[Radien]

Hello everyone, sorry in advance if this is unorganized. I am trying desperately to deal with OCD and was wondering what others did to try and cope with it. I have horrendous obsessive thoughts and compulsive actions that lead to much anxiety for me. I often have thoughts of either myself or the ones i love being assaulted or kidnapped that have caused me to become extremely cautious of people and very protective of my little sister much to her dismay. I also often need to have things in a certain order and have a problem with symmetry. I act as if there is a string attached to my back and i have to make sure it doesn't get coiled around me, so if i turn one way to look at something or say something to someone i have to make sure i turn the opposite way when turning back so it undoes the action. I also have to check both side of my bed at least 6 times once i get in to make sure their is nothing sticking out from it and if i get out of the bed I have to do it again when I get in. I was just wondering if anyone had any ways they were able to start to overcome any of these problems or if any one could relate to some of the more specific ones. Thank You for taking the time to read this.

I had problems like this and lots of them I still have a few but have managed to cut them down to just a few, my social worker told me to pick on the easiest one to remove and concentrate on just that.

Refuse to do it once. Just the once. Then when you have managed that concentrate on doing that again ! One step at a time.

When you have mastered one then pick on another ! It can be done. Good luck to you...

[cutbuddie]

I'm also like that too. It is very hard to overcome. For example I can't stand odd numbers, haha I know that's funny. So for like the radio, I have to make sure it's on a even number or I go insane.
Usually for other things I just try not to think of it, to turn my mind to something else. I don't know though. Tough habit to crack..
Best of wishes

[racee]

Originally Posted by Radien

. so if i turn one way to look at something or say something to someone i have to make sure i turn the opposite way when turning back so it undoes the action. I also have to check both side of my bed at least 6 times once i get in to make sure their is nothing sticking out from it and if i get out of the bed I have to do it again when I get in..

i do those too! not alone!! ever since i was 8 years old, i still do those i check corners. re check corners if something isn't touched the right way it needs to be retouched till it feels right.....hey did you know that any number any number spell it out than count it it will always end up to 4 so say like 24=10=ten=3=three=5=five=4...any number will always be 4 yeah try having that being stuck in your head all the time thats my number counting fun actually i turned it into an anxiety releaser it calms me and focuses me i had a bunch of tics growing up shaking my head and continous blinking. over the years i have found my number obsession to be my safety blanket (does that sound weird) and cut most everything out (although i can't take credit to everything i'm sure part of it my med is helping with too)

[Aunt Donna]

Racee, I totally understand about your number obsession being a safety blanket. I find myself counting to myself all the time. I will even do algebra formulas and work them out. I am not sure if this is part of my ocd or because I am tutoring math again. I, also, take medication for my ocd and anxiety.

[Radien]

Thank you everyone for responding and Racee i am sorry you can relate but it is nice to know others do understand. Unfortunately what i had found to calm my anxiety was pain. I have stopped all SI though and that is why I am trying to find new ways to cope. Cutbuddie I try not to think of things sometimes too. For instance I have an issue with perfection and we had to draw a picture in Humanities so I just let someone else draw it and tried not to fix it. Tishie and Faylowell I wish the best of luck to the two of you as well.