One of the beneficial aspects about being at work is that you are able to focus in on say, the spreadsheet you are working on, rather than whatever OCD fear your mind wants to conjure up in that particular moment. But the counter to this is that OCD often tries to take advantage of times... Continue Reading →
A common coping mechanism for dealing with OCD is to recognize and engage with an OCD thought by "denying" it when it pops into your head. I have used this exact method for years, and still continue to utilize it even today. The usual process is simple and consists of basically 3 steps. 1. The... Continue Reading →
In a recent post, I discussed marijuana and OCD, and today I want to talk about a related topic--alcohol and OCD. There are similarities and differences between the two "vices" and how they associate with OCD. I don't think it is too much of a stretch to claim that alcohol, despite being much more prevalent... Continue Reading →
The following is a story I wrote about how I better learned to deal with the many different types of OCD I was facing. The key for me was learning that OCD, at its heart, is trying to do the same thing in every situation. The joy of a crock pot is that you can... Continue Reading →
This is a tricky topic as I am not discounting the fact that marijuana can help people with OCD reduce their anxiety. And while I wouldn't have ever considered myself to be a heavy drug-user, I certainly enjoyed smoking in college at certain times. However, once my OCD got more severe after I left college,... Continue Reading →
Sometimes, no matter how much therapy and practice you have put in, you can still be overwhelmed by OCD anxiety. And this scenario is exacerbated when it occurs at work because in the workplace, you are expected to be socially "normal" and there are less places to hide. So, in this more practical post, I... Continue Reading →
If I have learned one lesson throughout my battle with OCD, it is that OCD will try to turn anything, no matter how mundane, into a problem. It is constantly searching for that next anxiety-provoking idea and thus will use whatever material it has its disposal in order to cause someone distress. One of my... Continue Reading →
In my opinion, therapy is the single most important factor involved in reducing the impact of OCD in someone's life. Therapists help structure a plan for success, provide helpful homework, and make sure that a person is staying on track to meet their OCD goals. I know I would've have been lost without mine and... Continue Reading →
Dreams mean nothing, literally nothing. Dreaming about murder does not mean you are a murderer. Simple concept, but it can be especially hard for people with OCD to accept. It certainly was for me. I had to understand that it was not like I was acting on anything in my dreams, and dreams, like the... Continue Reading →
Backsliding in OCD lingo means that someone, in response to an OCD worry, engaged in mental or physical compulsions more frequently or intensely than recommended (by their therapist usually). This is a very common and understandable process. OCD is really hard and for me, I backslid even when I knew exactly what I was supposed... Continue Reading →
Obsessive Compulsive Deprecation: Living with OCD at Work 