OCD Action

LJR
Member

I am currently having councelling at my university for my OCD. My main problem is the fact that i check almost everything. From my car to the front door, cooker, taps, windows everything that can possibly cause something bad to happen. And even when i know i have turned it off or closed it i cannot walk away and not continue to check it.

I have been away back home for the xmas period from uni to come back to my house that now has mice in. 3am 2 days ago i moved something and one jumped out at me. Scared me so much! Now i am so anxious about being in my house and i do not know what to do. I can't sleep properly and not i can't seem to concentrate on anything else.

Has anyone got any advice on how i could lower my anxiety? or anything really.

I really wish that i could stop feeling so anxious

Mon Jan 16 2012 22:00:04 #
wannabefree
Member

Hi LJR, welcome to the forums... Gee, I wish I knew what to say, cos if it were me I'd be sleeping in the car! I'm sorry to be flippant, I know it is a real problem. I believe mice are more scared of us, but it is the noise they make. You'll be well advised to go to your local authority council, who will know what to do. You can use humane traps to let them go outside, and once they are out, fill any mouseholes with aluminium foil, they cant eat through it so it keeps them away... That is your best bet for the mice. For the checking, with OCD, the more we check, the more we feel the need to check, it is a vicious circle. I struggle with this one too... It is difficult to stop after checking just once, and yet the anxiety will die down eventually. There are some good books on this too, But you need something to get you through the night... Honestly, if it were me I'd be in the car... What room are the mice in?
Wannabe

Mon Jan 16 2012 22:39:09 #
wannabefree
Member

Have to shut down now, but I was thinking you could report the mice problem to uni, or whoever is the landlord of the house you are in. There is a duty of care towards you feeling safe and secure where you are staying during term time, that is part of the rental agreement. The local authority are the best people to advise you on this one. Will chat again in the morning. I'm sorry I asked what room. It makes no difference, if they're in the house they're in the house, and it is scary. I would be listening out for them and everything. It is important that you get the pest control people in or your studies will be affected cos of lack of sleep. There maybe a student advisor at uni who can give you the relevant phone numbers?
A way of easing anxiety is to physically tense up, then relax muscle groups of the body, especially the facial muscles around the eyes, slow the body down to slow the mind down, slow the body down to slow the mind down...
Chat again in the morning if I can, Sorry to not be of more help,
Wannabe

Mon Jan 16 2012 23:12:12 #
slogsweep
Member

Hello,

I'm receiving CBT from my university too, I hope your university are as good as mine has been for me. Might only be middle of the road academically but it's pastoral care has been above and beyond anything I could have hoped for.

Anxiety at uni's a tough one as there aren't many places where you can go and speak to people. Maybe your mental health advisory centre has open sessions where you can go and speak to someone. By coming on forums like this too, it's a great place to spill when you're feeling low. Some of the things I've posted have been when I'm at the depths of loneliness, depression and despair and I've had such wonderful support on here. As a student, a lot of us (myself included) have more time than most to research anxiety, depression and OCD. A member on here when I first joined said "knowledge is power against OCD". That's some of the best advice I've had. Read up as much as you can.

Tell your personal tutor! And get in contact with the disability advisor for library/deadline extensions and special circumstances marking. Whatever they can give you take it because you're paying for it anyway!

Hope there's something of use in there,

Best wishes,
Slog

Mon Jan 16 2012 23:18:08 #