OCD Action

Truddles
Member

My therapist along with the Consultant that is going through Neurolinguistic Programming have taught me that when confronted with a negative situation try to turn it into a positive situation.

Today I awoke after a disturbed night because of the severe gales and rain feeling really ill, my spine, hips and joints are so stiff and painful that there's no way that I could tackle doing any laundry today Apart from anything else there's no way that I could manage to bend once let alone several times. A few weeks ago I'd have panicked and tried to struggle on regardless just making a bad situation worse. Instead I've managed to say to myself - 'Okay, you can't manage that, it's not your fault and is beyond your control. So what can you do instead?' So I'm now in the middle of tackling the mountain of paperwork that has piled up over the months. It's not what I intended to do today but never the less it's a major achievement as with the OCD I don't find it at all easy, plus I've only got a small table to work on

The negative was that physically I couldn't manage to do the laundry today (even though I'm trying desperately to catch up with the back log that my OCD creates) and the positive was that I am finally after months of avoidance tackling the paperwork So it's Me 1 - OCD 0

Tue Dec 13 2011 15:16:37 #
Cuthbert ffoliott
Moderator

Hi Trudy -

congrats with this triumph of rationality over fear, anxiety, and their consequences! Love your post, partly because I am going through similar processes myself. Encountering something adverse, trying to apply cool thinking instead of soldiering on in something that won't be productive, feeling guilt because of that, and sinking back in the mental quagmire that is OCD. I am bad at paperwork just as you are... often afraid that every envelope will contain just bad news, for instance, and also a residual fear of filling in forms (did I do it right, and in full? Is it readable?).

So: I can relate quite well, and am with you in these matters. Will also think of you next time I feel a bit trapped...

Love, Cuthbert.

Tue Dec 13 2011 15:28:20 #
Tess
Member

Hi Trudy, well done. I've done something similar. I've got a flu type virus and my OCD makes it very difficult for me to go and lie down if I feel ill - so I was expecting the day to be pretty awful - but it's actully been quite productive and like you I've tackled some of those little jobs which get put to one side and steadily build up.

Tue Dec 13 2011 16:05:53 #
Change
Member

Congrats, Truddles (and Tess)!

I'll have to try the same tactic with my own mound of paperwork when I return to work tomorrow :/

Tue Dec 13 2011 16:08:51 #
chloe
Member

Hi Trudy,

Well done, what an achievement. I can also relate to that as I have a huge pile of Christmas cards sitting staring at me which I keep putting off writing. After I v'e written them I have to open each one up again in case i've made any mistakes. I keep checking them. It drives me crazy!

I love the idea of turning a negative situation into a positive one. I will certainly try it.
Love Chloe X

Tue Dec 13 2011 16:11:52 #
Tess
Member

Oh Chloe
How I remember those awful days of reading and rereading what I had written, thanks to seroxat I don't do it any more. As for making mistakes in Christmas cards - a friend of mine makes all her Christmas presents, then one year she received one of them she had made the previous year back from the person she had sent it too - now that's what I call a real mistake!!!

Tue Dec 13 2011 17:50:01 #
Truddles
Member

I hate doing cards as I too have to reopen them but in my case it's because I'm frightened that I've accidentally put something in the envelope as well as the card. For that reason I've been putting off doing them and to my horror on reading your post Chloe realised that I still hadn't done them.
I'm now sitting here with a broad grin on my face as not only have I sorted most of the paper work (it's all in order with all the rubbish thrown now only got to actually file it) but I've just done all my Christmas cards and only had to reopen two of the envelopes
I think that I now deserve two choccie bickies, just a shame I haven't got any

Tue Dec 13 2011 22:21:59 #
Tess
Member

Well done again Trudy. I have just had a charity e-card from an old school friend and wondered if this is something OCD Action could consider for next year as a way of fundraising. I would certainly send some - and it would be a great way of spreading awareness.
I'm really pleased with myself this morning too - we have had hail and thunder and my husband came in for the toilet and left the door open and one of the dogs got frightened by the thunder and came looking for him leaving muddy paw prints across the floor. There was a time when I would have freaked out but I wiped it up without anxiety - mind you if I hadn't wiped it up then the anxiety would have gone sky high.

Wed Dec 14 2011 11:24:54 #
chloe
Member

Hi Trudy and Tess.

Well done, you both deserve three choccie bickies! Personally I find it very hard just to have a couple I normally want to eat the whole packet, so I don't buy them anymore!!! I managed to write most of my Christmas cards last night and so far havn't checked them but not sure how long I can leave them unchecked, I'm starting to get quite panicky but I'm doing my best.

Wed Dec 14 2011 11:59:30 #
wannabefree
Member

Hi everyone... That idea of e-cards is a brilliant one, Tess... I'd do them too... It saves the worry of having to lick envelopes and suchlike... It could be done for Birthdays too... Also well done on wiping up the mud, I'd struggle with that! I'd probably leave it there and try to come to terms with it, the way my OCD is at the moment... I think I need to do some Christmas cards, get them in the post, but I cannot face it yet...
wannabe

Wed Dec 14 2011 13:20:56 #
Tess
Member

Hi wannabe
You are a lot braver than me if you would try to come to terms with the mud. It would worry me that I was walking it through the rest of the house.
As for the choccie bics I'm like Chloe, once a packet is open it torments me until I've eaten the lot - I'm the same with chocolates so I just don't buy them. Yet an unopened packet doesn't bother me at all. My husband is the opposite, he can eat one and put the pack away so he has to keep his treats outside in the garage or glove box of the car to stop me scoffing them - and yet I don't really want them. If it's individually wrapped chocolate bars inside the packet then I can leave those alone. I've never thought about it before but I bet it's all part of the OCD.

Wed Dec 14 2011 18:19:32 #
Soxon
Key Master

Thanks Tess, I have passed on your suggestion regarding e cards.

Wed Dec 14 2011 20:07:15 #
wannabefree
Member

Hi Tess, I agree, it is definitely part of the OCD, but a good part! Soxon, thank you for passing on Tess suggestion about e-cards... They would be a great way for us to communicate with relatives, and we'd be raising funds at the same time... All good stuff...
wannabe

Wed Dec 14 2011 20:15:44 #