One thing I’ve noticed is when I’m with friends, or talking, or am busy with a task, my ocd (for the most part) settles down. It’s when I’m alone and bored and have really nothing to do is when it gets bad. Anyone else?

100% , I always do better when I am fully engaged/ distracted . Driving in the car alone is one of the hardest places for me with ocd

Of course! Then you don’t give these thoughts time just because they are that unnecessary as they actually are. It’s important to give your brain chances to rest by doing these things you mention. However, the goal is to feel safe with yourself and not scared to be alone. I mean, you shouldn’t be worried about that. So what I’m trying to say is that it’s good if you can distinguish between distractions that might be a compulsion or just natural things you do that’ll take your focus from these unnecessary thoughts :)

Same here

Same!

Totally

Yep same!

I am pretty sure my OCD went dormant for twenty years because I was just too busy for it. One day it decided to stop me in my tracks though. I guess it got sick of waiting around for me to make time for it. I am learning to take back the things I used to enjoy in my free time. For the last few months anytime to myself has been spent on my OCD for the most part. I have started listening to podcasts and audio books in the car.

That’s exactly how mine is, I’m usually very engaged in conversations and fairly happy go lucky when I’m with other people. The few people I have told about my OCD always found it hard to believe that I had it due to never seeing me stuck in my head or doing my compulsions

I have experienced that too. Though at the worst times its difficult to get out and get active. Also i think that i have also had staying active and going out to bars as a compulsion, which i guess can be a risk. That one never dare to stop to feel at all.

I guess it’s hard sometimes to know what activity could be an eventual compulsion. Things that make you feel happy is good for you (except alcohol and other drugs). I think if you feel that you have to force yourself to not be alone because you feel scared to start thinking thoughts; that’s a compulsion. Or if you feel that you really have to distract yourself in a moment when you feel the thoughts are coming, then it’s a compulsion. These are just my theories, better if you figure that with a therapist :)