Anyone here with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder?

[MyBoyHarper]

I think I have it. My mother has been diagnosedwith it for years, but my actions are different. Hers are things suchas grabbing the 2nd of everything, not being able to bring certainthings into the house until it 'feels' right, ect.

My OCD is chronic worrying to the extent of near panic attack. And I fear it's getting worse.

When I leave the house, no one else is home for the day. And I checkeverything, all the dogs, cat, bird, animals, heater, stove, lights,ect. I make sure all the dogs are in, the cat is locked up (he'lltopple the bird cage), make sure the stove isn't on, ect.

I will double check everything two and three times. Then I will walkout the house, pull out the drive way, and get2 or 3 blocksdown the road. I then begin to second guess EVERYTHING. Did I put thedogs in, did I cut the stove off, ect. And I will drive back to thehouse, re-check everything again, and then drive off again. Then I'llsecond guess again, drive back, check, and leave again. I will do this6 and 7 times before I actually leave and stay gone.

Sometimes it depresses me and after an hour of going and coming, I juststay home. Lately, however, I have been taking my mother to workinstead. So that we can leave at the same time. And what we do is, Iwait outside, and SHE checks everything. It makes the worry *somewhat*better, but now I am concerned that this will become a habit. And itwill manifest itself into me not being able to leave the house withouthaving her leave with me and check everything. Or end up in me notleaving the house at all. I'm already full of anxiety just thinkingabout leaving the house when no one else is home. And that freakinscares me that I am concerned about this.

And this all started in thelast month to month and a half.And it had just gradually and steadily gotten worse. And I'm scared itwill continue to get worse. And I've suffered with severe chronicanxiety attacks when I was 19 (I'm 22 now). I didn't even leave thehouse for a year because I had panic attacks when I walked out thedoor. I'm scared this will lead to the panic attacks again.

Does anyone here have OCD? Are you treating it?Is thetreatment effective? I don't want to be put on medications, and itdoesn't help that I don't have health insurance. I'm worried andconcerned.

 

[Bassetluv]

MBH, I don't have OCD, but my sister-in-law andbrother-in-law both do (both with totally different symptoms aswell...one constantly worries about germs, and has become quitehousebound; the other worries constantly about health (he can only eatX amount of walnuts a day, eats the same dinner every night, fears thesun, etc.,andhe also dealswith'possessiveness' issues toward loved ones). One is intreatment with a psychologist and is taking meds, the other isn't.

If you have the means to see a psychologist, then I'd suggest that as agood route to go...but if you don't, I did find a website that may ormay not help you. It's called 'Real Mental Health', and apparently theyhave online chat rooms and forums where people who have various healthissues and concerns (including OCD) get together to support andencourage one another. Here's the link:

http://social.realmentalhealth.com/

I'm not a member, so I can't tell you if it's any good, but you mightgive it a try just to see. You might be able to find people there whoare undergoing very similar experiences as you...and in being able totalk to others about it, that in itself could be a great help. :hug2:

 

[JadeIcing]

I do!

I have to have things a certain way. If I have one thing wrong on apaper when writing have to start over. Grooming the bunnies every brushhas to be in a certain order. When drawing pencils have to be lines up.Going to write everything I could possibly need has to be in front ofme other wise I cant write.

I have tried working on it and just doesn't work. I get mad if thingsare put away wrong. If the clothes aren't just right. I know that I getangry and upset. I yell at my DH.Maybe you and I can try andfigure ways to help each other.

 

[Krystalily]

I do the same thing, MyBoyHarper. I will makesure everything is ok with the stove, that I didn't lock my cat in aroom, that I've remembered to shut the door to the room with mygrandmother's African violet in it (she passed a month and a half ago)and I make sure that they (my furbabies)have food andeverything. I make sure the windows are closed, the blinds are closed,and that all tv's are off. I lock the door. I leave. I hardly make itout of the complex, when I start to think "Did I leave the stove on?Did I lock my door? Is a window open and my plant will die?"

So I turn around, and recheck everything again.

I am not sure if that is OCD or paranoia? Although I know I have it. Ialways second-guess these things. And the worst is when I am leavingfor a vacation. I worry the whole vacation instead of just enjoyingmyself.

 

[MyBoyHarper]

JadeIcing, you and I helping each other sounds good to me! Glad to see that you guys know how I feel and I'm not alone!

Krystal, you sound exactly like I do. I check everything, then secondguess, and re-check it again. And my mind will go over every singlething in the house, even the most mundane, and I will turn around andre-check everything yet again. Sometimes 5 and 6 times. It'sridiculous. :craziness

Bassett, thank you so much for the link, I will definitely check it out!

 

[Maureen Las]

Hi Guys

I used to be a psychiatric nurse , and yes, MBH you DO have OCD. Thegood thing is is that theire are medications specifically made for thisdisorder now . It is a very common and uncomfortable disorderbut if you see a pyschiatrist I would guess that you couldget meds that would really help you alot. Let us know

 

[JAK Rabbitry]

Jesse has OCD.

I count EVERYTHING. Always counting. I can't stop counting. If theresmore than one of something I will count it in my head. It drives mecrazy beacuse i'm also saying to myself '' WTF Are you doing!? Thisisn't important!''

And once i'm done counting it, i'll coutn it again. I second guess thenumber I came up with. I love counting money, even if its not mine. Iliekt o categorize all the loose change and count it out. I countEVERYTHING. One time at work it was slow and I wrote every number from1-1000 on a singel sheet of paper . Some guy fianlyl came through justas I was on 999 and was like ''bored?''

I count pretzal salt, I count ideas, I will knock on someone'sdoor...then replay the sound in my head and count how many times Iknocked. I do that a lot..the replay thing with sound.

So no you're not alone.

 

[JadeIcing]

I have to find another way, I won't take meds.

 

[pamnock]

A friend of mine recently had a VNS implanthttp://panicdisorder.about.com/cs/anxietymoreinfo/a/vns.htm

She's been on meds for years - she's happy to now be able to be off meds and the implant seems to be working.

Pam

 

[JadeIcing]

Ohh! That seems cool.

 

[Carolyn]

Cali has it.

She is absolutely Obsessed with knocking over my tissue trashbasket in my living room. It drives her crazy when it's notlaying down.