ocdtip

I have self-harm thoughts, fear of germs and diseases and taboo thoughts that make me feel like a monster. It's been particularly hard during my first medication because paroxetine gave me a lot of side effects and worsened the thoughts.
I found relief watching anything on TV, playing games on my cellphone or bingewatching YouTube video.
In the worst cases I do a thing that I call "Lip-sync for my life". I close my eyes, put on my earphone, play my favorite playlist and lip-sync at top of my energy, trying to get fully lost in the music. It helps me a lot, I hope It can help you all as well.

Another thing that helped me a lot, mainly around the period of my self-awareness through the first encounter with a therapist and the diagnosis, has been documenting about mental illness through autobiographical graphic novel (I suggest "Fun home" and "Are you my mother?" by Allison Bechdel and "Marbles: mania, depression, Michelangelo and me" by Ellen Forney, among others) and comedy tv series like #CrazyExGirlfriend and Lady Dinamite with #MariaBamford and the web series Just between us.

I'm also a PC Gamer and in those periods when the thoughts became too much I find difficult to even focus on a narrative-driven game. I prefer relaxing little gems like "A short hike" or creative sandbox games like "Occupy White Walls", described as Minecraft for museums. The last one lets you create your own art gallery out of a database of paintings and architecture. It's pretty amazing, but maybe a bit addictive.

Hope at least one of my suggestions is useful for you. Leave in the comments if they worked or if you have more tips to share. Hugs!

Tucking pants pockets in on myself, my family, friends and students will occupy my mind all day. Other than trying to only look at people from the chest up, I don‘t know any other strategies. I am on Prozac. That helps me from actually puttIng my hands down people‘s pockets!
#ocdtip

My obsessive thoughts center around what I have or have not done in the past and what I do or don’t do currently for the health of my kids and family. Although meds have helped, an added bonus is a belief in a Sovereign God.. that everything is allowed to happen for a reason and somehow for my good.. even my own choices; good, bad or indifferent. Believing that there is no such thing as randomness in the universe helps me deal with the guilt and self condemnation that OCD brings.

If you live with #OCD , there can be a lot of shame around experiencing obsessive thoughts. What kinds of thoughts do you experience, and what has helped you live with them?

#livingwithocd #ocdtip

OCD is something I'm slowly learning to live with. Rather than pushing away the irrational thoughts and worries it brings, I'm slowly learning to stay with the thoughts. The more you try push them away, the harder they come back. Mindful Meditation is great and a way of changing your focus is also good as follows: When you are having a moment where your mind is racing.........Pick 5 things in your sight and look at them, think how they may feel (soft, smooth or hard for example), is it shiny or matte. This works for me and you should find that your focus comes away from the OCD related thoughts and onto your 5 Items or Things. It takes practise so give it a go.

When your intrusive thoughts get really disturbing, pretend they are coming from some random annoying stranger. It’s easier to tell them off and ignore them.
“Hey this bridge is pretty high up. You could throw yourself off of it.”
“Or I could NOT do that, Brenda. Thanks.” #ocdtip

With #OCD , the content of the thought doesn’t matter. Also, OCD tends to attack what is most important to the person. These two ideas have helped me a lot these last few years.

If you are planning on getting a therapist to help with your #ObsessiveCompulsiveDisorder , make sure he or she is specialized in #ExposureAndResponsePrevention therapy, the golden-standard of treatment for OCD.

For me I'm very much on the right path in my journey with OCD. My tip/tips are to get the right help first of all. Find an OCD Therapist and Doctor/Specialist on . For me a combination of Medication and CBT are working so well. My confidence is coming back and I'm starting to live life again. Remember it's you who will put in the hard work to get yourself back on track and you can do it. can be pushed to the background while you get your life back. I'm also reading a very good book on treating . You/We are not alone. It's tough and recovery will be tough but it's achievable. Never Give Up.