The Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Support and Discussion Thread

When I was younger I didn't know anything about it. Then when I got older we would joke about her having OCD until we finally made an appointment about it. We thought she was bi-polar (I still do think this), but she was only diagnosed with OCD. Tbh it still annoys me and I know it must be hard for her but it drives me mad too. I'd often wonder what I'd done to end up with such a "crazy" mum. I wasn't even going to post on here about it because you all seem like such nice people who haven't let this disorder affect how you treat people. I try hard to sympathise with her and understand that it's not her fault. I don't think its the OCD which has made her into a horrible person but I do think her having it makes things even worse.

Oh good, I was certain I'd offend someone. Wooow that pretty tough but it seems like you're coping with it. This thread as actually helped me btw, I had a friend in college who had OCD and there was one time when I actually had to walk away from her 'cause I couldn't understand why she was being so irrational (when she got dropped off, she fell on the ground and it had been raining so she thought she had stains on her but she didn't and all day long she kept asking if she did, and even cried at some point because she had germs on her, she couldn't even wear her jacket 'cause she had it on when she fell over). Thinking about it now, I guess I was a bit harsh. Wow it's amazing what a bit of insight can do

What is the difference between having OCD, and say, a pet hate? Sometimes things annoy me, and I do similar things as above, but often because I'm procrastinating as opposed to actually obsessively compulsive.

I hope so. I'm not very good at talking about things, well at least not face to face. I see it as a bit of a gross topic to have someone listen to

Thanks for setting this thread up, VV, I don't have OCD but my sister does and I'm too quick to get angry at her, reading this shows me what it must be like for her.

I have terrible OCD. Today I didn't take my meds as I was rushing around and now I'm one big crying mess. Ugh, I feel like my identity is OCD.
Oh, the OCD Action forum is very helpful..

Thanks and well done that's really great to hear hope your minor things don't bother you too much



Glad to hear, it can get pretty frustrating. I can't stand filthy things too, sometimes even things that bother me that I think bother everyone, I find out its just me and I'm like 'oh'

Thanks for saying that, was a lil nervous to make one but glad I did

Oh hey Parle à ma main, this is a nice surprise!

I didn't know your sister did, but I'm glad this helped you in a positive way

Fancy keeping this Anon? I know a couple people on here I'd rather not know this was
Me.

From about 8-12 it was the worse, I used to have a little phrase I'd repeat constantly
'123 over, 123 over,123 over,no now it's over" id have to do that whole phrase 3 or 9 times, and if whilst saying it anything was 'unsymetritical' (my left foot itched, or my right arm rose slightly or a finger twitched and the other didn't I'd have to repeat it)

It's hell of a lot better now, I hardly notice it and no one else knows, all I do now is rehearse what I say to the hair dresser a lot, for about a week before I get my haircut I'll just rehearse my exact wording and inflections when ever I have a spare couple of minutes. Or Sometimes if I have a storey or anecdote to tell a friend I'll mutter it to my self repeatedly, did this for about 15 minutes whilst in the cinema watching girl with a dragon tattoo yesterday :L

Really doesn't affect me in any noticeable way these data though.

Hey It's a surprise to me that you have OCD, I hope everything is alright for you

If you don't mind me asking, have you ever got any kind of help for it? My sister got a district nurse but she wasn't useful, she kept referring to my sister's OCD as a "Bully" and stuff, and my sister was like " but it's not like that...". Now she's had a session with someone else... I don't know who, but they've given her a booklet to work through. Seems a bit... pointless tbh.

Haha thanks, well I had what developed into severe hygiene OCD for maybe 10 months, I had to wash my hands frequently and it got as bad as me refusing to pick things up off the floor if i dropped them, trying to make sure no one touched me, and same with my clothes (would put them to wash if they touched anything dirty).

I don't think it's fully gone but I can operate normally, and allow these things to happen. I got over it by spending a few days forcing myself not to wash or do any of this behaviour lol

One of the small things is touching my tongue against my teeth in each corner in symmetry, I do it without realising but I guess it's a stress reliever?

Hope this thread can provide help and good information to people with OCD!

It'll be fine hopefully!

Yep I have, and not the kind your sister had isn't there a way she could speak to a psychiatrist/psychologist, or just a general counsellor? She needs to feel somewhat supported.

Hopefully it will be ok for you. I have so much respect for you for setting up this thread and talking openly about your experiences, it'll help a lot of people, and hopefully it'll help you.

Dunno, that's just who the NHS have put her with. We thought she was going to see a psychiatrist/psychologist/someone when she went to see the second person but no. I'm not really sure what they're waiting for, she's had the OCD since she was 3 and she's 11 now and it's getting worse. It's hard enough being a teen without having something like OCD. I guess the booklet thing could help though, to be fair.

My OCD has gotten a lot worse in the past 12 months and I have no idea why.

EVERY SINGLE TIME I see a date I have to think back to what I was doing on that exact day or whereabouts and I will not give up until I remember. E.g I will be watching a youtube video and see that it was uploaded on 4th August 2007, now I have to think if I was on holiday on that date, how far into the holiday I was etc. This has really gotten worse lately.

I also cannot do anything unless the clock is on quarter past, half past, quarter to or on the hour. I will literally delay anything until it gets to a certain time.

Anybody have any suggestions or advice for me?

Aww thank you. Tbh I've tried to keep all this from the medicine forum, and I'm scared, but I'm glad you know/don't mind because you're lovely and a good friend.
And aww thanks so much for saying that, and yeah hopefully

Ahh that's just not good hopefully things will change. In the mean time just try and be patient with her, get her to talk to you and if she sounds confused or surprises you try to remain calm, and be there for her It will also help the more you understand it, and it'll help her :

Awww, bless you, you're so sweet. If you ever want to talk about anything, I'm only a PM away.

I'll do that. I'll talk to her tomorrow about it. Thanks for everything.

Bah, this is beyond pissing me off now.

Basically, I've already seen doctors and therapists for anxiety before, and we did mention OCD. My therapist said if I had OCD symptoms, they could just be a part of my panic disorder, rather than having full blown OCD.

That was a while ago. I've got worse since then. These are some of the things I have to do:

1) I check my door is locked in sets of 8. I usually do it 32 times, but on a good day I may only do it 16 times and on a bad day way over 100 times. Sometimes, I just can't stop checking it and I get really worked up over it

2) I check my window is shut and locked in sets of 4 before I go to bed. Pretty much the same as above

3) I tug door handles 3 times whenever I enter/leave a room.

4) Whenever I'm talking to someone, I often have to imagine things from their point of view. Not like a normal person, I have to do it over and over again. This makes it harder to listen to them talking, so I get stuck between obsessing and listening to them, and I end up getting worked up because I can't do either properly. It happens ALL the time.

5) Pretty much the same as above. I have to repeat thoughts over and over. This frustrates my boyfriend a lot, because he can tell I'm not listening to him, so I normally tell him to give me a few minutes so I can finish obsessing. I can't do this with friends, so usually end up missing chunks of conversation (this also applies to lectures, tv programmes, anything)

Does it look fairly likely I have OCD? I know if I really want to know the answer I should see my GP, but I'm just interested in people's opinions here. Also, for those that do have OCD, does going to a doctor help that much? I'm a bit sick of seeing people for anxiety and would like to avoid that if possible, and I have already found ways of coping with some obsessions on my own.

Yeah. It's really bad cos with Maths for example, I end up wasting a lot of paper because of mistakes, and I have to write with a black pen for some reason. I now just do the working on a scrap paper and then transfer to the neat paper, which of course takes time but what can a girl do right?

have to quote this, in general i'm quite messy, but when it comes to maths i everything has to perfectly organised, ill do a question about 3 times till i find the neatest/most methodical way to set it out.

Also, im the anonymous poster form earlier, decided i dont really mind anymore

Who chooses to stay home most of the time because of their OCD? :/