Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Anxiety comes in many different forms, one common form being Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, or O.C.D. O.C.D can be described as "...an anxiety disorder in which time people have recurring, unwanted thoughts, ideas or sensations (Obsessions) that make them feel driven to do things repetitively.(www.psychiatry.org)
Personally I have suffered from O.C.D my whole life, but it was triggered, as you may already know from previous blog entries, from my parents divorce. Every morning before school I would walk down the hallway of my home, and open and close the doors until my mind said I could stop. Then I would check the door knobs over and over again pulling them shut, for I feared for some how the doors had opened. Then at night I would lay down in my bed, the intrusive thoughts still pounding in my brain. They would make me do the most senseless things, such as checking door locks over and over again, and adjusting the curtains. Of course I would try to ignore these thoughts, but they just continued to get stronger and stronger until I just had to give in. I remember one time I was watching a movie on the couch, and my mind all of the sudden told me to gooutside and eat a maggot. I had no idea how to control myself and I broke down. My sister had to actually go outside and kill the maggots just so I wouldn't eat them. Those were the kind of ridiculous thoughts I was dealing with on a daily basis. Constantly these thoughts were bombarding my brain, causing an interference with my life.
Suffering with O.C.D is very difficult, and truthfully there really is no cure. But from my personal experience remembering the truth of the situation really helps me control my thoughts. I am able to tell myself that if I don't check the curtains nothing is going to happen to me, or if I don't touch the door knob I will be alright. Is it easy? No. But is it possible? Yes.
If you have any questions , or even comments please let me know in the comment section. I am very interested to hear what other people are going through, and I am curious to see if anyone else can relate to my situation.
Personally I have suffered from O.C.D my whole life, but it was triggered, as you may already know from previous blog entries, from my parents divorce. Every morning before school I would walk down the hallway of my home, and open and close the doors until my mind said I could stop. Then I would check the door knobs over and over again pulling them shut, for I feared for some how the doors had opened. Then at night I would lay down in my bed, the intrusive thoughts still pounding in my brain. They would make me do the most senseless things, such as checking door locks over and over again, and adjusting the curtains. Of course I would try to ignore these thoughts, but they just continued to get stronger and stronger until I just had to give in. I remember one time I was watching a movie on the couch, and my mind all of the sudden told me to gooutside and eat a maggot. I had no idea how to control myself and I broke down. My sister had to actually go outside and kill the maggots just so I wouldn't eat them. Those were the kind of ridiculous thoughts I was dealing with on a daily basis. Constantly these thoughts were bombarding my brain, causing an interference with my life.
Suffering with O.C.D is very difficult, and truthfully there really is no cure. But from my personal experience remembering the truth of the situation really helps me control my thoughts. I am able to tell myself that if I don't check the curtains nothing is going to happen to me, or if I don't touch the door knob I will be alright. Is it easy? No. But is it possible? Yes.
If you have any questions , or even comments please let me know in the comment section. I am very interested to hear what other people are going through, and I am curious to see if anyone else can relate to my situation.
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