Drinking...

[Northern Star]

Evening people, hope everyone's ok

Just a bit of a general question I guess. I don't tend to drink very much. By 'drink' I don't mean alcohol, although I don't drink much alchohol either. Not had alcohol for more than a week. Anyway, back to what I was saying. I know that you're supposed to drink 2 litres of water a day. Well, I drink 2 litres in about 5 days +. I will go for a couple of days without drinking anything sometimes. Last time I drank anything was yesterday lunchtime I think. I have been told not drinking like this is dangerous. Is it? Am I doing myself harm by not drinking? I occasionally get headaches, which I expect might be due to dehydration. The reason I don't tend to drink much is that I don't get that thirsty and also because of my OCD. Part of my OCD means that I don't like to drink much of anything.

Any info gratefully received :lol:

[whitebeam]

I will go for a couple of days without drinking anything sometimes. Last time I drank anything was yesterday lunchtime I think. I have been told not drinking like this is dangerous. Is it?

23881[/snapback]

Hi Star,

I don't know much but I think you should definitely be drinking more. I don't drink anywhere near the recommended 2 litres of water - I occasionally try - but it never lasts long - but I do drink lots of other stuff - tea, coffee, juice etc.

It is really important not to get dehydrated so do try and drink several times throughout the day.

Love

whitebeam

[amewat]

hiya i sometimes try not to drink anythin cause i dont like goin to the toilet :lol: its so annoyin argh

[Northern Star]

hiya i sometimes try not to drink anythin cause i dont like goin to the toilet  :lol: its so annoyin argh

Yea - that's why I don't like drinking

[Guest WestDorsetBlue]

Hi, Northern Star

It is best to try and drink at least 2.5 litres of water per day. You are right in saying that your headaches are caused by lack of drinking. Yet, you can replace lost body fluid by eating fruits and vegetables, if your OCD is causing you problems when you try and get a drink. But, drinking water is still the best way to stop dehydration

My OCD affects my drinking, by telling me that if I drink a glass of water whilst having bad thoughts, bad things will happen. However, my CBT therapist has told me to talk my way though pouring out a glass of water, i.e. turn tap on, pick up glass, fill glass with water, turn, off tap. Now when I drink the water, I say to myself this is just water, my OCD is telling me lies and nothing bad will happen if I drink it.

Sometimes this works and other times it does not, usually when I am having a bad OCD moment. But, its such a great feeling to be able to get a glass of water and drink it, without giving in to my OCD.

Take care

Michael

[Guest patsy]

Remember you have to drink a certain amount to flush out your kidneys! Try to drink as much water as possible. It is really good for you. It also helps your skin.

[Ashley]

Remember you have to drink a certain amount to flush out your kidneys!  Try to drink as much water as possible.  It is really good for you.  It also helps your skin.

23890[/snapback]

is 2L of coke a day good enough?

[Northern Star]

is 2L of coke a day good enough?

I always thought coke was dehydrating? :lol:

[Guest patsy]

Remember you have to drink a certain amount to flush out your kidneys!  Try to drink as much water as possible.  It is really good for you.  It also helps your skin.

23890[/snapback]

is 2L of coke a day good enough?

23891[/snapback]

Well, I suppose there is water in the coke :lol: but pure water would be better!! Not as tasty though huh!!

[Guest bigkeefer]

Remember you have to drink a certain amount to flush out your kidneys!  Try to drink as much water as possible.  It is really good for you.  It also helps your skin.

23890[/snapback]

is 2L of coke a day good enough?

23891[/snapback]

Erm, no Ashie. The idea of water is to flush out all the sodium and toxins out of your body. At least 2L a day.

So 2L of sugary (there is 21 TABLEspoons of sugar in a bottle of coke or any other fizzy beverage!) water does NOT count! :lol:

I read the list of side effects that not drinking enough water can induce and trust me - its enough there for an OCD field day for any of us.

DRINK WATER! Lots of it.

[Ashley]

Remember you have to drink a certain amount to flush out your kidneys!  Try to drink as much water as possible.  It is really good for you.  It also helps your skin.

23890[/snapback]

is 2L of coke a day good enough?

23891[/snapback]

Erm, no Ashie. The idea of water is to flush out all the sodium and toxins out of your body. At least 2L a day.

So 2L of sugary (there is 21 TABLEspoons of sugar in a bottle of coke or any other fizzy beverage!) water does NOT count! :lol:

I read the list of side effects that not drinking enough water can induce and trust me - its enough there for an OCD field day for any of us.

DRINK WATER! Lots of it.

23894[/snapback]

Got to about 1am last night when we finally said goodbye to everyone and got to our hotel, the first thing I did was go the bar for a glass of lovely refrshing coke, I tell you thats what keeps me sane lol and after the stress and shock of yesterday i needed it!

[Northern Star]

Thanks also whitebeam and Michael

It is best to try and drink at least 2.5 litres of water per day.

2.5??? That's even harder! lol. Nah, seriously I should really try to drink more, maybe a new year's resolution.

You are right in saying that your headaches are caused by lack of drinking. Yet, you can replace lost body fluid by eating fruits and vegetables, if your OCD is causing you problems when you try and get a drink. But, drinking water is still the best way to stop dehydration

When I was in hospital my parents kept on making me drink becuase they said I was dehydrated. My lips were white, but when I started drinking they went back to normal so I think maybe they were right. Of course they're not white now, but I do feel a headache coming on and I think it's because of not drinking.

But, its such a great feeling to be able to get a glass of water and drink it, without giving in to my OCD.

That's fab :lol:

Remember you have to drink a certain amount to flush out your kidneys! 

That is what I am worried about. I have been told I will get kidney stones or my kidneys will just plain give up on me.

[Guest patsy]

That is what I am worried about. I have been told I will get kidney stones or my kidneys will just plain give up on me.

23897[/snapback]

Can you not try some of the nice fruit squashes that you get and take the water that way?

Try drinking more when you are at home when you will be ok with the toilet, even if you don't drink much when you are out :lol:

[Northern Star]

Can you not try some of the nice fruit squashes that you get and take the water that way?

Try drinking more when you are at home when you will be ok with the toilet,  even if you don't drink much when you are out

I like fruit squashes, but it's liquid in general that I don't want to take. I know that I need to drink and that the way to beat this OCD is to drink loads and live with it, but I find it so hard - not the actual drinking, but the consequences of it. (don't know how to put that! :lol: )

[Guest patsy]

Can you not try some of the nice fruit squashes that you get and take the water that way?

Try drinking more when you are at home when you will be ok with the toilet,  even if you don't drink much when you are out

I like fruit squashes, but it's liquid in general that I don't want to take. I know that I need to drink and that the way to beat this OCD is to drink loads and live with it, but I find it so hard - not the actual drinking, but the consequences of it. (don't know how to put that! :lol: )

23901[/snapback]

I know what you mean, but could you not drink more at home when you are not going out. Do you still have a problem with being at home and having to use the toilet? I have a big prroblem with using toilets when I am out!!!

Btw, I love your new hairdo

[Northern Star]

I know what you mean,  but could you not drink more at home when you are not going out.  Do you still have a problem with being at home and having to use the toilet?

Yeah - it's at home as well as when I'm out. :lol:

Btw, I love your new hairdo   

Thank you! :newyear:

[Guest patsy]

Well, you have to take the bull by the horns and say you won't let this ocd get the better of you and drink even although you know you have a problem with the toilet. After a while it should get a bit easier for you :lol:

[Northern Star]

I will try to . Off to bed now (having a drink en route! :lol: ).

Goodnight all, and thanks

[Guest patsy]

yayy!! you enjoy that drink Jo, Sleep tight,

Take care, Patsy xxx

[Caramoole]

You need to drink fluid to keep your electrolytes in balance. Not drinking since yesterday is not good for you NS.

Now you know that this is an avoidance, and we can't help you with that. You need to increase your liquid intake, think of it as therapy, not just for your body but for your OCD` as well :lol:

[Guest ocd13]

I have actually also heard that drinking lots of water, exercising and getting fresh air will help to keep depression at bay. You need water for your body AND your brain to function properly.

I don't drink as much water as I should either, but I do drink a lot of cranberry and raspberry juice, etc. I've never been much of a drinker either but my OCD has made that worse recently when I'm out in public, because I have a fear I will choke as I swallow my drink. This is also related to my Emetophobia I think, and maybe social phobia too, as I feel like everyone is watching me when I drink. I'm fine drinking at home though.

[Guest Automated Alice]

Caramoole, What are electrolytes? :grin: They do sound interesting though, lol, - is it related to depression?

I only drink fresh orange juice, i have a contamination thingy with tap water, not drunk it for about 10 years now, Alcohol is out of the question at the moment ( after my last experience )..................

But I would drink bottled water, hmm but a bit expensive

Is fresh orange juice as good as water?

[Northern Star]

A mini-update...

Had a little drink of apple juice in the early hours of this morning, although it wasn't very much. Then today I couldn't let myself drink while we were out but I made myself have some diet coke this evening, again not much, but some is better than none. I am now drinking a bacardi breezer, which I'm sure isn't that good either but at least it's fluid. I know water would be better than alcohol.

[Caramoole]

Alice...a brief explanation

Electrolytes are minerals in your blood and other body fluids that carry an electric charge. It is important for the balance of electrolytes in your body to be maintained, because they affect the amount of water in your body, blood pH, muscle action, and other important processes. You lose electrolytes when you sweat, and these must be replenished by drinking lots of fluids.

Electrolytes exist in the blood as acids, bases, and salts (such as sodium, calcium, potassium, chlorine, magnesium, and bicarbonate) and can be measured by laboratory studies of the blood serum.

Any fluid is important, preferably one that doesn't have diuretic properties like coffee and alcohol....hope that helps

[Guest ScottOCDid]

Hi all,

It's really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really important to drink regularly - for the kidneys, for flushing out toxins, for maintaining electrolyte balance, for... well... every cell in your body!

If it helps to convince you, drinking water is a way of cleansing yourself from the inside!

If avoiding frequent trips to the toilet is an issue, it's a good idea to avoid diuretics (the things that increase the need to go), such as caffeine (coke & similar [Ashie!!], coffee, tea, Red Bull), alcohol (Breezers aren't the way to rehydrate, I'm afraid!) and celery (strange but true).

Your body quickly adjusts to the increased intake. I typically drink >5.5 litres a day , which can increase significantly on a summer hillwalk with a heavy pack. If you workout, it's even more important to drink plenty.

Anyway, I'm now sounding like a real anorak so I'm going to sign off from this thread now!!

Happy drinking (of the soft variety)!

Scott