# I hate being OCD, how to cope



## Cooper (Apr 18, 2008)

I am a 52 year old man who has been OCD forever. For many years (long before a doctor diagnosed me) I used it to my advantage, the focus and discipline of routine helped me excel at sports and in the work place, my life was full of goals and accomplishments. 

I went on prozac 3 years ago and took it for half a year but just couldn't deal with how it made me feel, I have also tried a couple of other types of meds but couldn't deal with the side affects. I have tried many other relaxation technics but just can't shut my thoughts down.

Present day.....OCD is wearing me out, physically and mentally. Case in point, yesterday I had to fire an employee and it turned into a very ugly scene. I had spent the last few days playing the scene of his termination over and over in my mind, hardly slept at all. By the time he was out of the building I was physically sick and already running everything thru my brain again and again. I barely slept last night and here I am today constantly running the entire situation over and over in my thoughts, I just can't stop. 

I need to try and figure out how to stop this kind of movie from replaying over and over in my brain. I know my example is kind of an extreme case but honestly my brain works the same be it a big or small issue, I latch onto it and can't let it go until something comes along and forces it out.

I am looking for help from anyone else who has the same issue, I am looking for any kind of coping technics that you have found works. I just want to relax, I just want to sleep. I don't drink or smoke so no issues there, and sleeping pills put me to sleep but never let me sleep thru the night, then I feel like crap the entire next day.

Any ideas?


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## Tony55 (Jun 8, 2012)

Is the replaying of thoughts, like you described, the only way the OCD manifests? No counting, or checking, etc?

T


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## Cooper (Apr 18, 2008)

I'm not obsessive about checking thinks over and over but do have issues with numbers, I want everything to be an even number and if I can't have that I at least try to break things down into even blocks or rows or whatever I need to do to get it even in my mind. I need everything in straight lines, closed circles or symmetrical patterns, I need a consistent routine or feel out of whack. 

But you know those are things I can live with, really there are two things that really bother me. The constant running of thoughts is one and the other is my issue of leaving things unfinished. Things unfinished are everything from a task at work to things like a load of laundry, I need to finish everything I can everyday, I obsess and worry that I won't finish something so I work harder and faster to get more done. When I was young I had so much energy that 18 hour days were easy, but now at 52 my body is starting to complain.


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## Tony55 (Jun 8, 2012)

Ok, I understand what you're saying, and I sympathize with you, I know its hard. Listen, I don't recommend books often, in fact I don't know if I ever have on here, but I think there's one I know of that will work wonders for you, it's called 'Brain Lock', by Jeffrey M. Schwartz, it's an easy read and very enlightening.

My brother and mother had/have OCD, both read the book and both said it had the best advice/solutions they had come across. They are/were both real big into the counting and evenness of things.

I remember the mantra they had to repeat was something like, "It's not me, it's the OCD", something like that.

T


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## Cooper (Apr 18, 2008)

Thank you tony55, I will get the book, I appreciate your input.


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## Mavash. (Jan 26, 2012)

What's your diet like? Do you drink soda's, chemicals like aspartame, junk food, or do you eat clean?


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## Homemaker_Numero_Uno (Jan 18, 2011)

You have to get OCD about getting treatment for your OCD.
(Like also getting angry about anger, in order to diminish it.)

Definitely it can be treated.
You should see a specialist, psychiatrist/neurologist with a proven track record in treating OCD and affiliation with a hospital/research center. 

Probably you can take a different kind of drug. There are many out there that can deal with both issues of obsessive thinking (do you also have physical signs of OCD, like double-checking things, having to do things in a certain sequence, etc?) and also sleep issues.

The thing is, you are going to have to make time to deal with this. Every time you start obsessing, you are going to have to stop your life in its tracks and roll up your sleeves and deal with that specific instance of it, whatever it takes.

Definitely professional help, and you may have to take some time off of work to focus on learning everything you'll need to know to tackle this.

Likely it will take an interdisciplinary approach: diet, exercise, sleep and other habits, therapy, RX, and physical check up of body including brain.


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## Cooper (Apr 18, 2008)

Just as a follow up to answer some questions; I don't ever drink or smoke nor do I take drugs, my diet is healthy and always has been, I may drink a couple sodas a year, drink 2 cups of coffee a day and those are 50% reduced caffeine. I have always been involved in sports and physical fitness, currently am an endurance bicyclist and also run and lift weights. 

I know what affects me an avoid what I can, work isn't anything I can take time off from currently. I am part owner of the business and we are going thru a growth spurt on top of having 2 key guys quit a couple months ago, so I am over worked and under staffed but trying to fill those positions.

My issue with meds is my system seems to fight anything I take, it's like as soon as my body detects a foreign chemical it attacks and tries to neutralize it. The end result being my metabolism goes into overdrive trying to fight the effects of the meds and my system gets all out of whack. 

Anyway....thanks for the thoughts and suggestions.


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