Tips for Living with OCD

[Daniel E.]

Tips for Living with OCD
By Charles H. Elliott, PhD and Laura L. Smith, PhD
Part of the Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder For Dummies Cheat Sheet

If you live with OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder), you may feel frustrated, isolated, and just plain strange.

Keep the following facts in mind, or on a card to carry with you, as you go about your daily life:

• [*=1]OCD obsessions and compulsions do not define who you are; you are not your OCD.[*=1]Seeking reassurance when you have obsessional worries only makes things worse. Try to avoid asking other people whether everything will be okay. Instead, wait a while and see how things turn out.[*=1]Overcoming OCD requires you to work hard and accept a little discomfort. Remember that your tolerance for discomfort will increase slowly over time.[*=1]Changing compulsions in some important way (such as washing your hands differently or arranging things in a new way) helps prepare you to overcome the compulsions. When you change your compulsions, they won’t feel as satisfying, but that’s actually a good thing.[*=1]Every time you hold off a compulsion, you are taking a step toward overcoming your OCD. Even waiting just 15 or 20 minutes is an accomplishment.[*=1]Don’t forget that unpleasant feelings always lessen if you give them enough time.[*=1]Don’t try to suppress your obsessive thoughts. Just remind yourself that they are merely coming from the OCD part of your mind.[*=1]Reward yourself whenever you take a step forward — do something special, take a break from work, or eat a piece of chocolate.

OCD affects both your emotional and physical health. Many people are so consumed by their OCD that they fail to live a healthy lifestyle in other ways.

The following tips can remind you to take care of yourself:

Get regular exercise.	Join a self-help group.
Get enough sleep.	Have patience.
Eat a healthy diet.	Treat yourself with kindness and compassion.
Don’t isolate yourself.	Get professional help if your efforts stall.
Consider getting support from some friends or family.

For more info: Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder For Dummies

 

[Cat Dancer]

Thanks. I printed out the first part and I'm going to carry it around. Hopefully I don't make that an obsession too.

 

[br350]

I would have to say that I think one of the most important tips listed was exercise. Exercise, exercise, exercise....it truly burns helps to dissipate anxiety and sort of regulates the body chemistry in such a way that both anxiety and depression are helped. Having suffered from OCD for many years (and some very serious bouts of depression), I can say that in many ways exercise has saved my life. I am on medication now and have been for about 5 years but I had many medication-free years which I attribute to therapy and consistent exercise. And even though I am on medication now, exercise is still as an important prescription as my meds. The intense anxiety of OCD has to be dealt with somehow. It's like an energy force that is sitting buzzing, simering and needs an outlet. I think moderate-intense exercise takes that intense energy that anxiety produces and channels it, burns it off and directs it AWAY from the overwrought mind.

 

[Daniel E.]

An excerpt from Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder For Dummies:

Building Bridges from Buddhism to Western Psychology

In the October 2006 issue of American Psychologist, Dr. B. Alan Wallace of the Santa Barbara Institute for Consciousness Studies and Dr. Shauna L Shapiro of Santa Clara University discussed their views on and approach to integrating Buddhist philosophy and mental-health practices. In contrast to traditional psychology that often focuses on what is wrong with people, Buddhist philosophy is concerned with achieving states of balanced well-being. Wallace and Shapiro believe that good mental health consists of mental balance in four areas. Achieving this balance could help relieve OCD symptoms. The four areas are:

Conative Balance: Conative behavior means purposeful and goal-directed. A person must have willful intentions and carry them out. These intentions must be realistic, and consistent with the well-being of one's self and others. For example, with OCD, there must be an intention or willingness to face fear and some discomfort in order to benefit from treatment.

Attentional Balance: Attentional balance refers to the ability to attend to and focus voluntarily. Lack of attentional control is a problem for those who suffer with OCD. They can be distracted by their obsessions and unable to concentrate on what is important. The development of voluntary and sustained attention allows a person with OCD to practice mindfulness instead of dwelling on obsessional thoughts.

Cognitive Balance: Maintaining cognitive balance means having a clear mind that is open to experiences and not distorted by thoughts or emotions. A person with cognitive balance is grounded in reality. For OCD sufferers, this means identifying OCD distortions that cloud their thinking.

Affective Balance: Affective refers to one's emotions. People with affective balance experience a full range of emotions and respond to reality with appropriate emotional expressions. They are empathic, compassionate, and joyful as appropriate, based on reality, as opposed to those with OCD who tend to become overly fearful and anxious because of their OCD beliefs.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder For ... - Charles H. Elliott, Laura L. Smith - Google Books

 

[Daniel E.]

Example of an OCD Toolbox

• Understanding – Review the OCD model and your reading material
• Relaxation – Do daily relaxation exercises to decrease your base anxiety and stress levels
• Life balance – Use activity scheduling to stabilize your mood
• Identify – Identify your current problematic behaviors and underlying appraisals and beliefs
• Hierarchies – Plan exposure hierarchies and use ERP exercises
• Remember – When feeling down, encourage yourself!! (Self criticism is not productive)
• Support – share your difficulties with people close to you

from: Cognitive Behavioral Treatment of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder: A Broader Framework (2009)