OCD-OCD-OCD How do you cope?

[geoff]

Hello Everyone, there have been so many comments regarding this demanding illness, but it goes deeper than 'checking the lock', it involves counting to a specific number and each person has a number, mine is 4 but that doesn't mean I just have to count to that number, because we feel that certain numbers have a special significance, and therefore specific actions must be performed a certain number of times.

This obsession/compulsion, however, could be performed not only once but several times so you may do a habit 10 times but only count to 4.

Certain things need to be done on a specific day and if it does happen on another day then our anxiety increases.

It also involves lots of other small habits, like when we go to bed, and certain obsessions we have to perform and even our own idiosyncrasies that happen throughout the day.

People may check their locks, 'better safe than sorry' but there's a huge difference between that compared to someone who has OCD because 'there is a lot at stake' and if not performed, 'something will go wrong.'

I could go on but interested in other people's comments.

Geoff.

This is such a complex illness that we can't explain it anybody else

[Guest5643]

Hi geoff

As much as my ocd drives me nuts i would never want to live without it cause its been with me from day dot and so much part of me. My mum had it mild and had the same super weird ritual everynight involving touching a tissue and her arm and body in weird position till it clicked in her head. If ypu had choice would you choose to live without your ocd?

Lynne

[geoff]

Hi Lynne, thanks for posting, and I wouldn't know what life would be like without OCD, I've had it for 60 years.

I think my thread was too long or maybe too complicated.

Hope you are well.

Geoff.

[Guest5643]

Hi geoff

Not to long or complicated at all☺

I find ocd to be the most complex illness to try describe to non ocd people. I was lucky my mum had it, so she completely understood me. My medication keeps my ocd relatively stable compared to 20yrs ago. Generaly my no. with things is 4 or 8. Its never ever an odd no.

Ive love to know peoples most embarasing thing ocd has caused them. Mine was about 15ish yrs ago i had a compusion that went on for years which involved pulling up and down my pants over and over till it would click in my head. Never in public of course. One day i was in the garage and my knee twisted awkwardly during my compulsion and it dislocated. The ambulance. I was too embarrased to tell them what i was doing.

Im ok for now hope your well too.

Lynne

[geoff]

Hi Lynne, I will do something and count to 4 but I might, let's say, touch something 6 or 8 times but count to 4, I do all of this when no one knows or can see me.

I remember as a young kid I had to swallow saliva 40 times and if I was interrupted I had to start all over once again, that became too exhausting so I replaced it by doing something else.

All my obsessions/compulsions are also even but as I've said no one can see me doing any of this, I learnt to hide them because I was teased by an older brother when I was a young kid.

Do you have to start doing them again for any reason?

Geoff.

[Guest5643]

Hi geoff

Sorry i just realised i hadnt replied

I forgot i used to do the saliva swallowing a long time ago.

Since i moved where i am my compulsions have reduced dramaticly. Dont know if its a coincidence or not that its since not having family around me.

The only one that interupts me is jesse by giving me the look of what the hell are you doing, if its a noticible compulsion, but most the time that helps distract

No way could a human ever distract me enough to stop!

I remember my dads parents would make fun of my non verbal vocal ticks when i was little. My 3 siblings would too. None of them have ocd. It makes you wonder why does only 1 out of four get ocd. Are we immediatly born with it.

Lynne🐾

[geoff]

Hi Lynne, the doctors have asked me whether anyone in my family has ever had OCD as it can be passed down from one generation onto another but can skip one.

I don't know if anyone has had it, because I taught myself to get it, however by being able to do this may indicate that someone did have it, I don't know and only guessing.

It's amazing that my twin has not had any of what I've gone through, but I thank goodness he hasn't, and he never said anything when I was doing an obsession.

I had 4 siblings and none of them have it and don't know much about it, nor did my in laws.

As a kid I couldn't walk on any cracks in the concrete, now it doesn't worry me as I replaced it by doing something else.

I was hoping to get more replies from other people with OCD.

Take care.

Geoff.