What do you think about Obsessive Compulsive Disorder? Any personal experience?!
Question: My best friend has OCD and we shared a house for nearly two years so I have a reasonable amount of outside experience as it were. It was difficult to live with my friend at times because for her, her OCD had a lot to do with things being exactly in the right place and so on. If something was moved, even a little bit and not put back exactly right she would have to go round the entire house, moving and cleaning everything then putting it back to make sure it was all perfect. It was frustrating at times because she would scream, shout and cry hysterically when things were 'not right' but I always looked at it that she was suffering much more from this than I was and instead of getting annoyed I would try and just comfort her. The best way we found to deal with it was to make sure the house stayed tidy, so magazines, plates etc were not left lying around to trigger this. Then once a week we would tidy the whole house together, a room at a time so that she could know everthing was OK. When she is at her worst with this, she has been known not to leave the house for over a week because she can't get everything just where she thinks it needs to be. When she is doing well with it however, she will only check on things once a week or when she notices that something is out of place.
She has tried various medications as well as some counselling and CBT. This has helped her get control of it most of the time, to a certain degree with her tidying the whole house once and week and not having to check everything every single day before she can go to work etc. However when she is upset or stressed, such as when she and her partner broke up for a while she still struggles a lot.
Answers: My best friend has OCD and we shared a house for nearly two years so I have a reasonable amount of outside experience as it were. It was difficult to live with my friend at times because for her, her OCD had a lot to do with things being exactly in the right place and so on. If something was moved, even a little bit and not put back exactly right she would have to go round the entire house, moving and cleaning everything then putting it back to make sure it was all perfect. It was frustrating at times because she would scream, shout and cry hysterically when things were 'not right' but I always looked at it that she was suffering much more from this than I was and instead of getting annoyed I would try and just comfort her. The best way we found to deal with it was to make sure the house stayed tidy, so magazines, plates etc were not left lying around to trigger this. Then once a week we would tidy the whole house together, a room at a time so that she could know everthing was OK. When she is at her worst with this, she has been known not to leave the house for over a week because she can't get everything just where she thinks it needs to be. When she is doing well with it however, she will only check on things once a week or when she notices that something is out of place.
She has tried various medications as well as some counselling and CBT. This has helped her get control of it most of the time, to a certain degree with her tidying the whole house once and week and not having to check everything every single day before she can go to work etc. However when she is upset or stressed, such as when she and her partner broke up for a while she still struggles a lot.
I have experienced a little of it myself. I need to know that everything is in its place and if it is not I go nuts! I am also compulsive about the stove being left on and I will check it so many times that it is crazy. I will also check the doors of my house before going to bed multiple times as well. The only thing that I have found to be successful is to make a check list of everything that annoys me and put it in a place that I will see it often. There is some medication you can take for OCD but there is no true cure.
It's just something that a lot of us deal with. Sometimes it's mild, sometimes it's severe. You have to cope with it however you can and if you think you may have a sever case, you should seek help.
When I watch TV, my volume has to be set to an even number, if it's set to an odd number I can't handle it. It's weird but managable.
I'm mildly OCD.. like if I accidentally touch one side of my face.. I have to touch the other.. and if the remote control is on the table, I sometimes have to arrange it so it lines up perfectly with the edge or corner.. stupid stuff like that. Tt's no big deal really.
everyone has a bit of ocd but if it effects your life then it is a nightmare.drugs are available which are really good if therapy doesnt work.i had ocd a year and a half ago.i convinced myself that things would happen to people i loved if i didnt do sertain things.in the back of your mind you no nothing bad will happen but cos you love them you just cant risk it.things like i couldnt wrap a cord round the hairdrier or put teddybears face down or put cups in the sink underwater if they had a face on.organizing clothes into trousers tops with short sleaves or long sleaves.actually i still do that but it does make life easy.i was put on seroxat and now it is a lot lot lot better.it rarely bothers me.its astrong force and you need to be really really strong to ignore it.