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Having a life WITH OCD


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OCD in the early days of it starting and years later can be very debilitating and distressing without appropriate treatment. Hopefully what I am writing will be helpful to people new to the forum.

I was bewildered and terrified when my intrusive thoughts began and there was no support like this forum when I was formally diagnosed in 1996. People had mobile phones like breeze blocks and the Spice Girls were on top of the world - I had never heard of the internet or CBT. I was alone. Newcomers to this forum despite the distress, confusion and fear are NOT.

Yet I achieved academically and worked in my chosen career DESPITE my OCD with lots of ups and downs and medication issues.

I try and keep it simple. Ruminating which ever sufferer does and also people who have depression from waking which I did in the past is a killer - get out of bed, brush your teeth, have a smoke (if you smoke!), make a coffee/tea. Please don't stay in bed and have a "conversation" with your thoughts or try and neutralise etc. It does not work.

Even when you are in the throes of OCD (believe me I know) - you CAN have a life. I'm still struggling to some extent as are others but OCD doesn't have to rule your life - especially with an amazing forum like this with the most supportive people ever and of course appropriate treatment.

Best wishes, Phil.

Edited by PhilM
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3 hours ago, PhilM said:

get out of bed, brush your teeth, have a smoke (if you smoke!), make a coffee/tea. Please don't stay in bed and have a "conversation" with your thoughts or try and neutralise etc. It does not work.

This is what I need to work on. It goes in cycles but often it's just difficult to get up, especially when I didn't need to for work.  It isn't the normal not wanting to get up.  I think an aspect of my OCD is BDD type behaviour and this makes getting up, dressed and on with things difficult - especially when it has to be done daily. 

I desperately need to get a routine where I get up early-ish and get on and ready for the day and not go through a list of what i wrong with me, ruminating on past thoughts , checking things before I leave the house.

Definitly a goal.

3 hours ago, PhilM said:

et I achieved academically and worked in my chosen career DESPITE my OCD with lots of ups and downs and medication issues.

I have too as a 'mature' student.... thinking of a Phd if I can get funding...I was in my last job 12 years
(quit to do a MA) and had zero days off sick.  I haven't had any help though I did try to get some in 2001...but you still can achieve things :thumbup:

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Good post Phil.  

The single best standalone thing I have found to help with OCD is to never stay in bed after I have woken up, even for a minute. I have a wake up light which is great, and if necessary I set an alarm on my iPad and put it on the other side of the room to force myself to get out of bed.  

I'm trying to make my bed a 'no rumination zone' so if I wake up in the night I will get up and do something else until I'm too tired to think.  It's was pretty awful in the beginning because I wouldn't get much sleep, but my brain seems to retraining itself to not associate being in bed with ruminating so I sleep much better now.

I never allow myself lie ins, much like someone who struggles with alcohol, having just one is never worth the fall out for me. 

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