Are you someone who finds yourself being obsessive about being perfect in everything that you do? Do you remain stressed about the jobs at hand, what people around you are doing and how they do it, or how certain things function and how well they’re doing so? Is the order of everything around you so important to you that at times, it overshadows everything else? If you answered yes to all of these questions, you may be struggling with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
There are many symptoms associated with obsessive-compulsive disorder. You may realize that you’re tightly tied to a fixed routine, using time management skills to schedule everyday tasks in a strict timetable. You might even find yourself setting reminders for those tasks to ensure that you accomplish those tasks “on time” or feel compelled to ensure everything is in its due place. One of your greatest fears could even be forgetting to do those tasks at the right time or having things out of place.
Common Traits and Symptoms of OCD
Whether at work or at home, you may feel tense or hyper-aware about the world around you all the time. At work, these feelings may lead to you being one of the most reliable employees because you’re being highly productive and completing all your tasks properly and on time. At home, you could be someone who manages the household work the same way as in the workplace. You create timelines and schedules for almost everything, keeping things a certain way and in a certain position while following a rigid daily routine. You might even spend hours at a time repeating a task until you believe it’s been completed “perfectly,” continuously questioning yourself and rechecking if it was done right. These are just some of the symptoms of OCD, however. Some other common traits or symptoms include:
- Checking and rechecking appliances, electricals, packed suitcases, files, and documents to see if everything is in the right position.
- Fear of touching germs or dirt on things that people around you also touch.
- The urgency to get things in order, remaining highly stressed until it’s exactly as you want it to be.
- The inability to tolerate dust and dirt of any kind, anywhere – even if it’s not your own home.
- An excessive need to clean yourself throughout the day, whether it’s your hands, face, or even body.
- A fear that you will make a mistake or needing reassurance from others that you’re doing well.
- Thoughts of hurting yourself or someone around you.
What Can You Do to Manage Your OCD
Knowing the signs and symptoms of a person with OCD is only the first step. Due to the nature of the symptoms of OCD, many people believe that anyone who likes keeping things super organized or clean is experiencing OCD. However, it’s important to understand that there is more to OCD than the desire to have a rigid schedule or the need to be clean.
If you believe you may have the symptoms of OCD, it’s important to act responsibly and help yourself in managing it thereafter. If the symptoms are severe, you may also want to consider seeking the help of a medical professional. If you are suffering from OCD, doing nothing about it may worsen your symptoms over the years and ruin your relationships with others.
Some other tips for living with OCD include:
- Researching and gaining an understanding of OCD and learning how to handle its challenges better.
- Meet with a trustworthy therapist on a weekly or quarterly basis.
- Work with a professional to gain knowledge about your thought processes and better understand your symptoms.
- Structure your days in a way that does not harm your body or others surrounding you.
- Learn coping mechanisms like telling yourself that tomorrow is a fresh new day to start again, even if the tasks happening don’t go as planned.
Understanding the Complexity of OCD
Obsessive-compulsive disorder is a complex disorder, and finding its right treatment may take time. Taking some of the steps discussed here can help you learn and understand that disorder.
Uncontrolled OCD can become chronic over the years, just like other health issues such as asthma or diabetes. Paying attention to the repeated incidents of your OCD and ensuring that you are seeking assistance from a professional can help you handle the symptoms better. If these symptoms go unnoticed for too long, things could get out of control in the later stages. If you also struggle with substance use as a method of coping with your OCD, it’s worth noting that your chance of relapse increases as the severity of OCD symptoms gets worse. Making sure that you understand your OCD can help you manage it better.
Understanding obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and its symptoms is essential in managing the associated behavior. Unknowingly, your OCD could be affecting the mental health of your loved ones and hampering your relationships with them. If it isn’t treated early, these symptoms can worsen over time, increasing in severity. If you notice that you’re experiencing obsessions or compulsions with maintaining a rigid schedule or a clean household, it is time to seek external assistance from trusted healthcare professionals. HealthyU is a well-known platform for solving different types and kinds of mental health issues. Our trained professionals can help you detect the symptoms of OCD better, seek treatment and recovery plans, and help regain the long-lost relationships. HealthyU’s outpatient programs help you to easily access a trustworthy team of counselors for up to three days a week. If you are looking to control your OCD symptoms with individual-friendly treatment plans, call us today at (619) 542-9542.
