Comments on: How to explain OCD to someone who doesn’t have it?

By: Brent

Brent — Tue, 27 Oct 2020 12:26:37 +0000

In reply to Joy. Thank you for sharing Joy. I’m sure many can relate and wishing you the best.

By: Joy

Joy — Sat, 17 Oct 2020 04:16:45 +0000

Hi my symptoms began when I was 12 and began avoiding stepping on cracks as I truly believed if I stepped on one it would bring great harm to my mother. I am now 55 and after seeking help only a couple years back let OCD torment me for most of my life. I think the reason I avoided seeking help was my OCD would go dormant for years and reoccur during stressful times. It would also switch between obsessions and compulsions. 10 years ago it reoccurred as compulsive behavior leading to avoiding all checks with the any numbers with 3,6 or 9. Another was avoiding all hangers I gathered for my laundry except the ones in the center of the pile. Eventually almost every item became unlucky and I was limited to small choices of almost every item. I sought help and was put on Lexpro which stopped this. At some point I stopped taking it and my OCD reappeared with different symptoms. I no longer had the compulsions only the obsessions. It was all in my mind with ruminating thoughts. I would think of a recent event and believe something disastrous would come of it. I would ruminate for weeks on end making up every possible negative outcome that was not even possible ( but very real to me) to the point where no other thought mattered. No matter what other daily issues were at hand my thoughts would go straight back to the disastrous one, The thought would only stop when a new one replaced it. I can say that the obsessive ruminations where by far worse then any rituals, Sure counting, checking etc. took up much of the day and a pain I could
deal with them. It was the obsessive thoughts that brought me to residential treatment. It took a 90 days of trying different combinations of medications until the right fit was found. I am sharing my story because it was not until a few hours ago i told my sister I have OCD. I have not told a soul for over 40 + years until tonight. My ex husband of 27 years does not know. My parents do not know, I was even ashamed to share with a psychiatrist until the ruminating tormented me. I hid it well and accepted it. One other point I would like to mention is I was never a nest freak or kept things orderly which is a common with OCD. I did have the need for perfection but in other areas aside from organizing. I hope by sharing a 40+ year journey of OCD it may help someone who is suffering seek help early on, Ciao for now. Joy

By: Julie

Julie — Sun, 04 Oct 2020 04:39:11 +0000

In reply to Julie. Julie, I am right there with you. Goodness it’s uplifting to hear that someone else is going through the same thing as you, even the simpler parts like tmj. Mine has gotten awful also from the stress I carry in my body. Right now my teeth and head feel like they have a ton of bricks crushing down on them. It sucks. Thank you for sharing your journey. from one Julie to another, I wish and pray radical healing for you.. and me too.

By: Brent

Brent — Sun, 24 May 2020 12:50:40 +0000

In reply to Julie. Wow, thank you for sharing Julie. Doesn’t it feel empowering when you’re able to write it out, or to even just say it aloud and get it off of your chest. I wish you the best of efforts in coping with your OCD. You’re not alone in this battle and I know exactly what you mean when you discuss the excuses we make in an attempt to share with others. Stay strong!

By: Julie

Julie — Sun, 24 May 2020 09:27:01 +0000

Thank you. I’m still struggling so much every day. I’m so exhausted. I have bald patches where my hair has fallen out. I clench my teeth constantly from anxiety, which has led to Tmj problems that have put me in the ER. My face is always swollen. I’m 28/F and its been so severe since puberty. It was harsh before that, but I’m so tired now. My life is starting to speed up but all this time I feel like I’ve been waiting for it to get better but it doesn’t. Not that I haven’t tried, I even ended up in a rehab across the country for a month and a half in my early 20s. My parents were so overwhelmed, my dad told me that if I didn’t go that they would move away and not tell me where they went. I think about those kinds of moments a lot. All that happened was the increased fear of letting my ocd affect my loved ones. That place was awful. They had no experience with ocd. They made me feel unfixable, and they repeatedly publicly humiliated me when trying to practice exposure therapy.
I haven’t typed anything out like this. Its nice to know it might be read by someone who understands my exhaustion.
My loved ones are always annoyed with me for not answering my phone or not planning visits. I just feel like I have no time. I just want to sleep. Even then its constant social anxiety nightmares (crazy vivid from prozac) And its hard to pretend I’m not being as affected by my ocd as I really am. I hate having to explain why I’m wearing fuzzy mittens in the summertime. I wish “I have OCD” was a good enough answer. I hate when strangers laugh when I say that after they have randomly asked me “are you cold…?” They think I’m joking, using it as the non-literal term everyone casually throws around, and then I get more embarrassed, but I also feel guilt. I hate that they laughed and I don’t have a joke to say back. My anxiety causes them anxiety, like mistaking a woman for pregnant or something.
However, without constantly putting fresh fuzzy gloves on, I can’t function. I have to be embarrassed. The lies I come up with are so dumb when I try to take that route.

By: Brent

Brent — Mon, 13 May 2019 12:21:45 +0000

In reply to Jo Peters. Thank you... I really just want to share. I’ve held it in for so long, for too long.

By: Jo Peters

Jo Peters — Tue, 02 Apr 2019 16:27:53 +0000

Taking a look inward is really transformative. This is helping me take that journey too. I personally didn’t realize how compulsive my behavior is at times. I hope all who seek to realize and understand this disorder become more aware of the reasons behind the behavior and learn to show empathy, love, concern and support.

Brent you are truly doing something good with this.