My friends have been saying i have OCD for a while now and i wasn’t so sure but when i think through all of my unusual behaviour, I cant help but to wonder, do i?

I always have to check my plate, bowl, cup, spoon etc for any marks, i smell them then i double check there is nothing on them before suing them.

If anything wet touches me such as water i have to immediately wipe it off, or if i have been kissed i wipe it off because i cant stand the feel of it.

Everything has to be symmetrical for me, when i was putting up christmas decorations with my dad i had to take over in the end because it was really annoying me that everything was not perfectly symmetrical and in place.

When i listen to music i always count the beats to make sure it goes in even numbers x]

I am always clearing my throat and blowing my nose because i always feel something is there and i cant stand it!

Whenever someone has used the white board and they clean it, i always look to see if they have cleaned every line and dot off otherwise it annoys me to the point where i have to get up in front of class and just clean it myself.

But i am not a neat freak though my mother said that i cant be OCD because my room is a mess and i always leave a mess in the house like leaving my cups around and wrappers XP

What do you think?

I have MAJOR OCD and my room is a disaster! I"m a slob but everything with me has to be even and the right side always has to be bigger or higher and whatever then the left. Many different things like that just go on and on. You have a lot of the same problems that I have: the counting the beats in music, even numbers, the symmetrical everything. OCD isn’t all about neatness. You don’t have to be like Monk to have OCD. That’s just something that bothered them. OCD is about things that shouldn’t bother you, make you CRAZY! It’s different for every person. Not just the same things bother you. A mess doesn’t bother you, that’s good. But OCD interferes with your life. OCD usually effects every move you make, every thought you think, every single thing there is. YOu can always find SOMETHING. If you think this, you may have OCD. My guess is that you do.

If you have anything you want to ask or talk to me about, just IM me or email me

So this story is a little long and detailed, but I need to say everything in order for me to get the best possible answer. It all started a year ago. Nothing dramatically changed in my life. Just little by little I started feeling like a zombie. I would drive to work and be at work all day and feel like Im not even there. Almost as if Im in the back of my mind looking at myself doing work without having any control. Then I started to feel out of it. Day by day life would just pass by and I felt like I was just a tiny spec in the world. I started to always feel lightheaded and dizzy. I looked up my symptoms and it all came up to me having panic disorder or depression, but I had never had a panic attack then.

Then one day on the way home I had my first panic attack. Lightheaded, dizzy, heart racing, intense fear, almost felt like i was dying, all the symptoms of a panic attack. Went to the hospital and did all the tests, heart was fine, blood was fine, brain scans were fine. I constantly had panic attacks over and over until I was prescribed paxil. I take it once a day now and have been for about 6 months. No more panic attacks.

Im going to skip ahead to the end now because everything in between was just me getting adjusted to the meds and so on. I started to have extreme trouble sleeping, cant fall asleep cant stay asleep. Even if i sleep 12 hours i feel as if i got none whatsoever. Then I started to have these intense nightmares. Im either dying or being chased and things like that. This also affected my sleep because i wouldnt even want to try and sleep because of the fear that i get from the dreams. So i started getting better sleep but this is where the story gets weird. I am a fairly religious person. I pray and do all that good stuff. but im not completely sold onto ghost stories and stuff like that until now. I have never before felt like someone was following me ever. Never really been paranoid until recently. Im starting to here whispers alot now. Not complete sentences but just whispers. I also see things out of the corner of my eye, but when i look there isnt anything there. I feel like something is always following me. Almost as if a ghost or demon. And im starting to think that maybe i am possesed, because like i said before i felt like i was trapped in my brain and my body is doing everything on its own. Sometimes i feel like something is behind me, to where im scared to turn around and see some kind of demon creature standing there,i also see faces when i close my eyes, creepy demon lookin ones, ive seen faces also with my eyes open, Naturally i did the thing tht everyone else would do, i googled information about this. Turns out there are things where ppl are possesed and stuff like this happens, I have this extreme fear of encountering some kind of demon, idk what i would do if tht ever happened, im not that bad of a person to where i think i should be punished from God but who knows. If anyone knows anything about this please help me. I dont like telling my story on the internet but i have no where else to go, my psychiatrist assures me its all in my head, but if there is any other answer out there please leave a comment. No douchebag comments please i assure you i am dead serious right now, also if you have any idea on why i dont feel connected to the world? feel like im trapped in my head and stuff like that, please leave a comment i would greatly appreciate it. Thank You.

This will sound like a joke answer, but I’m serious: you need professional help. What you are describing are symptoms of extreme anxiety, panic attack, agoraphobia, perhaps even paranoid schizophrenia. I don’t mean to scare you, but this is something you shouldn’t try to deal with on your own. I’m not a doctor, but I have had the need in the past for help with problems and I know it can seem hopeless. If you don’t feel like your psychiatrist is helping you, TELL THEM … or get someone else. These symptoms can be controlled with meds and if you’re not getting what you need, then find someone who can help you.There is no need to feel embarrassed or ashamed. You’re not crazy, you’re not possessed. Talk to someone. Good luck.

I’ve been in a bit of a pickle lately. My girlfriend and I (and possibly soon to be not) have been together for about 9 months now. 3 months ago she became obsessed in an endless cycle of study which ended with her last exam this week. Through all of that she has been pushing her friends out the way and becoming frustrated that I won’t leave her alone. I was continually worried that I wasn’t doing anything to help her feel better, not realising that by actually distracting her I was making things worse and she now hates me.

What I can’t deny is that as our relationship slowly broke apart, I was obsessed with the little things. Kisses on the ends of text messages, not receiving a reply quickly, whether she was online or not, whether she was ignoring me and more importantly, whether or not she was ok. I’ve had to go round her back to find out that she has OCD symptoms. I now question whether my anxiety causes mine in our relationship, or whether it is the other way round.

All of this feeds my anxiety but I can’t help but think that if I wasn’t so obsessed I wouldn’t be anxious. I guess I just really want to know where to go from here as we have both annoyed each other so much, it’s like we’ve reached the point of no return. I’m not going to contact her between now and Tuesday and then I think she will end it. She’s made it pretty clear, I just refuse to accept that knowing how she’s been behaving.

You’ll recover eventually, my brother had a girlfriend for…just shy of 11 months when she broke up with him, he felt better within the next few days. You might just be a bit more sensitive and it’s taking a while longer than normal for you to adapt to these things, even thought she didn’t exactly "break up with you". I don’t necessarily think you have OCD, since from your information you never said anything about other small things that bother you.

As for "where to go from here", try to keep out of contact with her bit-by-bit, talk to her just somewhat less until you reach a point where you know she’s more comfortable as well.

Im 14 From Uk
Im Going InTo 4th Year In September
I Havnt Left My House Scinse June Last Year
(Besides Goibg To Shop Or Skool)
Anyway I Have No Friends Outside Skool & Now Its End Of The Year When Every1 Is Out On Holiday & Yet Again Im Going To Spend Another Summer Like A Loner (Not That I Wanna)

Its Just I Am Usally A Bright Hyper Boy But Recently Because Im Not Doing Stuff Ive Started To Go Weird

Ive Became Anerixic (Which My Mum Doesnt Know About)
(I Have Got Bi-polor)(Now OCD)
Im Going Crazy!
I Just Cant Seem To Left My Head Up High Anymore

When i look in The Mirror I Know longer c that cheerful teen everone once saw. Just A fat, ugly,freak & loner.

I Just cant stand havin no1 around anymore no friends or nonthing.
So i might just starve myself to death b/c 2 b honest the past year of my life has sucked & i dont really feel like goin through with my life no more

(I dont want any1 to say anything like dont worry it will get better Cuz IT WONT!

Maybe If i starve myself i wont b in my huz for 64 days & Maybe i might get some attention being in hospital….

This idea may sound too simple, but it has worked for me and is changing my life.

Take a pen and sheet of paper and write just one thing you are grateful for. It can be anything big or small.

Do this again…one more thing you are grateful for…again…and again.

Keep doing this.

It’s not that the situation around you will change so much as your perspective on yourself. When you realize the infinite number of things you have to be grateful for you will see the magnificent abundance that is in your life. You will see how much you have in your life and how much you have to offer the world. You don’t have to feel so small, lonely and isolated. Your gifts are so great and beyond measure. You just need to take stock of what you have more than on your shortcomings and what you lack.

My life situation has been miserable until I started practicing gratitude. I thought I was an empty failure and had nothing to give until I started to give thanks for the countless blessings I have. Now, I’m finding meaning and purpose through my suffering and using my painful experiences to help others such as yourself.

I hope this is of some comfort to you. Best wishes .

I’m 20 years old and i suffer from hypochondria and frequent panic attacks. I’ve always been somewhat of a hypochondriac, but once my panic attacks started a few months ago I have been convinced that this is the start of some severe heart disorder leading to my death. It sounds very dramatic and even makes me laugh when I think about it from another view, but it doesn’t give me peace or reassurance. The only thing that settles the anxiety is being told by a medical professional that nothing is going to happen to me.

I have a doctor, but I don’t want to waste money going to appointments every week. Is there someone that could just email me quick advice or help me out when it’s not serious enough for me to go to the hospital? I really don’t see another cure.

You know, I have that problem too. And knowing that there were others out there who had problem made me feel better.

But the thing is, it IS a problem. You cannot keep telling yourself that it is okay to live with this exaggerated form of anxiety. And like you, the medical professional was also the only thing that would calm my nerves. So this is what I want you to do:

1 - Go to your doctor for one last visit about this particular problem (you keep going for annual physicals of course)
2 - Get a physical and blood test done
3 - Your doctor will tell you that there is nothing wrong
4 - You will officially tell yourself that if all that nonsense you were thinking was true, all those diseases and problems you conjured up on your body were real, the physical and blood test would obviously show it
5 - Whenever that little bit of anxiety starts to rise, remind yourself of this, and also that if you were suffering from cancers and everything, your sure as hell would know because there are symptoms.
6 - Tell yourself that you are lucky to be living in this modern day and age where technology has allowed us to have advance treatments where if anything WAS wrong, you would be able to have positive prognosis, unlike living just 15 to 20 years ago, where it was a dim place. And tell yourself that over the past 5 years there have been exponential research and findings in medicine, and in the next 5 years it will continue. Scientists working with computers and machinery are close to finding very good cures for diseases.
6 - Finally, hang out with your friends! Have fun! Tell yourself to enjoy life. Add a little humor and love to your life. Tell yourself: I could also get hit by a car, but the chances of that are about as high as my chances of getting all these diseases I keep thinking of!

Let me know if you have any other problems with this! And remember, if things do not get better even after these steps, you should consult a psychologist, because it may be serious than you think, and those guys can certainly help a lot!

I really cant take it anymore. All these thoughts of dying. And killing people are making me sad 24/7 i feel tired because i wake up ALL the time at night because i cant sleep. Its really making me depressed. Im only 14 years old and this is not life. Im getting tortured in my own head. It feels like im going to lose controll of my body any moment and murder my loved ones. When i think of these thoughts its like a VIVED day dream and its SOOO REAL! and i feel like i can break out crying any second because i cant get it out of my head… i lock the pets out of my room because i feel like i will kill them in my sleep or black out and murder them. I just cant take this anymore. my therapist doesnt want to prescribe my medicine because im to young. and i seriosuly cant take this anymore… my chest achs like CRAZY and my back and kneck are FULL of knots and i dont want to eat because i lose my apitite from these crazy thoughts.. i just want to be my self. i sleep durring school and fail because i cant sleep anymore. i just wake up randomly at night. I keep having vivid flashbacks that make me feel as bad as i did when it really happend. i dream that i die and it is horrible. i live in a fear of death that wont go away. And the obbsestion WONT come out of my head and it is HORRIBLE… i write things down but half way i threw my book down and started to cry… how can i live like this? i feel like shit everyday. i gave up my friends because i somtimes think they are gonna hurt me somehow.. i sleep durring the day because im always tired… i even feel tired when i wake up and so. i just want the old me back. I keep having thoughts of dying that wont stop and i feel like it wont stop till i die. ITS HORRIBLE… this is NOT life im only 14 i should be having fun… im not being over dramatic i cry almost everyday… i am shaking because i have bad anxiety and i cant calm my self down because when i think of good thoughts it pops right out coz how i feel. when i feel like shit i think like shit and it is never ending. I feel like life right now is hell and i hate it so much. i hate living and i feel like im dying. I feel like im gonna pass out sleeping any second and i have a feeling of hate and anger and sadness. One time i felt good for once but that was only 10 minutes i was laughing horribly and couldnt stop because i was like ocd-free then i felt like crap again. I feel like i can break out crying any second. its hard holding it back. i just cant take it… i want pills because my doctor said it works but he doesnt want to give it to me because its risky at my age. I feel like to punch a wall and put a 1000000000000000000 holes anywhere to take out my mad and sadness…if i do somthing wrong a little bit i feel breaking point and cant get it out of my head till i cry and till i cry i feel a little better and this is NOT LIFE… i feel like its a nightmare that wont end !!!!!

please help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i cant take it anymore!!!

If you are just seeing a therapist then try going to a psychiatrist for children. I have heard of 7 year olds on oprah who take medication for schizophrenia so I don’t know why it’s unsafe for you at 14. I would try to find a new psychiatrist.
You can try exercise to help your depression. Join a team sport and socialize with people. Try meditation as well maybe that will calm you down.

I have had severe anxiety since I was in first grade. I went over to my new girlfriend’s house tonight. And by the time I got there, my anxiety had just built up, even though I had taken my Ativan (heavy duty anti-anxiety med).

I had barely gotten into the house when I started to just puke. I am terrified of throwing up. As a child, I would throw up alot due to anxiety, and my parents would punish me for it. So this whole ordeal has really taken alot out of me tonight. I am taking the day off work tomorrow, so I can go see my counselor, and just reset. I feel so blank now. I don’t know why?

Am I just exhausted from all of this? The last time I had a panic attack this bad, I ended up in the hospital. My girlfriend was really supportive and really took care of me, which I told her while I was puking, thank you. That she was being sensitive, and I have never gotten that before. So this leads me to my second question. We’ve only been dating for a few weeks. Did our relationship really just get messed up from my mental break down? How do I handle this?

Thanks for reading all of this, and for the advice in advance.
I am really shy and sometimes in social situations, I just don’t cope well. Also, it is really hot here, and her ac hasn’t gotten fixed yet, so I knew it was going to be hot going into it. The heat sets off panic even if I am feeling fine.

But that is a good question, I will really have to think about, "Why?"
I appreciate the prayers. She wanted me to call her once I got home, but I was still freaked, and like ready to cry.

I think because a panic attack takes so much out of ~ mentally and physically ~ you are feeling totally exhausted ~ you really need to rest a while if you can ~ Just take things one step at a time with your relationship ~ would a small hand held fan help with the heat ~ Take care and look after yourself ~

…ok I have always had ocd since i was young, now i am 30 years old, i always had some paranoid thoughts which i later forgot and did not bother me, or i had to touch something like for 3 times, or tap my foot 3 times etc, i was happily in a relationship for 7 years, well i have always been a pesimist and stuff but OCD did not govern my life, i worked etc, last november i came through a very anxious period of my life, i thought i was seriously ill and i was so anxious i couldnt sleep at nights, i was crying all day long, i couldnt work etc, after 2 months i did ALL medical tests turned out i was all OK and that everything was in my mind (due to being hypochondriac and ocd of course), however after this period i think i startd losing it, my OCD got in another phase like schizo, i was like " what if others dont exist and i am alone in the world" i was crying and didnt want to see anyone , then i was like " what if i am a cat" and a cat meowed and i thought what if i am a cat and started worrying and stuff, which i know its bullshit but i am so phobic and i get influenced so much and then started worrying, then i always encountered the number 13 an idea came to my mind "what if only me my mother and my bf exist in the world ‘ ?? or tha last weekend my bf went for a heart exam, and when i called another lady cam up at the phone (i had called a wrong number) then i called again and he replied to me that everything was ok and stuff, but in that same evening i was like " what if my bf is dead and i am imagining i see him "???? and then i become again anxious , my mind is like so fvked up , i know all this is bullsh!it, but i am always doubting what if and what if , i dont think i can handle this anymore, i d liketo put an end to my life but i dont want to hurt my mum, my bf and my sisters who adore me but they cant understand the hell i am going through every single day, i am on effexor which has really improved me but then i am like ok for 10 days and all of a sudden a new thought comes up and makes me worse than before ….. the psychiatrist prescribed yesterday some anafranil too, he says dont worry you are way too phobic, but i think i am losing it , i somethimes wish i had a physical illness rather than this sh!t….. i have everything in my life, my job, my bf, friends , car (i had all this for granted before ) and now i can not enjoy ANYTHING anymore, the life is meaningless ………thanks for any words of encouragement and sorry for the mistakes in the english language is not my mother tongue

regards
Alexandros from Greece …. .

You certainly have a lot on your plate, don’t you? You’ve obviously dealt with OCD over 20 years, & seem to be handling THAT pretty well. I mean well enough to where (like you said) you have a bf, job, car & family that "adores" you! That’s saying a LOT!

You must be under a Psychiatrist’s care, due to the 2 meds you mentioned, which, by the way, work very well together. If you don’t currently have one, I strongly suggest you see a therapist or counselor in the mental health field. Maybe your Dr. can suggest ones he feels are good. If you’re already seeing one, possibly find another if you are not having good results.

It sounds like you might have schizo-affective disorder, however, your Dr. should be assessing you for everything when he/she sees you. Some psychiatrists manage medication ONLY. You need a professional to TALK to on a consistent basis. Your anxiety level is excessively high which might indicate anti-anxiety medication. This may help with the suicidal ideation you mentioned. Bottom line - your Dr. and therapist NEED to be aware of all these symptoms you’ve mentioned, from which you are suffering.

NO one should have to endure the mental pain you’ve described. You need support. If your family doesn’t understand, find a support group for which you are diagnosed. No, find one ANYWAY. If not a group to physically attend (which is most effective), then same type group on-line! Strong support is SO important! You have good insight into your affliction, so USE it verbally with your DR.! If you feel HE doesn’t understand, you have a right to see a different Dr. for a fresh perspective.

Look how far you have come from early on. YOU are your best advocate. Be strong, positive & assertive & work hard at getting even better. You GO girl! You can do it!

I left all my revision for loads of topics to the last minute, I don’t need nagging to revise earlier but i’m panicking now (these aren’t my GCSES or anything just end of year tests) but i still want to do ok, what’s the best way of doing last minute revision so it Sticks in your head?

get your toaster.
remove outer plastic or metal.
wire it up to a spatula.
set your toaster for two minutes.
Hold on tight.
you are now back two weeks ago.
Start your revision

Good Luck and i hope it works

I’m 17, and Gay. and have had four relationships. my first one was excellent. but he ended it with me, for reasons unknown. my second one was the same as the first. Now my third one is where my OCD begins to play into my relationship.

i was happy for about the first month. and then one day i was down, and he texted me. and i didn’t feel like talking to him. and i had an intrusive thought "what if me not wanting to talk to him means i don’t love him" and i freaked. and then from then on, i over analyzed things, and saw everything in a negative light, and the intrusive thoughts kept coming. it got so bad that i had to end it with him. i was unknowingly letting my OCD attack my relationship. i never realized it was going that route. i thought what i was thinking was real. on the sidelines though all three of my past relationships, there was one boy that i used to hang out with so much. i really liked him, and i knew he liked me, but i also knew that he was unsure of his sexuality. so i never made a move. then two weeks ago, he came out to me. and i had ended the relationship about a week earlier. i then proceeded to plot out how i was going to ask him out. all that time though i had this nagging fear that the same thing might happen with this one as it did with my ex. i really liked this boy. so i was hesitant to commit to him. but i did. the anxiety is much less with him, then it ever was. but tonight was the focal point. i was down. and he messaged me. and the same fear came back, not nearly as bad. but there nonetheless. i truly love this boy, and i want him forever. i do NOT want my OCD to screw this one up. i am currently not in therapy, or on any medication. but not soon enough. and i feel the distancing happening again. i cry over having these feelings, because i never want to lose him. but i never want to suffer like i did with my ex. i really have no idea what to do, i can get medication. but i love this boy so strongly. i just want to cry about this, because i keep having intrusive thoughts constantly about him. "just leave him" "how would i break up with him" "i don’t want to talk to him right now, do i really love him" "why am i not home or at his house talking to him" and all this other stuff. i really love him and i want him forever. but my OCD is beginning to kill another one. please help me. i cannot let this happen.

FIRST

tell your SO that you have OCD, and that sometimes it takes you and your emotions over.
tell him the sort of things you start thinking. Be honest with him. Tell him how this has destroyed your relationships before.

THEN see a psychologist or psychiatrist to get Meds and training in what to do when the OCD starts taking over your brain again.