Share your 2015 successes, small or big, temporary or permanent success

[Ashley]

No question that OCD will have bitten hard through most of the year for many of us, that's a given! But lets end the year with your stories of success from 2015. No matter how small it may seem, any success over OCD is MASSIVE and worth promoting, so even if it was just a fleeting moment of victory share them with us let us INSPIRE our fellow sufferers, and at the same time reminding ourselves that we can challenge ourselves and our OCD.

We will compile them on a webpage over the next week too from the forum, Twtter and Facebook.

[Guest Habibmilan21]

I told my OCD to take a hike for 7 months as i worked hard and studied day and night to eventually get accepted into medical school

Which is no joke.

[Torsa]

I travelled to the conference in York, met some fellow OCD sufferers and felt for the first time that I wasn't alone in this.

[Em24]

I stopped OCD taking hold and ruining my enjoyment of the birth of my 2nd child. I've enjoyed every minute of these precious moments with her.

OCD tried its best to mess it up for me (I relapsed for about a month during pregnancy). But OCD can do one ? xx

[taurean]

Your signature block is so right Emma, and was emphasised by my therapist B.....

When I had a real desire to shut up shop and just go to bed and felt I couldn't cope, the forum members reminded me that that was exactly the wrong thing to do and would only strengthen the disorder.

I got up, got out, faced my demons and started to regain some of the lost position.

Giving in is never going to work. And just ignoring and not connecting is not always going to be enough. Compulsing is never good. But a little understanding of why we react as we do, and looking to change the behavioural reaction through sound CBT methods is great.

I also learned that, aside from essential non-avoidance, it works very well for me to make choices that are beneficial to my mental health - pleasant hobbies, uplifting tv and books, being with people that are confident and address distrubing intrusions very easily and without focusing on them.

And I learned the benefits of mindfulness when I am in a fit state to engage with it.

I remain a work in progress and recently have identified some more ideas to work into my daily behavioural responses.

Edited December 23, 2015 by taurean

[gingerbreadgirl]

great thread xx

[biscuitcat]

But OCD can do one ?

I'm going to write that on the next vase I make!

[snowbear]

I don't know if this is success exactly, depends how you look at it and what you prioritise.

Usually I cope with stress by increasing my rituals to enable me to still push through 'normal life' in as normal a way as possible.

This year I made getting my OCD sorted my priority. When stress hit I stepped back from normal life (temporarily gave up my two voluntary jobs) and carried on reducing my rituals.

When the shame and guilt of no longer 'contributing' hit me soon after, I refused to console myself with the usual backlash of OCD flare ups. I started looking for a new project and kept going with my battle against OCD and the mental games induced by negative emotions.

[Em24]

I would say that is a success SnowBear. You're not letting OCD creep back in. Thats a huge part of winning I think xx

[taurean]

And you came back onto the forum to pass on what you have experienced and help others, and are writing a book about it.

Edited December 23, 2015 by taurean

[PolarBear]

I guess my successes are:

* I've gone through another year OCD free. (It's now two for me.) That doesn't mean I don't get intrusive thoughts, but I'm able to identify them and ignore them immediately. I do not suffer from OCD.

* I continue to give my time to helping other people with OCD. I still feel as strongly today as I did when I joined the forum 20 months ago that it is something I should do.

* I am almost done my book. It's been a long slog but light is at the end of the tunnel.

[Guest]

What happened to my post?

[Em24]

It may have been deleted as this is a positive thread. If your post was seen as a negative influence it may have been removed.

We want to uplift and inspire people to continue their recovery. It can be done. OCD can be beaten, I think thats the purpose of this thread.

[taurean]

I started taking Citalopram exactly a year ago.

It took me 3 months to feel any effect - this I found was because my repetitive obsessional thinking and anxiety was so high.

I completed a short refresher course of private CBT and learned more about how mindfulness and metaphors and discard techniques can help me.

For 6 months I was virtually free of problems during Spring and summer. A relapse was fired up by 3 separate news story triggers - notwithstanding regular thorough ERP on the main news

Some fresh ideas on how I might tackle this kind of relapse have been suggested by the forum and I am working these into my behaviours.

Edited December 24, 2015 by taurean

[Sodovka]

I guess my successes are:

* I've gone through another year OCD free. (It's now two for me.) That doesn't mean I don't get intrusive thoughts, but I'm able to identify them and ignore them immediately. I do not suffer from OCD.

* I continue to give my time to helping other people with OCD. I still feel as strongly today as I did when I joined the forum 20 months ago that it is something I should do.

* I am almost done my book. It's been a long slog but light is at the end of the tunnel.

Love your bullet points, PolarBear! they are really inspiring.

My own story was of starting the year well, falling into a deep depression for months, but coming out of that, finding the forum, and getting myself in much better mental shape so that I am coping well with my OCD almost all the time. Here's to a year of continued recovery!

Great idea for a pinned topic, Ashley.

[biscuitcat]

After my anxiety worsened and stopped me from leaving the house I discovered this site and how misrepresented OCD is in society. This led me to learn new things and be educated about mental health. ALL education is positive

After several weeks on the sofa, panic attacks and crying I have found a therapist and will be having my first appointment before the new year. So even though I have been suffering recently, my suffering means I will finally be getting help for a mental Illness which has effected me on many levels for the past 10 years or so.

This forum has taught me how to not engage in intrusive thoughts and I feel like my recovery is well under way

I am looking forward to beating this illness and not letting it effect my life. Something I would not have thought was possible two months ago.

Thank you all for your help and inspiration. You are all wonderful, strong people.

[OCD_Guy_UK]

After jacking in my job within last year (for more reasons than just OCD btw) I have to admit some progress has been made this year as I try to regain freedom in the world, both inside house and outside. Minor progress perhaps, but I'm utilising two more rooms gradually more, have increased my coverage and jobs I can do outside in garden, been to more public places, and have even been on a very rare overnight stay at a local hotel for one night.

[taurean]

Guy that is good to read - a nice improvement on where you were and you have got into public places too.

[Legend]

my 11th year of being ocd free , where ocd hasnt had any impact at all, after suffering on and off for 30 years.

walked the talk.

legend

[taurean]

Great stuff Legend - brilliant.

All the very best with your local support group this coming year.

[Legend]

Great stuff Legend - brilliant.

All the very best with your local support group this coming year.

thanks , and look after yourself too Mr.

[biscuitcat]

my 11th year of being ocd free , where ocd hasnt had any impact at all, after suffering on and off for 30 years.

That's fantastic, there's some people on this forum who are absolute inspirations. That is quite a success!

[OCD_Guy_UK]

my 11th year of being ocd free , where ocd hasnt had any impact at all, after suffering on and off for 30 years.

walked the talk.

legend

Legend. You are indeed a legend

[Ashley]

I don't know if this is success exactly, depends how you look at it and what you prioritise.

Usually I cope with stress by increasing my rituals to enable me to still push through 'normal life' in as normal a way as possible.

This year I made getting my OCD sorted my priority. When stress hit I stepped back from normal life (temporarily gave up my two voluntary jobs) and carried on reducing my rituals.

When the shame and guilt of no longer 'contributing' hit me soon after, I refused to console myself with the usual backlash of OCD flare ups. I started looking for a new project and kept going with my battle against OCD and the mental games induced by negative emotions.

That's fantastic Snowbear, I am really pleased for you and proud that you stuck at it and are now seeing the rewards, thank you for sharing the challenges you have overcome this year.

[Ashley]

Minor progress perhaps, but I'm utilising two more rooms gradually more, have increased my coverage and jobs I can do outside in garden, been to more public places, and have even been on a very rare overnight stay at a local hotel for one night.

None of that is minor at all, it all sounds like fantastic achievements to me Well done!