AmandaG

Since you're here, you already know it's OCD. It's hard to guess how soon you'll make progress, but I always think that if it feels like the OCD is resisting hard, you're obviously doing something positive to challenge it.

OCD can be so irritaing. Abandoning its grip on one line of thinking and seizing on another. It's as if you overcome or start to overcome it, only for the repetitive and intrusive thinking to shift and centre on a slightly different theme. Personally I think there is something positive about this, though, as it tends to be a sign that you have succeeded in defeating the OCD in relation to one theme, and have the ability to overcome it again.

I'm not an expert on depression, really, I've only experienced it very temporarily. Anxiety is the much bigger thing for me. If you've read about CBT, then using CBT methods to identify and challenge the negative feelings or thinking driving the low mood could help - eg feelings like 'I'm never going to be able to cope with these intrusive thoughts', when you can't really predict the future and say that, and it's possible to learn to manage intrusive thoughts.

I try to spend some time on relexation and getting away from noise, stress and overstimulation. Like quietly reading somewhere quiet, warm and comfortable like a bedroom or spare room.

Are you receiving any help or trying any self help for depression too? Depression can often be the flip side of anxiety conditions.

Not giving OCD thoughts the pleasure of getting too much of a reaction out of you, is one way I like to look at it They're like bullies. As for why, maybe people with OCD thinking are just natural troublemshooters, analysts and problem solvers. We can't stand unresolved issues.

I had no idea. I'm glad high profile people are speaking about it.

If they're hesitant to diagnose anything (maybe they'll think again and consider making a diagnosis when he's a little bit older), I'd personally ask them for some form of strategy or action plan to help manage his distress. I'd be hesitant to opt for purely OCD-targeted therapy, with an exposure element, when they haven't really exhausted possible causes and he may have sensory integration difficulties.

Only a medical professional can really make a diagnosis. Repetitive intrusive thoughts are typical of OCD, but extreme sensory sensitivity can be a trait of autism, ADHD or a standalone sensory condition, and a need for orderliness isn't strictly an OCD symptom, althought it can be part of OCD compulsions to alleviate a tangible fear. They'll probably want to look at all kinds of possible explanations or diagnoses before they decide on one or more.

Great to hear that the CBT is already helping

If the workman was working at your house, it would only be fair to let him use your toilet. If he sort of offered the use of your toilet when he was working elsewhere, that's a bit strange

Those all sound like positive steps, you can always tackle more once you've become acclimatised to those changes

Hi Bbaby2929, sorry to hear you don't have support at home. Talking about your daily experiences of OCD here, and your daily life, is one way of connecting with people who can understanding what you are experiencing. Are you getting any support from a doctor or therapist, or medication? There are a couple of books recommended on the main OCD UK site too that can offer strategies for managnig OCD and improving your quality of life.

Hi Hazel, it sounds like you made great progress and went out of your way to get support. A good many of us who have experienced bad bouts of OCD will likely tell you it's something that can come and go in intensity. The more you learn about it and exprience it, and about how your mind functions, the better you can get at spotting the signs, being able to recognise when OCD thought cycles are happening, and the better you can apply what you've leant about managing it. Even then, it's possible to have setbacks, reoccurences, and (my speciality!) find that the OCD thinking switches from one subject to another when I'm mastering the art of countering the first one! I personally think of it as temporary bouts of bad OCD, which can and will ease, rather than looking at OCD in terms of one bad spell followed by 100% permanent recovery and no symptoms again in future. It's also possible for medication to become slightly less effective over time as your body gets used to it. I've had this happen to me a few times. In fact, when I go onto fluoxetine, it works so well it will actually wipe out all OCD thinking and induce a state of calmness within a few weeks, to the extent that it's like I never had OCD in the first place. Then it wears off a little after a while. It was hard the first time that happened, because I wanted to be back to feeling 'cured'. These days I accept that it fluctuates, but through time, experience, and techniques for managing it, it is better overall. Sometimes doctors will increase the dose or change the type of medication.

Are you getting any help for OCD at the moment, Donnahoney, do you have medication, or is there anyone you know and can talk to who understands OCD well? Talking about OCD itself and how to manage it, rather than the subject of the intrusive thoughts themselves, could be of some benefit. General relaxation exercises and physical exercises might not be enough to completely distract your mind from OCD thoughts, too, but can help alleviate wider anxiety that can build up and contribute to OCD. Doing any activities that are enjoyable in some way, and giving yourself some time, space, peace and quiet, can also contribute to general wellbeing, and that in turn may help against the cycle of OCD.