HI
It seems that my OCD usually wants to manifest itself in more embarrassing ways lately. I suppose in a way that can sound funny, but I am really suffering.
My biggest OCD thing right now is about bras. I am almost always worried about if I put it on right, and there are many different variables as to how it can be wrong. Is it crooked, did I pull it down far enough or too far, did I dry off enough after the shower, etc. It gets very complicated.
It seems that my OCD usually wants to manifest itself in more embarrassing ways lately. I suppose in a way that can sound funny, but I am really suffering.
My biggest OCD thing right now is about bras. I am almost always worried about if I put it on right, and there are many different variables as to how it can be wrong. Is it crooked, did I pull it down far enough or too far, did I dry off enough after the shower, etc. It gets very complicated.
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Los Angeles
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Re: Bras
Thu, February 23, 2006 - 10:56 PMWhen I put my panties on, if the soles of my feet touch the inside of the panties, I can't wear them. I have to pull them off and put them in the laundry, and get a "clean" pair. This stems in part from fear of itchy-feet meaning itch-other-things, and also because our dogs track in alot of stuff, and even if I've just showered, I may still get something on my feet.
OCD can be very funny at times, but there's no way in hell that I'm going to laugh unless I know I'm laughing *with* you. [If you aren't laughing too, you won't hear a peep out of me.]
Hang in there, Wendy. :) You are not alone. :) -
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Re: Bras
Fri, February 24, 2006 - 8:24 AMIt's OK for "us" to laugh about it, but all to often, non-OCD people dont understand the great difficulties we have with conquering an obsession that to them may seem very petty.
Speaking of people who dont understand, I am thinking of asking my mother and boyfriend to read this book I have on OCD--so that they dont judge me as harshly. Is this reasonable of me? -
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Re: Bras
Fri, February 24, 2006 - 8:10 PMSure!
I had my Mom read "The boy who couldn't stop washing." Alot of items in there applied to me... heh-heh, I underlined spots! -
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Unsu...
Re: Bras
Fri, April 21, 2006 - 11:01 PMit's not unreasonable to have them read a book. My bf just doesn't understand. I have to wash my hands when we go to a restaurant because I usually touch the table or the seat. Then I have to wash again after I touch the menu. I try to use a fork and knife even when I'm eating finger foods so that I won't have to wash again when I'm done. It also irritates him that I have to wipe my mouth after each bite of food. He just rolls his eyes and says "jeez would you get over it.." I didn't know there was a book like that. I'll have to check that out... -
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Re: Bras
Sat, April 22, 2006 - 12:43 AMLimeLiberator, I think your boyfriend would totally get it if he read the book. Or for faster results, have him watch Monk. ;)
[The book can be there for if he doesn't believe anyone can be that bad off from OCD! Monk kinda hits ALL the OCD traits all at once, although there are times I feel like I should tell Tony Shauloub, '"you should have done such-and-such"... :) ]
There's a few other books on fighting OCD. One is called "Brain Lock". It's actually helped me realize more quickly when I'm having a valid fear vs. an OCD anxiety. There's actually quite a few books out there that help you to dispassionately watch your anxious thoughts flow by on a thought river, instead of grabbing a hold of them and being dragged downstream with them! The whole "being mindful" thing.
Medication can help alot. If you haven't tried it yet, I highly recommend it. You don't have to be on it forever. One of the nicest things about the meds (if you get a medication or combination of medications that work for you) is that you can see what it feels like to have "normal anxiety" and "normal thoughts". Then, when/if you go off the meds, you can really see the difference, and it can help you to not be so willing to listen to the OCD.
And, unless you are pregnant or breast feeding, or have some other medical reason, you can usually stay on the meds indefinitely, if you like.
Anyway, know that you are not alone. :)
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Re: Bras
Fri, April 21, 2006 - 7:16 PMHey, what OCD book were you talking about, Wendy? [Wonder if I've read it yet! :) ] -
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Re: Bras
Tue, May 9, 2006 - 2:08 PMTwo books that were suggested by my brilliant therapist:
-"Getting Control" by Rapoport
-"When Once is Not Enough" by Steketee & White
Of course these are helpful to us, but I think that our family and friends can learn from them too. Us OCD people have the short end of the stick cause we have this illness that people blame us for and make fun of. They wouldnt make fun of someone with cancer would they? Anyway, I think that if they read one of these books, they would come to understand this. I have asked my mother and boyfriend to read them, but they seem very uninterested in understanding this better. I hope you guys have better luck.
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Unsu...
Re: Bras
Tue, May 9, 2006 - 11:13 AMIt's ok Wendy... You're not having a bad day unless you put it on backwards...AND IT FITS!! lol... That's not that embarassing. We all have to adjust at times. -
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Re: Bras
Tue, May 9, 2006 - 2:13 PMYea, if only a simple adjustment made me feel better. This is one of my bigger OCD obsessions. I seem to have some really odd obsessions that are harder to talk about than you run-of-the-mill hand washing. Makes it harder to get friends and family to understand. Like the other day I told my boyfriend to leave the room while I got dressed(didnt want him to see my rituals) and he just wouldnt leave! -
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Re: Bras
Tue, May 9, 2006 - 7:31 PMWendy, I'm not trying to raise your anxiety about this, but it's better if your loved ones don't enable you by placating your OCD ritual requirements.
If your family and boyfriend start helping you out or placating your OCD rituals, your rituals can actually get more entrenched or more complex.
[OCD has a tendency to branch out and extend itself as far as it is able!!! That damned "what if" thinking.]
But I understand it's difficult. Believe me. I would placate/enable you all the way, I'm afraid, 'cause I would empathize too deeply with your anxiety levels! [Gee, for some reason. ;) ]
Thank you for the 2 books... will check them out.
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Re: Bras
Wed, September 26, 2007 - 5:46 PMDoesn't sound to crazy, lol. A common trait in ocd is things have to be perfect. I have a ritual of shaking my underwear and my clothes before I put them on. And if it doesn't feel right I have to repeat it, Very annoying. I'm working on that one. -
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Re: Bras
Wed, September 26, 2007 - 10:52 PMShaking underwear?
I can only think of needing to do that if I was worried there were bugs in it, LOL! But that's me. And my OCD mileage will vary from yours. :)
But I do have to put my panties on very carefully so my feet don't touch the crotch. Wait... I think I already said that above in this thread. :) -
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Re: Bras
Thu, September 27, 2007 - 9:36 AMI do the same thing *embarrassed face*
I also have to have the shower curtain shut while I'm using the bathroom....paranoid, I know......or maybe just plain strange. And if you really want to get into rituals and habits.......hell, I could sit here all day writing out a list of things I do and it still wouldn't be complete. I think someone on here once said I am the poster child for OCD. Well, I agree lol. My parents say that when I was a kid everything had to be just so, or I would freak out. haha I'm still that way!!! So hard to get them to understand, though......
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Re: Bras
Thu, September 27, 2007 - 3:58 PMLOL, I should have explained it better. No ants in my pants. I believe its because My husbands grama lives with us. That has a big impact on my OCD. I told her I don't want her to wash my clothes but she wont listen. I think its the fact the someone else has been touching them and not myself. I like to do things my self it takes the ease off. And her trying to do everything doesn't help. I know shes being nice but. I like to do it myself knowing I did eases things. Know what I mean? -
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Re: Bras
Thu, September 27, 2007 - 6:04 PMYeah, I hate having other people touch my clean clothes.
I managed to turn off worrying about our cleaning people cleaning our dishes. Although I do check the dishes before I use them. [They often leave food behind. Sigh.]
I try to do the dishes before they get here so that I KNOW the dishes are clean. But with the pregnancy, it's just gotten harder.
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