My Story

[Guest anonga11]

Hi. I am a student at university. My parents and most of my friends do not know that I have OCD. I feel like my friends (who know) do not truly understand how serious the problem is. They think, "oh, yeah, we all have quirks." The problem is that my OCD feels lonely and it is more than just quirks. I love doing research because I feel like I am not so alone anymore. I do not have severe enough OCD for others to notice, but enough for it to drive me a little crazy. I am having a hard time living with a roommate now. She knows I have OCD and understands, but her hair gets all over the place and we have to share a toilet and shower. She touches my stuff, and that is a trigger for me. If we are talking she comes and stands close to my bed, or sits on my bed, which is a major trigger. She is really nice, and I do not want her to think that I am hiding behind OCD or being mean, I just really don't like people touching my stuff because of contamination. Any advice?

Edited September 10, 2014 by anonga11

[Guest Hope22]

Why don't you have a chat with her and explain. I'm sure she will understand that you're not being mean and that it's your OCD that makes you feel this way. Have you spoken to your GP about the kind of help there is available to you? You might find CBT useful in helping you cope. x