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Anyone here essentially housebound or roombound due to OCD?


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I'm curious, because essentially I'm room-bound most of the time, bar intervention from family to assist me elsewhere (reassurance/compulsions).

I'm reasonable in certain locations in the house and outside (appearing quite normal in most locations to those who wouldn't know), but it's safe to say that without intervention and due to OCD, I'm mostly either in the one room or inside the house.

Anyone else restricted due to OCD?

Maybe there are some who were room/house-bound for months/years and are no longer so?

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I'm curious, because essentially I'm room-bound most of the time, bar intervention from family to assist me elsewhere (reassurance/compulsions).

I'm reasonable in certain locations in the house and outside (appearing quite normal in most locations to those who wouldn't know), but it's safe to say that without intervention and due to OCD, I'm mostly either in the one room or inside the house.

Anyone else restricted due to OCD?

Maybe there are some who were room/house-bound for months/years and are no longer so?

I was, sort of. For a long time I could only live in my bedroom at my parents, I could not let my parents into my room and I could not wear clothes in my room (I would sit naked on a towel), I would have to shower (for 1-2 hours) each time I went out before I could return to my room.

I lived like this for a couple of years, when I moved out of home I also preferred staying in my own room and would have to shower/bath after using loo before going back to my room.

These days I am fine, I can use the toilet and wander into different rooms without washing my hands if I want to (I don't like it, but I can do it). I can sit down anywhere in my cottage with outdoor clothes on. I don't like visitors still, but I can accept visitors and even hosted a summer BBQ for my local support group (ok, that was few years ago now) but my life now is different to my OCD worst period.

Improving our quality of life Is possible :)

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I think to that you could add that you have also done your John O'Groats to Lands End (and the reverse of) bike rides, staying in hotels every night. Also, holidays abroad, travel on planes etc.

That's a big jump from being restricted to one room :)

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Sorry guys, I think I may have written my reply in a way to give the wrong impression, I apologise. I was not roombound for two years, I was managing to go out to work, but other than work I did predominately stay at home and live in one room, partly because each time I would go out meant 1/2 hours of cleaning rituals to return safely to the room. My outdoor clothes would be kept in a box just outside my room. It was a pretty restricting existence though.

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I'm curious, because essentially I'm room-bound most of the time, bar intervention from family to assist me elsewhere (reassurance/compulsions).

I'm reasonable in certain locations in the house and outside (appearing quite normal in most locations to those who wouldn't know), but it's safe to say that without intervention and due to OCD, I'm mostly either in the one room or inside the house.

Anyone else restricted due to OCD?

Maybe there are some who were room/house-bound for months/years and are no longer so?

Hi OCD_Guy

I was virtually house-bound for a few months. The only time I made myself go out was to see my psychologist or GP. It was just too stressful and involved so much 'work' to get ready to leave the house and then have to deal with the potential 'hazards' (mostly contamination) out in the world.

I used to stay in my bedroom as much as I could as it was the only place I didn't have to worry about cleaning and so on - it was safe for me. Going anywhere else in the house often - but not always depending on why I'd left the room - meant a lot of cleaning and all that entailed. Preferring to stay in my room lasted for a long time (I can't remember how long).

I am now virtually completely well - my house bound-ness was in 2002/2003. I would say I have completely well since 2010 (nearly there) 2011/12 - well.

Good luck to you - things really can get better.

whitebeam :original:

Edited by whitebeam
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I would love to know more about how you guys conquered this. I'm essentially housebound except for hospital appointments. I prefer to stay in my bedroom as if I leave I have to decontaminate. What did you do to get better ?

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Maybe there are some who were room/house-bound for months/years and are no longer so?

Yeh. I often forget how bad I was at one time. When I had my physical contamination thing I isolated myself as much as possible. I would never leave except to go do errands I had to do real quick. I also washed my hands 60X + a day.

Though that was years ago. For the past 3 years I have not had my own place at all. I've been traveling for 3 years around the world, Australia, New Zealand, London, Amsterdam, etc. Staying in flats and rooms I rent. Sometimes alone, sometimes with flat mates etc. No washing compulsions anymore and I always take public transport, the trains mostly. How did I change? I bought a 1 way ticket to Australia 3 years ago. There was no turning back, haha.

Edited by ADD
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I've been traveling for 3 years around the world, Australia, New Zealand, London, Amsterdam, etc. Staying in flats and rooms I rent. Sometimes alone, sometimes with flat mates etc. No washing compulsions anymore and I always take public transport, the trains mostly. How did I change? I bought a 1 way ticket to Australia 3 years ago. There was no turning back, haha.

Now that's what I call a plan! Well done, ADD. :clap: Fabulously inspiring.

For those of us not quite ready for a trip around the world, there's still a very important lesson to take from ADD's story.

NO TURNING BACK

One of the best ways for overcoming restrictions (whether that's being room-bound, housebound or just limited by rituals and avoidance) is to set yourself staged goals from which there is no turning back.

Each stage should be a point of no return.

Set goals that buy you a series of 'one way tickets' back to normal living.

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