LauraOCDUK

Here are the group dates for September, there are no groups week commencing 5th September as I am on leave but they will return the following week. As usual, you can sign up for the dates that suit you here: www.ocduk.org/support-groups/online Open Support Groups (for anyone aged over 18 with OCD or family members and friends) Tuesday 13th September 7pm Thursday 15th September 10:15am Tuesday 20th September 7pm Thursday 22nd September 10:15am Thursday 29th September 10:15am Themed Support Groups: Wednesday 21st September 6pm - Over 50's support group Tuesday 27th September 7pm - Family and friends who support someone with OCD support group We are in the process of arranging another support group for young people aged 12-17 which is likely to be in October, I'll confirm further information when this is available Please let me know if you have any questions

Hi Lucy1234! The dogs in your profile pic look lovely

The next support group for family and friends who support someone with OCD is taking place on Tuesday 27th September at 7pm - you can sign up here: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUsde-rqz4iEt2lGwP4eUYLFa04g0TFyVVf

No problem at all! Hope the medication discussion went well! Assuming you live in England, the first step in treatment for OCD is CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) provided by your local IAPT service - it sounds like Talking Space Plus is one of those from what you've said. In some areas there is a choice of providers, so you may be able to choose to see a different service. You can find your local IAPT(s) here, the ones you can access are determined by the GP you are registered at: https://www.nhs.uk/service-search/mental-health/find-a-psychological-therapies-service/find-your-gp . If that is the only one in your area and it has not been helpful, the next step would be to go to your GP and ask to be 'stepped up' to secondary care for treatment that is more specialist and longer term as IAPT has not been able to help you make progress.

Apologies that this post is long overdue because it has been so busy, but there were so many great ideas in our group in June about creating a 'toolkit' of resources and activities that you can draw upon in difficult moments and I said I'd post them, so here they are! Thank you to everyone who contributed towards this and feel free to add your own to the list If you weren't at the groups that week, the idea of this is to collate resources that will be helpful when treatment has finished or more generally for when we are moving towards recovery but may still experience low mood, difficult life events that throw us off balance or OCD trying to exert control over our lives again. The suggestions below are all from group members: Adding structure to days so OCD has less space to creep back in Being in nature - the garden or going for a walk Naming OCD – the bully, the parrot, a tv villain – whatever works! Self care activities - especially the day after undertaking challenging exposure tasks which can be really draining The reminder that ‘thoughts and feelings aren’t facts’ Similarly, reminding oneself not to give meaning to thoughts Allowing anxiety in/getting used to discomfort Acknowledging thoughts without getting lost in them – passengers on the bus/leaves on the stream Meditation Movies (especially those that feel inspiring) Music - creating a playlist Apps to support mindfulness, meditation, relaxation or distraction. Examples offered by group members: Headspace, Insight Timer Radio and podcasts – useful as a distraction, for company, and to learn more about interests Reading – something engaging or something comforting Alongside the above suggestion of reading, specifically reading memoirs by other people with OCD (Because We Are Bad by Lily Bailey was recommended in the group) Putting helpful reminders in our physical space eg: phrases, quotes, activities for hard moments Keeping a note of successes to remind ourselves how far we’ve come Reminding ourselves that everyone has intrusive thoughts (this conference presentation explains that well: https://www.ocduk.org/conference/conferences-across-the-uk/2021-virtual/main/its-not-the-thought-that-counts/ ) Keeping a gratitude journal Creating a wellness and recovery action plan. A group member provided an example here, with pages 1-7 particularly helpful: https://webstore.cwp.nhs.uk/recoverycollege/workbook/Wrap3.pdf Reading and revisiting books that have helped move us towards recovery: Brain Lock (https://www.ocduk.org/shop/brain-lock/) and Break Free From OCD (www.ocduk.org/shop/break-free-from-ocd/) were mentioned Using SMART goals. They are described in relation to treatment here https://www.ocduk.org/overcoming-ocd/preparing-for-ocd-therapy/ but can be adapted for anything we are working towards Using CBT exercises: Theory A and Theory B, the Cost Benefit Analysis, and The Vicious/Virtuous Flower exercise. The website https://www.getselfhelp.co.uk/ has lots of worksheets and exercises in the OCD section that may be useful. Creating a physical toolkit containing reminders of CBT exercises you’ve found useful, positive statements, and any comforting and inspiring items like those above. There are also some ideas here: https://www.getselfhelp.co.uk/compassionate-kit-bag/ and here https://www.getselfhelp.co.uk/emergency-or-soothe-box-first-aid-for-distress/ which may help you build a bag/box that is personal to you. I have made one – it is currently under a pile of paperwork () but I’ll dig it out and take some photos! Using the support groups and these forums to reach out for support if you need it

Thanks so much for sharing this Keyboard Worrier! It is an excellent equation, I first saw it on Paul Salkovskis' Health Anxiety webinar and Sævar Már Gústavsson's webinar on GAD (both available here https://www.ocduk.org/webinar-series/ ) and it really resonated with me too! In terms of the Covid example (which has been a huge trigger for me too), I also considered the external 'rescue' factors that are wider than my immediate support network - medical professionals, increased knowledge, effective treatments that exist now etc which has helped me to get things more into perspective when OCD starts trying to get a hold over me! I'm really glad it has helped you, it is something I want to utilise more widely too

Hi everyone! We have upcoming online support groups for people in the UK which may be of interest: Young people (age 12-17) support group - coming up this Wednesday 27th July at 6:30pm. Please complete a parent/guardian consent form to register: here: https://www.ocduk.org/support-groups/online/consent-form/ . This group is a one-off at present. Family and friends who support someone that has OCD support group - coming up on Thursday 11th August at 10:15am, specifically for family members and friends who support someone with OCD (of any age). You can register here: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZckdO2grjMvGtCRIiuIrh-lqocoprMUH6zJ . We are hoping to run these groups once a month, alternating between morning and evening slots to enable as many people as possible to attend. This is also a reminder about our open support groups which run almost every Tuesday evening (7pm) and Thursday morning (10:15am). People with OCD aged over 18 are welcome to attend - there is no pressure to speak or be on camera, it is totally fine to just listen in. The groups are primarily attended by people with OCD, but family members and friends are welcome to attend too. All the upcoming dates and further information is available here: www.ocduk.org/support-groups/online If you have any questions, drop us an email at groups@ocduk.org and we'll be happy to help

Hi everyone! Here is the schedule for the online support groups in August, you can sign up to them all as normal here: www.ocduk.org/support-groups/online Open Support Groups (for anyone aged over 18 with OCD or family members and friends) Tuesday 2nd August - evening support group, 7pm Thursday 4th August - morning support group 10:15am Tuesday 9th August - evening support group, 7pm Tuesday 16th August - evening support group, 7pm Thursday 18th August - morning support group, 10:15am Tuesday 23rd August - evening support group, 7pm Thursday 25th August - morning support group, 10:15am Themed Groups Thursday 11th August - Family and friends who support someone with OCD morning support group 10:15am Wednesday 17th August - Over 50's evening support group 6pm

Hi Sazza! At OCD-UK we tend not to think of OCD in terms of all the potential sub types - primarily because the underlying obsession compulsion cycle is the same, there is a potentially endless amount of subtypes and because lots of us (including myself) have struggled with multiple themes- either separately or at the same time. That said, concerns about past events and getting stuck going over and over my memories trying to get certainty has definitely been part of my experience with OCD and it was really horrible!

Hi WJJ! Well done for resisting the compulsions and sitting with the anxiety, and thank you for sharing with us!

Hi WJJ! Welcome

Hi Charlie0190! Yep, that is definitely one way my OCD has gone in the past so I empathise- it created a catch 22 of everything being contaminated by germs unless I cleaned it with the cleaning regime OCD decided was necessary, but then the cleaning products themselves feel that they could be poisoning me and my loved ones. OCD can really back you into a corner and at some point, in order to function it is necessary to start challenging OCD through CBT with ERP. Are you getting any support with it?

Hope these are helpful TwistedViolet: This web page and short video about recovery help to explain what recovery can mean to different people https://www.ocduk.org/overcoming-ocd/what-is-recovery/ These conference recordings on our website (which are free to view) might also be useful: Why Are Compulsions So Compelling? Taking the plunge: How to take a risk when you feel you can’t Why treatment doesn't always hit the spot the first time OCD may try to creep back, but we don’t have to let it in Walking off the Battlefield - Life after recovery (and how to keep living there) We often talk about recovery in the online support groups too

SCHEDULE AMENDMENT: Apologies for any inconvenience but we have had to move the young people aged 12-17 group to Wednesday 27th July at 6:30pm There will be no Thursday group on 28th July, but both Tuesday and Thursday groups will run the following week.

I'm really glad - your contribution to the groups is always really insightful. Hope to see you at a group again soon

Hi everyone, here is the schedule for the online support groups for this month. Sign up is in the usual place: https://www.ocduk.org/support-groups/online/ Open Groups (for anyone aged over 18, including families and friends supporting someone with OCD) 5th July - Tuesday evening support group (7pm) 7th July - Thursday morning support group (10:15am) Apologies, no Tuesday group on 12th July 14th July - Thursday morning support group (10:15am) 19th July - Tuesday evening support group (7pm) 21st July - Thursday morning support group (10:15am) 26th July - Tuesday evening support group (7pm) Themed Groups 13th July - Over 50's group (6pm) - with Ashley and Catherine 13th July - Young people aged 12-17 group (6:30pm) - with me and Zoe (this one will be added to the website shortly) We will have another support group for friends and family who support someone with OCD coming up soon too, dates are TBC but I will post here once the date is confirmed. Please let me know if you have any questions

Most of our plants have been eaten by slugs (any pet safe ideas for keeping them at bay welcomed!) but the cosmos is doing well

Hi Twistedviolet (JA) - welcome to the forum! I'm glad to hear that your diagnosis has helped to explain things for you. OCD can be incredibly distressing and debilitating, but as a charity we focus on helping people take steps towards recovery and understanding that what you are struggling with is OCD is the first step. We have lots of resources about recovery, let me know if you'd like me to signpost you to some. Recovery looks different for everyone but for me the easiest way to explain it is that OCD used to feel like a heavy, crushing fog surrounding me that it was hard to see beyond. Now it feels more like a bunch of tiny mosquitos buzzing around me - persistent and annoying, but I can swat them away and know strategies for keeping them at bay (doing exposure work especially!) Music can be so helpful can't it! It's something we've discussed in support groups before too, maybe we should start a music thread to hear what people find particularly helpful

Hope everyone is enjoying the weather! It would be lovely to hear about if you're getting out in nature or the garden? We aren't having much luck with our plants so far this year (still very much garden novices!) but have been enjoying sitting outside in the evenings

Hi jk22 - welcome!

Hi Chris, welcome! And welcome to Milly too

Hi Milly! Patch looks so adorable and like he gives good cuddles! I agree with you about pets being really helpful for managing low mood and depression - they are comforting and energising in so many ways.

At present there is no set date for the in person groups to return because we are currently focused on the online groups – they’ve proved really successful in terms of reaching a large number of people all over the UK and are very popular. We also recognise that they can help people to access peer support who would not be able to get to an in-person group for a variety of reasons. Also, on a practical level, we are a really small charity (two full time members of staff, two part time) so when the face-to-face groups previously took place they were only in areas geographically close to team members, so the online groups help us reach a wider range of people. On a related note, if anyone needs support with signing up/using Zoom to access the online groups, or has questions about how the online groups work and what to expect, if you email groups@ocduk.org I can talk you through it

Here is the June group schedule, registration is in the usual place: Support Groups webpage The Thursday groups are fortnightly this month I'm afraid - they will be back to weekly next month! Open groups Tuesday 31st May 7pm Thursday 2nd May No group (bank holiday) Tuesday 7th June 7pm Thursday 9th June 10:15am Tuesday 14th June 7pm Thursday 16th June No group (training and admin day) Tuesday 21st June 7pm Thursday 23rd June 10:15am Tuesday 28th June 7pm Thursday 30th June No group (themed group running - see below) As usual, Tuesdays will be hosted by me and Claire, and Thursdays will be me and Gemma or Zoë Themed groups Family members and friends supporting an adult with OCD support group - Wednesday 8th June 7pm (with me and Ashley) 50+ support group - Wednesday 15th June 6pm (with Ashley and Catherine) Parents/family members supporting someone under 18 who has OCD support group - Thursday 30th June 10:15am (with me and Zoë)

Nio is gorgeous Jenp, he looks so floofy! And Millie, Mavis and Keith Richards are so cute Julie - I'd love to know how Keith got his rock star name!