My personal experience of OCD (My Experience of OCD)

Member Name: lyndsey1989

Product:	My Experience of OCD
Date:	01/11/09 (67 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: None

Disadvantages: Constant fear and worry

I had never had any symptoms of OCD up until last year when I became ill and since then I have become a hygeine freak. Having this problem really does get me down and I often find myself feeling very upset and trapped by this condition.

*What is OCD?*
OCD is short for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. Symptoms can involve intrusive thoughts-things you cannot get out of your head, no matter how much you want to but OCD is mainly thought of as people who are 'over clean'. People with OCD will perform rituals even though they are not necessary yet they will feel that they must be done.

*My experience of OCD*
As I said, I had never had any worries of this illness up until last year, since then I have felt as though I have not been myself and cannot live my life how I would have, had this illness not affected me.

The main way I am affected is by my compulsive cleanliness. I am constantly washing my hands with antibacterial soap and after this I will use antibacterial hand gel. I wash my hands so often the skin is peeling from the palms of my hands and my hands are cracked, dry and sore. I wash my hands whether they are dirty or not and have been known to wash them up to 10 times in an hour. If I am preparing a meal I will wash my hands every few minutes regardless of whether I am handling raw meat or eggs because I am so scared of getting germs in the food. If I go away for the weekend I have to take my own bedcovers due to fear of germs and will thoroughly scrub any surface before preparing food on it. I will not drink from a straw in a pub or bar if the bar-person has put it in the drink due to fear of germs.

I cannot eat with a knife and fork which has touched the kitchen surfaces or infact touched any surface. I will only use them if I myself have removed them from the draw and I am the only one who has touched them.

Another worry for me is if I cut or graze my skin. Regardless of how I did it I have to apply a plaster with a disinfectant cream due to the fear of germs.

I also find myself constantly worrying about things. For example, if I have a phone conversation with someone I do not know I will panic for the rest of the day about whether or not I was polite enough or whether I told them exactly what I needed to. I also worry a lot about speed cameras, even if I go through them well below the speed limit I will worry for the next 2 or 3 weeks about getting a ticket.

I will check the door is locked up to 5 times before leaving my driveway and also have the same panic with plugs and my animals enclosures locks. When I'm out I will also worry if I turned my straightners off or if I locked the door.

*How has it affected my life?*
To sum it up, I'm a nervous wreck. Germs are constantly worrying me and my family and friends are concerned about how much I worry and think about germs. I often have to do things differently because of my fear which makes my life different to what it could have been.

I would do anything to stop this illness as it really is ruining my life and making things a lot more difficult that it should be.

Thanks for reading

Summary: Awful illness