Do you have OCD and how do you cope with it?

Question

I believe I have it but I've tried to work out all of my problems without the aid of medicine....it's been one hell of a journey and it has made my life miserable but still bearable. What has your experience been like?

With me it is alot of symbolism and superstition associated with anything from certain movements I make to disturbing thoughts. The thoughts include me or someone I love getting hurt, sexual, religious, etc., etc. While it is easy to say the things aren't true, it is also very difficult....which is what makes the OCD.

Answer 1

everyone has some form of ocd. depends on the degree.
i notice most successful people have ocd. that obsessive nature allows them too put more energy into something most "normal" people wouldn't.
try to channel that obsessive energy into something productive such as reading, playing and instrument etc.
nothing wrong with ocd.

stay away from meds. they can make things a lot worse.

Answer 2

i dont have that all but i do have a tendency at times to over think things this is often a symtom of anxiety for me . but anyway i do know about ocd i worked with people that have it and i have a gf of 10 years that has it .
i can tell you this for the last 2 years she has develped this idea that body fuilds are gross so even kissing is not happening with her as such i am thinking no now she is just a friend.
also she had been taking benzo's for years to treat this and is an addict big time she has been to drug treatment places many times and the one near her will no longer take her as she has been there over 10 times and cheats when there
i am just letting of steam now but i hope you can see that not only is the person with the ocd affected but very often so to is the people nearest to the person .
i will tell you that of the people lilke her that i have known from non work life 2 are unable to work and are on disability
one has a different kind of ocd that involves lack of ability to make choices on his own and he pulls out facial hair and eats it as well he is very tight with his money they are all symtoms of his illness . he however did manage to get a job in a factory and with the help of his lead hand managed to pass the probation and has no been there 20 or more years . last time i saw him
and his boss we laughed about the fact that he had a new house lots of money his wife is the same and is a teacher so they do well but for one year he could not figure out which lawn mower to buy and so drove 20 min one way to borrow his moms lawn mower. then he bought one but only after his boss and co workers got sick of him asking about lawn and mowers .
what a life and he has the least of the troublesome forms of ocd

Answer 3

I've been dealing with OCD for several years- it was minor in my childhood, but worsened after I graduated high school.

I was on medication for about six months, because I was having great difficulty getting through a semester of college. It interrupted my obsessive thoughts and compulsive behavior, but it emotionally deadened me and made me completely apathetic.

After I finished the semester, I phased out my meds and started working on changing my patterns of thinking. What seems to have helped the most was torturing myself-- I'd trigger an obsession (i.e. scratch the back of my right hand) and see how long I could go without giving in to my compulsion (in this case, scratching the back of my left hand). Within a year, my compulsive behavior practically disappeared.

However, I'm left with my obsessions in full force. Even though I don't outwardly display unnatural behavior anymore, I can't quiet my thoughts. I've tried almost everything, but it still interferes with my life on a daily basis. I think I'm going to have to get back on medication if I ever want to finish my degree, as horrible as I know it will make me feel.

I desperately don't want to admit defeat to my brain chemistry, but the other day convinced me that I might have to. While working, I got a couple drops of rusty basement water in my mouth. I politely excused myself, got in my van, and drove home at 20 mph over the speed limit while singing zip-a-dee doo-dah at the top of my lungs to distract myself from the brain-busting feeling of utter disgust and contamination. I brushed my teeth for 45 minutes and went through most of a bottle of Scope, and I can still feel the "dirty" part of my tongue vividly. I guess I've got an appointment to make at the psychiatrist's.

Answer 4

My nephew has OCD and he takes medication for it. He can not live a normal life without the medication. He gets so worried about things that he cannot do anything unless he is taking meds. He worries that his mother and father are going to die, he worries that he is going to die, he thinks things have germs and doesn't want to touch them. His class went camping last year and the couselor had to drive him home because he was freaking out about being there. But it's better now with his meds.

Answer 5

Yes... I use to put everything in alphabetical order, wash my hands hundreds of times, check lights... Then I realized what I was doing and talked to someone about it. At one point in my life (maybe yours too) I lost control of a situation and I used this as a way to control some part of my life. When you catch yourself doing whatvere it is you're doing, stop and ask yourself what are you feeling at that moment, why is this important, can it wait til later, and if not, why. But meds are not always needed...They're just a cop out to keep you "calm" and don't always work.

Answer 6

How bad to do u have it. I have been told many times by friends I have it (ie. I like everything a certain way and if it's not it bother me-even a paper on my desk slanted on the wall etc) I don't find it something that really get to me so I never went to any DR and I don't plan to..

Answer 7

right now im taking perkoset but its not really helping to much.i was taking lexapro that helped alot but my insurance wont cover it so i had to switch.i constantly think something is wrong with me healthwise and no matter what i do i cant stop thinking about it sometimes i make myself go to sleep or i play a game on the computer,clean the house.sometimes im almost convinced im going to go mental or have a nervous breakdown if you know what i mean?but mostly try and keep yourself busy to keep your mind off whatever you're obsessing about.

Answer 8

If your ocd is causing you stress or problems then you may want to try Zoloft- it is good for that depression, ptsd, anxiety and OCD-D

Answer 9

i have it, and once you go on meds, it is hard as hell to get off of them. i stopped taking mine, and now i twitch, like i have terets or something

Answer 10

AAAAAAGHHH.
See the DR. Get Meds it will help