OCD out of control

[Chantelle]

I have had OCD for a few years now and it's getting out of hand. It's stopping me from progressing in my career and causes me a lot of stress in the morning. Mine involves checking things are turned off and locking doors. It's now at a point where I take pictures of everything when I've turned them off and my hands are blistering and bleeding when I lock the door from checking that much. I've seen a GP and was handed a print out of a website. 

[Angst]

You must be really pounding the door to check that it is locked. When I had this I had the anxious feeling that I had broken the lock through repeated shoves and pushes against the door. So I had the double fear of not locking the door together with breaking the door. I think that taking pictures is escalating matters - you are creating a new set of compulsions which can become quite complicated rituals.

Have you received a diagnosis? And have you had therapy? If your in England you can self refer via the IAPT process. Details are contained on this site. But you are doing well in maintaining a job despite the compulsions. I guess that you must be getting up especially early to do the compulsions. See another GP and see if things improve with another person. Self refer for CBT. Best Wishes.

[Zazoo]

When I doing pretty much the same thing, it would take me forever to get out of the house.  Don't take pictures, I tried it and it just fed the OCD more.  Medication helped me but also forcefully and gradually reducing how many times I checked things and even leaving certain objects out when I did.  I also discovered that stress and anxiety about other things (especially work) were aiding the checking compulsions.  

[Chantelle]

Yeah you're both right, taking pictures isn't making any difference it's just another routine that I have to do. Yeah I basically check the door till my hand hurts then that takes over the feeling of having to check the door again, it's getting to a point where my hands are really sore and they've left marks :(. If I open up to 'friends' they laugh and say it's stupid I get embarrassed. It's takes me about 25 mins to check everything a million times it's literally the only unnecessary stress in my life. 

 

I havent been back to see a GP after I was handed the print out. I try to self manage it and sometimes I have control but I agree if I have other things going on in my life it makes it worse. 

 

Thank you for your replies it means the world to me. X