I was diagnosed with OCD and related disorders when I was a young adult. For me, it has been a long journey trying to manage my condition. My illness became so extreme that it started to affect my everyday life; my productivity and social activities were greatly hindered.
At first, I felt scared and embarrassed about this issue and avoided talking about it. It felt as though I was the only one who had this problem, so I simply stayed quiet and hoped for the best. After struggling in silence for a while, however, I decided that I needed help to take back control over my life. I decided to seek out professional treatment and talk through my issues with someone.
The therapist gave me coping techniques that allowed me to manage the intrusive thoughts and behaviors associated with the disorder. As well as being open with family members and close friends about what I was going through, this proved to be extremely beneficial in starting to understand why these conditions occur in the first place. Nowadays, I make sure I maintain an active lifestyle which helps keep my anxieties in check even during difficult times.
It hasn’t always been easy managing OCD-like symptoms but with perseverance and support from those around me, I am slowly getting on top of things better than before. Although it is tough at times, having OCD has forced me to become more aware of myself and pay greater attention when things do not feel right in order to quickly find solutions before any spiralling occurs.