How does obsessive compulsive disorder affect your life?

Ben Gander, 14 days

Wilson, that is what I used to have: repeating sentences, praying, etc. I had other symptoms as well, but that was definitely the most difficult to overcome. Have a look at 'Pure O', which is a form of OCD that is based around mental rituals.

jennifer, about 1 month

i am not sure that i have ocd but i for the past 2 years have to check my throat to make sure that it is not swellin shut although it never has i have been to the hospital and drs so many times i just always feel like it is swelling shut i have a flash light i carry with me just so i can be sure it sux i always have to be in a drs office cause i am so worried all the time it hurts my feelings to see my kids have to see me this way everyday anyone else have this problum

wilson, about 1 month

After reading these comments i'm glad I'm not the only one going through these things. I haven't been diagnoised with OCD but pretty sure I have it. In high school i even gave a speech about OCD in my speech class and ppl are pretty ignorant about it. I think i have a rare case of OCD. It's not neccessarily washing my hands or counting it's more in my head. It has a lot to do with the things I think and repeating prayers to get rid of thoughts. Like some ppl above stated I have to check the doors even tho i kno i locked them, double check to see if i have wat i need after i jus checked, n check n make sure ppl are breathing. i write all this so other ppl will know they are not along.

Maranda, 4 months

I think that I have OCD but I'm not completley sure. I basically have all the symptoms.

Phebe, 6 months

Im thirteen and have OCD too. When im stressed...i shop. I also clear my throat randomly and im kinda paranoid too.

Ben Gander, 9 months

I accidentally pressed 'Report this comment' on alex's comment - apologies.

Ben Gander, 9 months

I suffered from OCD for many years to the point of almost complete mental paralysis. I became virtually useless. I would have to say lines in my head over and over again to stop bad things happening to loved ones; I would ruminate about shocking, horrible images; eventually, I combined my rituals with a cough on the 'key' word of a sentence. Things got so bad that I ended up in hospital and could not go near my daughter, nor live with my wife. Through a lot of hard work, cognitive behavioural therapy and medication, I managed to turn my life around and now live a very full and productive life. OCD nearly completely debilitated me, but I managed to beat it. I wrote my story in a book called OCD & Me, which is available at lulu.com and on Amazon. It proved very therapeutic to write it. Moreover, I believe it should prove invaluable in helping others.

Raychel, 9 months

im 16 and i have ocd. Ive had it for about two years now. I always have images in my head of the people i love getting hurt like getting shoot, stabbed, beaten up etc and when i think of them i cant get it out of my head no matter how hard i try to the images wont go. I cant stand on cracks but if i do ill have to stand on it with the other foot the same with strones sticks etc also i if i touch something with one side of my body ill have to do it with the exact same place but the other side. I dont like to be touched if something or someone touches me i have to wipe it off where its touched me. the main thing i cant stand being touch is my arms. when i go in toilets i have to told my breath or breath into a my clothes or a tissue i also flush the toilet with my feet. i get very paranoid before i leave the house and check all the doors and window, i make sure that ive got everything i need twice. i cant stand my ocd anymore, How can i stop myself doing the things i do ? i have a boyfriend and we spend alot of time together and now hes started to copy some of the things i do and it upsets me because i dont want him to be like me what can i do ? Please help me!

Michelle, about 1 year

I have OCD. I try sometimes not to go through the ritual of locking the front door, putting something behind it, checking my daughter is breathing (she is nearly nine), checking my keys are on the side in the kitchen. If I get into bed and I have forgotten to do one of the above, I lay there and try to tell myself not to get up, it will be fine but I invariably always get up and check! I wash my hands after everything and at times, when the weather is cold, my hands will actually bleed but I keep doing it all the same.

kada, over 2 years

since reading about ocd in my magazine i realised that i have loads of symptons. i clear my throat, count steps, wash my hands and arrange everything in alphabeticl order. i havent told anyone because im scared theyll think im over reacting. im 12 and dont want this to ruin my life. what should i do?

Lauren, over 2 years

Im 12, Almost 13, ive been having OCD symptoms sincewell, since i dont know when, ive only told two people that is my best Girl friend Evie(who also has a OCD) and My best Boy Friend Nick, basically, I do things without noticing, things like, counting thirteen steps and then NOT standing on the fourteenth step, then counting thirteen again. Or, not being able to be in the room unless the door is SHUT completely. Another Obsessive compulsive action of mine is having to be at the microwave door ready to open it, and the door would have to be opened at 1 before the beep happened and if it beeped i would put it in for the same amount of time and wait at the microwave door until it beeped. also in my kitchen on the floor every so often there is a dark brown tile instead of a light brown tile and in order to get to the microwave i HAVE to stand on the dark brown tiles and if i touch a light brown one my brain will tell me something bad will happen. At night time in my room if i look into a mirror, i would have to hide under my covers for a while with my eyes shut or the girl from the ring will hover over me and breathe hot air over me making me sweat, and after my mind said she was gone, that if i opened my eyes it would summon her and she would be waiting for me to look in the mirror. Another one of mine is CONSTANT clearing of the throat when its not needed, i sit in lessons at school clearly my throat randomlly people just laugh at me, they think im being funny so i just laugh along with it bt i was only til last night i realised i HAVE and OCD, because i was reading my fortnightly magazine and one of the most featured stories was about ocd's and it showed some symptoms of ocd i counted i have only 5 of what was in the magazine. Anyway, i have constant worries that the way i act sometimes will make me into a really bad person in the future whe to be honest i will probally lead a normal life, if i do have a OCD, then i know that i have something in common with, David Beckham, Jessica Alba And Jennifer Love Hewit. After reading this article and the comments i have realised not just me does these obserd and unreasonable things, im not the only one with a disorder. im NOT alone. Thanks For Listening Toi My Story

alex, over 2 years

im 13 and i know i have ocd. i have to say something in my head every time i think something bad is going to happen.. either to me or my family. i also think i have one about germs, i've stopped eating some meats because i find them 'dirty' or just awful to look at. i think i have had it for almost a year, i read about it in a magasine and since them i have been more concious and aware of what has happend to me. the only problem is i darent tell anyone about it . i know i have to but its just too hard and i think they might make fun of me or not know what it is. i mentioned it to a friend before but she just said dont be stupid. PLEASE HELP ME. im sick of it. i just want a normal life, what do other teenage girls do and feel?