[Refuse2Sink]

I was diagnosed with OCD when I was 21, the first that I went to rehab for benzodiazepine addiction. I will be 31 this year, and have been clean from prescription pills for almost one year, after a ten year struggle. Whilst in recovery, I have been learning to cope with the underlying issues that caused me to use in the first place; panic disorder, generalized anxiety, PTSD, and depression. The one diagnosis that I don't seem to have many coping skills for is my OCD. Honestly, I had actually forgotten about the OCD diagnosis over the years. (I was doing some serious self medicating.) Since I got clean, I do not take medication for my psychological stuff. I do online therapy, support groups, yoga, meditation, and take natural supplements.

My OCD comes out in the form of constant hand washing, cleaning to avoid germ contamination, & spending a lot of time on organizing things in my house to be perfect. If I am unable to complete these tasks, I get pretty anxious and bothered by the lack of time to get them done. I am a single mother and I spend every day with my toddler. Since having her and being unmedicated, I feel as though my OCD is worse because I worry about her, as well as myself. I do not want this to negatively affect my daughter or myself.

I am going to make some time to see a therapist soon. In the meantime, I would love to hear any of your coping skills for OCD. I have been in therapy on and off for years, but never really touched my OCD...

[Skeezyks]

Hi Refuse2Sink: The Skeezyks hasn't been diagnosed as having OCD. (Actually the Skeezyks hasn't ever been formally diagnosed with anything he's aware of...) But I saw that no one had replied to your post, so I thought I would.

I do have some OCD types of traits. As a child, I bit my fingernails. (I also bumped my head at night to go to sleep.) In my late teens I decided I wanted to break myself of my nail biting. And I was able to do so. Then I discovered hair pulling! I've been a hair puller ever since.

Over the years there's also been some more dangerous stuff. What I have found is that when whatever it was I was doing did enough damage, I was then able to stop. Stuff that wasn't dangerous, I have just kept on doing. As a result, I guess I don't really have any particular coping skills to share. I'd have to say that being here on PC is, in a sense, a coping mechanism for me I suppose. I spend a lot of time here! And, while I'm here on PC, I can't be off getting into mischief...

[Refuse2Sink]

Amen to that! That is one of the main reasons that I love PC so much. I can be myself, talk to similar people, and ESCAPE from my issues (while working on them at the same time)...somehow that makes sense to me! ...

I have been a nail biter my entire life. It was a bad nervous habit. I'm proud to say that I recently STOPPED. For the first time since I was a kid. It's one of the things that I did not like that I was doing to myself and wanted to stop. OCD can have its upsides; constant hand washing can keep you from getting sick and obsessive teeth brushing makes for pearly whites! Haha. Thank you for your response! I am trying to work on the things that cause my OCD (anxiety obviously).

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[M3233]

Usually for me the best thing is to get distracted with something else. Netflix works well for that purpose because I get so drawn into shows haha. I also have the app Flowy that helps you with breathing that I use to try and calm my anxiety. I also use another app Thought Diary that uses CBT skills and walks you through your thought process to identify any errors (if that makes any sense).

[cincidak]

I use Mindfulness meditation, and cbt techniques. My ocd is controlled through medication and therapy.

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[vinay]

hi refuse2sink ! i first realised iam improving just this year . I am also in recovery and live alone .
i didnt respond to medication and my need for security was too much . what has helped me greatly is meditating and workout . I wud arrange so many things before goin to bed , which cud cost a full hour( ie nothing shld be facing southeast) . so i did this :
1 didnt arranged (did check the locks gas stove etc compulsively though) . 2 before sleeping just sat with my eyes closed . all the fears and doubts were manifesting in my head as visuals . the meditation technic says just watch n watch . i kept doin for few minutes and went to sleep . of course the compulsion to check/arrange was there , anxiety was there but i just thought about the tip given to me just that day by one of my close freind - "dont fall prey to compulsion for just today , oneday only " , and i couldnt believe the satisfaction and power which i felt in the morning .The impetus recieved fueled my desire to repeat my behaviour and there is much confidence gained . Iam much more effecient in dealing with tics too though i am still checkin but we do have to try to keep improving .
i hope my words were useful