Do you have OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE DISORDER? OCD?

Question

Do you have OCD? On a scale of 1-10, ten being totally debilitating, how bad is it? What does it make you do? Are there ways you control it? Or does it get worse at certain times? Im trying to get all the info I can. I just found out my Boyfriend suffers from it, and an trying to understand it. Do you think it can be cured? how?

Answer 1

Mine's probably about a 6. My main obsessions are mental - contantly praying, thinking I will be punished if I don't. Having bad thoughts and not being able to control them. Thinking of what I said in any given situation and beating myself up for not saying it differently. My OCD has been pretty bad lately because I'm under a lot of stress. The main thing in dealing with someone who has OCD is to be supportive. Don't ask why he does a certain ritual, because, believe me, that'll make it worse. To the sufferer, OCD is an embarrassing illness, which is why a lot of us can hide it from the public until we get home, then ritualize like crazy to make up for the whole day. My treatment involves following the treatment outlined in the book "Freedom From Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder" by Dr. Jonathan Grayson, and taking St. John's Wort and Valerian Root, all of which have helped me. There's a ton of info on the internet about OCD and how to cope with people who have it. Good luck to you.

Answer 2

No, but my mother has it. Hers at one time went up to ten I would say. She couldn't leave the bed to eat or drink because she was afraid of getting contaminated from the floor. Either me or my father had to bathe her because she would have never gotten out of the shower if noone was there to stop her counting. Sometimes I missed school because she couldn't stop thinking about how hard washing her hands after she got up would be. The only treatment she got that really made a huge difference was an IOP sort of thing that lasted for four hours in Boston. She couldn't continue that though because it was too expensive so now she's on several medications that all switch out besides the anafranil. I don't think OCD can be "cured" just controlled to some extent. Anyway, if your boyfriend had to tell you that he had it then I doubt his is very bad. (Unless you two haven't spent a significant amount of time together.) I don't think it will be a problem. Mental illness is very difficult to understand for someone who doesn't have it or has never lived with anyone who has had it for a long period of time so I wouldn't worry about it so much. You might not be able to get it.

Answer 3

I believe that I do have OCD. Id give myself a 5 maybe.
1. I have a strange thing about counting how many word there are in a sentence. I could be watching a movie and one of the actors say "Do you know where he went?" And I count on my fingers how many words were in the sentence. That sentence has 7 words. And I will do that during the whole movie. I dont know why, I just do,
2. Im obssessed with organization. I have to have everything organized, and if anything is 'out of place' I cant just leave it there, or Ill think about it all day long.
3. I hyperventilate when I think of getting shots/blood drawn because I convince myself the needle is going to go completely through my arm. Why? I dont know. But I scream, cry, try to run. Im so afraid.
4. I have to pop any pimples/blackheads I get. I CANT leave them there. If I feel that I have one, I anticipate and look forward to going home to remove it from my face. And when I do, I feel clean.

Sounds kinda nuts, but it doesnt interfere with my life too much. I find that it worses in times of extreme stress. I just take a deep breath, listen to some music, and continue on with my life!
:)

Answer 4

No i dont have OCD. IT CAN BE TREATED.

Here is a description of what it is:

A psychiatric disorder characterized by obsessive thoughts and compulsive actions, such as cleaning, checking, counting, or hoarding.Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), one of the anxiety disorders, is a potentially disabling condition that can persist throughout a person's life. The individual who suffers from OCD becomes trapped in a pattern of repetitive thoughts and behaviors that are senseless and distressing but extremely difficult to overcome. OCD occurs in a spectrum from mild to severe, but if severe and left untreated, can destroy a person's capacity to function at work, at school, or even in the home.

TREATMENT:

Treatment is by cognitive behavioral therapy and/or medication. One patient may benefit significantly from behavior therapy, while another will benefit from pharmacotherapy. Some others may use both medication and behavior therapy. Others may begin with medication to gain control over their symptoms and then continue with behavior therapy.

The neurotransmitter serotonin can significantly decrease the symptoms of OCD. The first serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SRI) specifically approved for the use in the treatment of OCD was the tricyclic antidepressant clomipramine (AnafranilR). It was followed byfluoxetine (ProzacR), fluvoxamine (LuvoxR), and paroxetine (PaxilR). Large studies have shown that more than three-quarters of patients are helped by these medications. And in more than half of patients, medications relieve symptoms of OCD by diminishing the frequency and intensity of the obsessions and compulsions. Improvement usually takes at least three weeks or longer. If a patient does not respond well to one of these medications, or has unacceptable side effects, another SRI may give a better response. Medications are of help in controlling the symptoms of OCD, but often, if the medication is discontinued, relapse will follow. Indeed, even after symptoms have subsided, most people will need to continue with medication indefinitely, perhaps with a lowered dosage.

Answer 5

Along with several other disorders I found out about ten years ago that I had Compulsive Disorder. I was given Prozec and within about one month I no longer had the erge to keep things perfect. I was driving everyone in my family crazy because I was always cleaning things and I could not sit down and enjoy our company. I actually felt that I had to make sure everything was perfect, or people might think that I wasn't a good housekeeper or a good Person ! I felt that I would not be accepted by my husband's family if I dare anything messy in my home , office or car. As silly as that might seem now, it was so real to me then.
Now, because I have the proper medicine, I no longer feel that way, and have even gotten to the stage in my life that if company comes, and I am not prepaired just , stop and enjoy their company. I no longer worry about trying to keep things perfect, and it feels GREAT !

PGBISME

Answer 6

Although I don't have OCD, I got a little understanding about OCD from that Jack Nicholsen movie "As Good As It Gets" which illustrates it can be controlled to where it doesn't interfer with getting on with life & socializing.
As in the movie, a strong motivating force & guidance are powerful in helping one overcome the obstacles of those who have this affliction. I've heard that medication is perscribed when OCD becomes debilitating.

Answer 7

Yes I have OCD, about a 6. Mine has to do with germs, I wash my hands a lot. I probably do a lot of other things that are OCD that I don't realize that are related.

Probably the worst thing I do is when I wash my hands and touch any part of the sink before I can dry my hands I think I have to wash them again. If I don't I will obsess about whatever part of my hand that touched the sink until I wash them again.

You might notice when he's stressed it might be worse.

The best thing you can do is be patient and understanding... let him do what he needs to make him feel better. If you don't have OCD it is very hard to understand. Don't force him to do something he's uncomfortable with because of his OCD. Most of us with OCD are very aware that we have it... and it can be embarrassing.

I recently found out my son probably has tourettes(has started showing signs of muscle and vocal tics) and not unusual if a parent of a tourettes patient is OCD. Please don't worry if you all marry about having a tourettes child because it is something that can be managed and dealt with. I just thank God everyday that he has tourettes and not cancer or something worse.

Maybe the best way to explain it to someone without OCD it that OCD is like an itch that needs to be scratched, we just have to do it to get any relief.

Answer 8

I think I do but im not exactly sure. People tell me I do all the time but it isnt severe. I just do dumb things like number or letter my socks so that I can wear them in that order and not wear 1 pair more than another. I also put my underwear in piles in the order I wear them in so I can wear them in the same order everytime. It's kinda weird but thats how I keep order by using everything equally so that one thing doesnt become more used than the others. It's kinda like it wouldnt be fair to the others if I used something else more times. It's really weird and kinda hard to explain. I dont know if you would call that OCD or not tho.

Answer 9

Yes. A little. I'd rate it a low 1 now, it use to be a 7.

It makes me count everything. Like how many times I stir something or how many of a certain item I would eat. Really stupic things like that. It's all about numbers for me.

Over the years I have gained control over it. I believe it comes down to mind over matter. When I found (find) myself doing it I made (make) myself stop.

AND, I think everyone has a little bit of it, whether they want to admit it or not.

Answer 10

I'm a 1 or a 2 on the scale. I check to make sure I've locked the door.

Check the library for books on the subject. There are some methods to treat it. I don't know that there are complete cures.