OCD and concentration

[Phili]

Does OCD have really severe affects on concentration because my levels of concentration are so low that I cannot hold a conversation lasting more than ten minutes without my mind wandering off, I got to the toilet and can't remember if I have been or not. I forget to eat, drink and sometimes my dinner is in front of me for ten minutes without me noticing, this isn't recent it is a very long running thing. Any ideas how I can battle this lack of concentration.

[PolarBear]

YES!

Your brain has the capability of doing a lot of things at one time but there are limits. When OCD is bad our brains are working like crazy on obsessions and mental compulsions. There just isn't a whole lot of room left to do things like remember and focus.

Shortly after I started getting better, my wife told me I was freaking her out. She said when she talked to me I was actually looking at her and she said it was apparent I was actually paying attention. She said for the 30 years she had known me, I had never done that. I was always seemed to be preoccupied. Now all of a sudden I was paying attention to the conversation and it threw her for a loop initially.

OCD most definitely affects concentration and focus.

[Caramoole]

It's not just OCD Phili....anxiety, stress, depression all do this. In the last 3 months you have had so much trauma and stress heaped on to you it's not surprising it's worse at the moment. It's also a problem when there's not much structure in our lives and this must be difficult being housebound. Sometimes it helps to force some sort of structure and break old habits wherever possible.

Caramoole