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living life with ocd

A Movie of Glitches: Living Life with OCD

Jul 20, 2022
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My life constantly glitches. I often get caught up in one moment and have to repeat things to assure myself that it’s okay to move on with my day. My brain tells me I can’t contaminate anything.

My life constantly glitches. I often get caught up in one moment and have to repeat things to assure myself that it’s okay to move on with my day. My brain tells me I can’t contaminate anything.

If I touch something dirty, I have to wash my hands. Wait... my hand touched the sink, so I wash again. Wait... I touched the sink handle that I touched with my dirty hand. I wash again. The towel that I wiped my hands on also touched my face and snot could have gotten on it. I wash again.

I sanitize the door handle with a disinfecting wipe. Wait... there are chemicals in that disinfectant. I try to move on, but my attention is snagged on that one detail. I wipe off the disinfectant with a paper towel so that no one else gets chemicals on their hands.

Continue Reading Transcript

I sit at my computer, reading something. At first, I try to read it in my head. Wait... did I really get anything out of it? I read it again. This time aloud. Wait... I messed up one word. I have to start over and read it perfectly to get the intended message of the sentence.

I get ready to hop into bed and look over at my desk. A couple of things are cluttered around. I tell myself “It’s okay. Those things can wait until the morning.”. My brain sends a different message: “No, I have to clean it now or else it will bother me, and I won’t be able to sleep”.  

Moments like these control my whole day. When I try to move past whatever is bothering me, my mind continues to fixate on it. There’s always a “wait...”. I’m nervous... tense... and distressed. I don’t want to give in to the thoughts because I know that they’re irrational. However, the thoughts persist, and at some point, I can’t take it anymore.   

If you can relate to my experiences, there is hope and there is help. Health professionals can provide treatments such as therapy and medications. I used to feel helpless, constantly replaying every moment. Receiving treatment has helped prevent my obsessions and compulsions from controlling my life. Are you experiencing obsessive-compulsive disorder? It’s never too late to ask for help.

References

International OCD Foundation. (n.d.). How is OCD Treated? International OCD Foundation. Retrieved May 10, 2022, from https://iocdf.org/about-ocd/ocd-treatment/

International OCD Foundation. (n.d.). What Causes OCD? International OCD Foundation. Retrieved May 10, 2022, from https://iocdf.org/about-ocd/what-causes-ocd/

International OCD Foundation. (n.d.). What is OCD? International OCD Foundation. Retrieved May 10, 2022, from https://iocdf.org/about-ocd/

International OCD Foundation. (n.d.). Who Gets OCD? International OCD Foundation. Retrieved May 10, 2022, from https://iocdf.org/about-ocd/who-gets/

Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. (2020, March 11). Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Mayo Clinic. Retrieved May 10, 2022, from https://www.m ayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/obsessive-compulsive-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20354432

If you or someone you know is experiencing obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), there is hope. Contact your health provider or call the National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357) supported by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

More blogs like this:

The Relationship Between the Five Facets of Mindfulness and the Dimensions of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

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