OCD Coping Mechanisms

[ThePinkWall]

I was diagnosed with OCD 3 months ago, and it is ruining my life.

Every day, I spend hours perfecting many different things.

Some examples include, refreshing my browser multiple times (until I feel "just right"), washing my hands, ensuring doors and windows are locked, colour-coding my belongings, and obsessing over my physical attributes.

As a result of this, I feel as though I have no control over my life.

Unfortunately, I am unable to afford therapy.

In short, I want to know if anybody who experiences OCD has any effective coping mechanisms.

Thank you!

 

[WhiteDespair]

one thing I found helpful is the concept of "good enough". rather than trying to make things perfect I shoot for good enough. most of the time it works out. I complete the task and can move on. it's not the same as ocd but it did help me deal with perfectionist tendencies.

 

[Ligottian]

When I was a child, my mother said my OCD made me look "retarded". Of course, she had no idea what OCD was.

 

[timf]

There may be different components to OCD. There are the neuro-chemical such that medication and diet can effect (Inostitol is supposed to help). There can also be a physiological components influenced by anxiety to which certain rituals are adopted to provide a sense of control and anxiety relief.

It might be possible to experiment with activities that strengthen a sense of control as well as weaken the sense of something being so important that it needs to be controlled.

 

[Weebster]

I was diagnosed with OCD 3 months ago, and it is ruining my life.

Every day, I spend hours perfecting many different things.

Some examples include, refreshing my browser multiple times (until I feel "just right"), washing my hands, ensuring doors and windows are locked, colour-coding my belongings, and obsessing over my physical attributes.

As a result of this, I feel as though I have no control over my life.

Unfortunately, I am unable to afford therapy.

In short, I want to know if anybody who experiences OCD has any effective coping mechanisms.

Thank you!

I've had it for decades. It's awful. Where did yours come from?

This guy's channel might help.

 

[NSA]

one thing I found helpful is the concept of "good enough". rather than trying to make things perfect I shoot for good enough. most of the time it works out. I complete the task and can move on. it's not the same as ocd but it did help me deal with perfectionist tendencies.

Related to this is the concept of 80/20. Is it 80% done/good/ok? Then walk away. You can always come back if you really need to.

For something like checking door handles, I try to "be mindful" while doing it. " ok, checking the handle. It is locked. Out the door and down the stairs: yes the handle is still locked. It didn't spontaneously change between then and now".

 

[Weebster]

Related to this is the concept of 80/20. Is it 80% done/good/ok? Then walk away. You can always come back if you really need to.

For something like checking door handles, I try to "be mindful" while doing it. " ok, checking the handle. It is locked. Out the door and down the stairs: yes the handle is still locked. It didn't spontaneously change between then and now".

The persistent thought of "what if?" appears each time to torment me.

 

[PartlyHuman]

I used to suffer OCD (disclaimer: it was more compulsive than obsessive) and still have some tendencies. My OCD was largely related to my family and moving out helped. Firstly, I was away from what my "what ifs" were around, secondly I've had a roommate and was surrounded by people 24/7. I simply couldn't check that damn door over 20 times without seeming crazy so I had to limit it. Wasn't pleasant to say the least :D but it helped.
I'm sorry you have to deal with it. Out of all the surprises my mental state "gifted" me ocd was the worst. It's kind of joke, there's an opinion that ocd stems from lack of control over your life (so you try to give yourself control via rituals) but it was the thing that took most of control from me.
From my experience, it progresses because they's nothing to break the link. You know nothing will happen if you don't do the ritual but you do it anyway so it makes that link in your head stronger. It's very hard but if you at least try to simplify and shorten your rituals it'll make it more bearable and won't allow it to progress so much in the future. Ofc stopping would be the best but well one step at a time

 

[Cosmic dust]

I have it to a smaller degree, I still check multiple times if doors are locked, if faucets are closed, if electronic devices are off and so on, but it doesn't interfere too much with my life, so I never looked for professional help.

Related to this is the concept of 80/20. Is it 80% done/good/ok? Then walk away. You can always come back if you really need to.

For something like checking door handles, I try to "be mindful" while doing it. " ok, checking the handle. It is locked. Out the door and down the stairs: yes the handle is still locked. It didn't spontaneously change between then and now".

This is good advice, we do too many things without paying attention, everyone always have a billion things going on, so its easy to be unsure if we did something or not, sometimes its better if we stop, clear the mind of any other thoughts, breath deep and think "I am closing the door", so later on, when the ocd kicks in, we can just hold on the memory, instead of coming back to check on the door again.

I noticed that if you really wanna break the ritual, but it is already too strong, you can trick your brain in to accepting a replacement or changing it somehow, so you can swap that ritual for something more simple that will not interfere so much, or even swap it from one that is not already rooted too deep and can be broken more easily.

 

[Weebster]

There's no 80/20 with the stove. You'd walk back to a burned down house if you gamble wrong.