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I think I have OCD?
Hi, I am from Australia and am a teenager. I think I have OCD. I have done some research on it. I have taken online quizzes, and they say I most likely have OCD. I have read what phsycologists say OCD is and I relate. Sometimes I feel so controlled that I cry. These thoughts come in to my head, that something bad might happen if I don't do something. I haven't told my parents about this because it's too hard for me. Sometimes I walk past, say, a doorway, and I might look at something and a bad thought comes into my head, so I have to walk back and think something different. Sometimes I have to tap something a certain number of times, because I feel like if I tap it a certain number, then something bad will happen. I don't want to go to a doctor or someone professional because I don't want to make this a big deal. I have tried telling my friends that I think I have it, and they tell me "no, trust me, you don't, you're sitting on a floor, if you have OCD, you would be wiping all the seats down before you sit on them" I tried to explain to them that that isn't what OCD is, but they didn't listen. Sometimes I would have to go back and touch something, and my friends would be like "what are you doing?" it's embarrassing. I have been telling myself that it is an OCD thought when I feel like I have to do something. I don't want to write down or keep a diary of my OCD thoughts (If they are, I don't know if I really have OCD), because it's too hard, my OCD (if it is) takes over, when I try to write it down.
Does anyone know if I have OCD? If so, are there any tips on what I should do myself to try and reduce it? Thanks!
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Hello! I have anxiety with what my therapist calls "obsessive compulsive features" so I can definitely identify with how you're feeling. it does sound like you might have OCD. Luckily, it's not too hard to treat with CBT and talk therapy.
On the surface level, the best thing to do (from my experience) is to not give in to your compulsions. It's hard, but the more you do it, the easier it gets. Keep walking past the doorway, no matter how badly you want to go back. Don't let yourself tap, no matter how scared you are that something bad might happen if you don't.
The important thing, however, is to get down to the root of your problems; the obsession. OCD is an anxiety disorder and compulsions are just a way to soothe your obsessions. Get rid of the obsession and you won't have the compulsion. Of course, OCD doesn't just go away and your obsessions may shift to something else or return, but the better you get at confronting your anxiety and determining the cause of your compulsions, the easier it'll be to resist them.
I hope I've helped. Feel free to message me if you have any more questions!
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The internet offers plenty of ideas if you look. I put in a search titled "How to self treat OCD". And got a few hits. The first link I will post does mention doing this in addition to having a counselor who has already diagnosed you as having this. While you are correct that many of your symptoms sound like OCD it could be a combo of that and something else or something else entirely. In trying to diagnose my ex who didn't at first want to go in to a counselor, I found that many of the symptoms in mental disorders seem to overlap and many share same signs. It was confirmed when I spoke to a counselor that it is difficult to diagnose someone by behavior and symptoms and it can take some time. Since you are determined to not see a doctor or tell your parents, all you can do is follow any self help ideas. And then if you find no improvement, I would suggest u seriously tell the parents and see a professional. The risk you take here is that not reaching out and letting people other than your peers know, is that depression which can be a part of this can get out of control and you could become suicidal. I have a daugther who suffered clinical depression already in H.S. and there were no outward signs. Without treatment it got worse until the depression grew out of control after she had her first baby and finally told me she suffered from thoughts of wanting to kill herself and the baby even though she knows that would be wrong. I wish I had known, that she would have told me so that I could have got her the help and been a support to her. I feel robbed of the chance to do that for her since she waited until it was critical to tell me.
Ok, that all said, heres the first links:
[Link](Mouse over link to see full location)
[Link](Mouse over link to see full location)
Also important for you to realize is the Cognitive disorders, cognition meaning a thought, is behind a good majority of mental problematic behavior. So something called CBT, Cognitive Behavioral therapy is now being widely used. There is a Dr. who was asked to write manuals on it for other Psychologists and he turned it down saying he would write a book for the average person like you and me to read. I have read the book. Even though my thought life is pretty healthy, I could still relate to those pesky negative thoughts that come up in our minds. I just seemed to naturally know how to deal with them. Many people do not, so his book was written to help average people to help themselves. I learned alot from his book and highly recommend it. He now has a website which I will list. On his website was a link to a you tube video of a speech he gave outlining how his work started with belieivng only medication therapy would help people and yet most his patients didn't respond to it. Later cbt became known and someone dared him to try it on a willing patient and the patient experienced great immediate results, not because of something he said or did, he only told them what homework they needed to do, the patient did the work correctly and got better. He was treating anxiety and depression and thats what he mentions but i know that this same outline to work with negative thought patterns that affect your emotions and then therefore your behavior can be helped this way too. Of tests done on depressed people told to wait 4 weeks for a mental health appointment, they were given this mans book to read in the meanwhile while waiting. By time their turn came for an appt. 69% of them were cured, and didn't need to see a Dr. This shows that there will still be a few who do need the additional help of a therapist in cojunction with what they do to change their thinking. It could be you. So if this helps but not totally, then its time to tell the parents, let them know what you've done so far, that you have some improvement but you still realize you need the help of a Psychologist.
Heres the link to the youtube video, followed by his website where if you click on the books tab you will see the book I've read "Feeling Good" but there is another that might be more helpful to you or in addition to the 1st book called "When Panic Attacks" (good for multiple disorders including OCD) Books can be ordered in your local bookstore if not on their shelf with no additional cost.
[Link](Mouse over link to see full location)
[Link](Mouse over link to see full location)
Please read through the website thoroughly and read peoples comments further below especially the one of a person who had been suffering from OCD titled Artie | November 10, 2013 at 9:55 PM.
Good luck and let me know what you think of this. If you do feel you need to see a therapist in the end, your parents need to know and I would suggest finding out thru Dr. David D Burns who practices in the same style in your area as he no longer keeps a practice but devotes his time to training therapists and individuals through Books and seminars on how to deal with these issues.
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