How do you fight your OCD?

13 comments

1. I’ve learned to use it to focus my energy and accomplish at higher levels

2. First off, you must recognize the specific behaviors. Train yourself to acknowledge them, and have a predetermined behavior to deal with them. An obsessive thought will arise in your mind! When you’re aware of it, think to yourself, “I am thinking of [whatever the thought]”. Switch course to a predetermined alternate: beach, forest town scene, then refocus on something productive, even if it’s simple like folding laundry, cleaning out old messages, getting ready for next work shift.

   Working with a counselor can help. It gets better with practice. Be patient with yourself, but develop the personal observer to observe and determine, not obsess. This helps you construct a path, not just obsess on useless things.

3. I have no idea but i had it when i was a kid and it just disappeared. I dont even know if thats possible.

4. With my mind.

5. I put my phone down and then i go out for a walk. Started sleeping better, started doing things, failed but kept trying till I felt proud of something i did. That sense of accomplishment created a desire in me to do more, and that in the end calmed my brain.

6. OCD is a neurological disorder. Most people who say they have OCD tendencies just like things neat. They’re the original self-diagnosers. It’s an actual thing that people suffer from. It’s not cute. Don’t be an asshole.

7. Assuming you mean real OCD, not what a lot of people think of as OCD.

   Mine honestly just kind of went away once my environment changed. I think it originally triggered because of my grandmothers impending death. This stupid voice (the intrusive thoughts) in my head would just tell me that she would die if I didn’t keep flicking the light switch until I did it “correctly”. It happened with anything that had an on/off, up/down, open/close state. Doors, cabinets, TV channels (they always had to go up), etc.

   I knew it was bullshit and these things had no relevance to her death but that’s where the magical thinking part of OCD comes in with a *”but what if!*. I couldn’t stop giving in to the compulsions.

   Eventually she passed and although my OCD did get better it transitioned to other things (now it was my family dying, or some other event I didn’t want to happen).

   Eventually though I managed to ignore the compulsions and eventually joined the military which I credit for knocking it out of me. I think just the jarring difference in mental state is what ended it for me.

   I still get the intrusive thoughts but I can ignore them.

8. You don’t fight it. You acknowledge it. You catch yourself when you’re doing it. You become more mindful of it and accept it as part of your nature. There are medications that help. But if you have a ritual that brings you comfort and it isn’t disrupting your life, it’s okay. Nobody asks for a mental illness. The right people will accept you as you are. Try being more mindful about your rituals vs fighting them. It may help.

9. ACT really helps, being in a state of non judgmental acceptance changed my life.

10. I have a friend who has crippling OCD. He sees someone (therapist) who is a specialist in this field. A university professor in Melb.

    I hope that helps.

11. As someone with quite severe OCD, you don’t. OCD preys on your anxiety and rumination. Fighting it makes it stronger. It’s hard, but exposure to it and acceptance of it is the only way to minimize it. Accept and acknowledge your intrusive throughs, obsessions, and compulsions, don’t try to negate them. This lets your OCD know it can’t hurt you.

    I’ve had OCD for about 7 years now. It’s just a part of my routine and life. Some days it’s all consuming and it completely takes over my life for several days at a time. Sometimes I can go weeks without it hardly affecting me. It is what it is.

12. I’m struggling to fight mines honestly

13. Live in a share-house where other fucking humans cannot live like normal humans and your OCD will quickly turn into fuck it I’ll just keep my area clean and be surrounded by hell