing, art, gardening) sometimes if I’m in a bad place I realise I’ve just been sitting around not doing anything productive for days. ~ Rest. Yes, I know. Anxiety makes it impossible to sleep. But don’t lay there stressing about how much sleep you’re getting. At least by lying down, you’re getting SOME rest. And your brain will get some sleep, whether you notice it or not. Worst case scenario is that you’re wiped the next day (which is probably nothing new ?) I like to put in my headphones and listen to things that make me laugh on youtube, so that I’m at least giving my brain a break from the stress I put it under. ~ Don’t beat yourself up about being tired/stressed/anxious. We really put our minds through a lot. Why wouldn’t we be tired? We worry 24/7. Cut yourself some slack. ~ Shower. No matter how crappy I feel, I always feel at least 50% better after a hot shower. Walking around feeling grimy all day sucks, and won’t help you. ~ Get a good self care routine going. Get a nice face wash, face cream, and scrub. Pamper yourself, you need to be looked after. ~ Spend time outside. Im inside like all the time staring at a screen. (And yet, Im shocked whenever I disassociate ?) Go outside, get some sun and some fresh air. Start a garden, or maybe meditate, or just enjoy nature. No technology allowed. ~ Exercise. I know, I know. Exercise won’t stop you obsessing and all that. But when we barely exercise, we end up feeling tired. The less we do, the less we want to do. If you can exercise, it gives you a focus beyond the mess inside your head, and it makes you feel stronger and less fatigued. ~ Vitamin B-12 and fish oil. I find that taking a vitamin B-12 every day helps my brain feel less “sticky.” I still have to work with my big obsessions, but I don’t often pick up new ones or get “stuck” on certain issues for a while. In fact, when I started feeling crappy again, I realised I hadn’t been taking my B-12 because my cold made it too difficult to swallow. I’ve also heard that fish oil can do good things for brain health, but let me know. Recovery is a learning curve. What works will be different for everyone, but all we can do is try. These aren’t substitutes for good therapy or medication, but when used in conjunction with them, they can improve your quality of life and help you get a handle on things ❤️