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Originally Posted by Birds of a Feather
The vast major of the threads in this section of the forum consist of the negative aspects of OCD (and trust me, I get it.... there are a LOT of negatives), but I want to try to bring a positive side out, and potentially a little "hope" for some people.
I realize that NOT everybody (possibly not even the majority) of members/readers of this forum have been able to accept their OCD; however, I would like to hear from those who have (and of course from those who wish to eventually get to this point).
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There may perhaps be some reluctance to respond to this thread for a few reasons- I am a bit reluctant to do so myself because I am unclear on what we are talking about when we are using the term "acceptance". It's not really clear by the original post.
People might be worried that what they consider as "accepting" OCD might not be the same thing as the OP.
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For those who have already accepted their OCD:
Please share your journey on how you were able to accept having OCD. Was therapy and/or medication involved?
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I was diagnosed. I accepted and embraced the diagnosis, and we began treating the symptoms as though they were OCD and not any of the other things they could be. It made way more sense than anything else and things fell into place much better than they had at any other time.
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Was there something you had to do in order to finally achieve a sense of acceptance?
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Convince those around me that I could have a messy room
and experience truly debilitating OCD.
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How long had you been struggling with OCD before being able to accept your diagnosis?
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Probably since late childhood/early teens.
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What level of acceptance are you in (i.e. you are okay with your diagnosis but don't tell others about it, you embrace your diagnosis and have no problem being an advocate for OCD awareness, etc.).
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I don't know how to put a "level" indicator on it.
I have no problem talking about it, educating people on it, helping others to discuss it or ways to manage it or seek help with it, educate themselves about it or others about it. I like discussing with others how to advocate for themselves or how to manage or cope with those close to them in communicating about difficulties, and also how to seek accommodations in the workplace/school, etc.
I don't see it as something to be embarrassed or ashamed about. It does affect my life and so I have to accommodate the symptoms at times, but it doesn't at this point change who I am or what I can do long term. I can adapt.
Short term- today- it may alter how I accomplish things. There are ABSOLUTELYL times when I just get
stuck and I need to change a plan or use different ways of thinking or behaving, use different coping techniques, "go around the long way". Even try again tomorrow. Sometimes you just have to do that in life, I have learned it may just have to be that way if I want to get things done eventually. I'm ok with that because I want to still do things I want to do- if that means that I have to ease off today to get to my goal tomorrow, I am willing to do it.
But long term- this week, month, year, life- it doesn't and won't prevent me completely from accomplishments.
I hate that I have OCD, and I HATE OCD.
I don't hate that I was diagnosed with it and
I DO NOT HATE MYSELF FOR BEING DIAGNOSED WITH IT OR HAVING OCD SYMPTOMS. I get extremely frustrated and I haven't figured everything out- part of that has to do with medication and other health problems, but I am very very happy that I was diagnosed with it.
Getting the appropriate diagnosis led me to the point that I am able to [when necessary] be in therapy and take medication for it.
If I HADN'T been diagnosed?
I would not be able to leave the house, most likely.
Involved in acceptance, for me, is facing coping mechanisms, treatment, and actually dealing with how to work around the OCD. Not making like it doesn't bother me. It TOTALLY bothers me and the symptoms to interfere with my life to some degree... but they don't STOP me.