Ever since my OCD diagnosis, I've talked a big game about being open about the topic of mental health. I whole-heartedly believe the best way to eventually end the mental health stigma faced by everyone in our society is to be open and have conversations about mental health. I'm pretty open about my life with OCD. Yet, sometimes, I find myself very hesitant to engage in the topic of my mental health with certain people that I know, and especially with new people.
I'm not hesitant because I'm ashamed of the fact that I live with OCD. It's just like the fact that I live with Cerebral Palsy, too. Both of those things are part of my normal, but they aren't the part of my normal that I usually share straight away upon meeting someone. I've just noticed that, usually the first things you tell someone about yourself are the things that tend to define you in their eyes. I don't mind sharing the story of my OCD or my Cerebral Palsy if a new person asks, but, if left up to me, those two things will come out tagged onto the end of the way I think of myself.
I noticed when I first received my diagnosis that there is a fine line between being open about my mental health and thinking of the disorder as something that defines me as a person. I've heard people say, "I'm so OCD", or "I'm bipolar" like these things define who they are. I never say, "I'm so OCD." Instead I say, "I have OCD." It's one of the ways I try to keep myself separate from my mental health condition.
I know life with a mental health condition can be difficult some days. I also know about the preconceived notions and stereotypes that surround every mental health condition out there. Those of us with a mental health condition think enough about our mental health, so we really don't want to be defined by it. It took me a while to stop thinking of myself as the girl with the messed up brain.
I was more than "the OCD girl" before I got diagnosed, and I still think of myself as more than that after diagnosis. It just took me a hot minute to figure myself out again, but I got there. I'm a college graduate with a psychology degree. I'm a bookworm. I'm a writer. I'm a photographer. I'm a cat parent. I'm a Christian. I'm somebody's friend, sister, daughter, or cousin. Oh yeah, and I have Obsessive-Compulsive, Disorder, and I was born with Cerebral Palsy. Those last two items on my list are part of me, but they aren't things that I use to describe myself to other people anymore.
I'll end with this: Your mental health does not define you. You don't have to think of yourself as the Bipolar person, the OCD person, or anything like that. You are so much more than that. Don't let other people define you based on your mental health or anything else in your life. In the words of Robert Frost: Define yourself.
Wednesday, May 11, 2016
Wednesday, May 4, 2016
A Family Struggle and a Family Effort
This week, I've been thinking about how a mental health condition affects our loved ones. A lot of times, life with a mental health condition is different than life before the symptoms set in. We might not notice because we're the ones struggling with the psychological symptoms, but life (sometimes) changes for those closest to us as well. (I know this isn't always the case, but it has been in my experience so far with my family.)
Life in my household changed when I finally came clean about my OCD symptoms. My mom was prepared to do whatever she had to do to make my life easier. She was willing to change shifts at work (which would have caused a drop in her pay); she was willing to take time off work (which she did); and she was even willing to quit her job if they wouldn't let her have the time off she needed. Her boyfriend even asked if he did or said anything that would trigger my OCD and Panic so he could stop doing whatever I said was the trigger.
I also had to come clean about my triggers as well. The things that trigger my OCD are easier to pinpoint because my OCD mainly revolves around 2 obsessional topics. My panic triggers are varied and random. Sometimes my panic triggers vary from day-to-day. Sometimes, my intrusive thoughts cause my panic attacks, but not always. Sometimes, I have no idea what triggered a panic attack. I just know that, if I have a particularly rough Panic or OCD episode in a certain place, like a restaurant, the movie theater, or church, (church was a big trigger), then I desperately want to avoid that place out of fear that just the memory of the rough time I had while I was there will trigger another Panic episode or more intrusive thoughts. My mom avoids these things and places with me until I feel up to trying them out again. (I had a panic attack in the movie theater, and we didn't go to the movies for at least 2 months after that, and it was my decision to go to the movies when we finally went back.)
Living with a mental health condition, some days can feel like you're hanging on by a thread. Our loved ones can see that most of the time, even if we think they can't. I know the hardest part for my mom is seeing me struggle on my bad days knowing that she can't fix it or take it away.
I also know that having a loved one that struggles with a mental health condition can be hard because some days are tense. Yes, conflict is part of any relationship, but with some mental health conditions that include anger-related symptoms, conflict can occur more often, and life can be tense at times. They love us anyway, and they will continue to love us.
I'll end with this: Life with a mental health condition is a rough road to travel, especially if you try to keep your friends and family out of the loop. I've learned that the hard way. As much as I hate to admit that I need other people to help me, it's a family effort to make the most out of treatment and recovery. You're loved ones truly want to help you and make your life better in any way they can, so if you're struggling, don't keep them out of the loop out of fear of suddenly becoming a burden or anything like that. They love you already, and they will continue to love you.
Life in my household changed when I finally came clean about my OCD symptoms. My mom was prepared to do whatever she had to do to make my life easier. She was willing to change shifts at work (which would have caused a drop in her pay); she was willing to take time off work (which she did); and she was even willing to quit her job if they wouldn't let her have the time off she needed. Her boyfriend even asked if he did or said anything that would trigger my OCD and Panic so he could stop doing whatever I said was the trigger.
I also had to come clean about my triggers as well. The things that trigger my OCD are easier to pinpoint because my OCD mainly revolves around 2 obsessional topics. My panic triggers are varied and random. Sometimes my panic triggers vary from day-to-day. Sometimes, my intrusive thoughts cause my panic attacks, but not always. Sometimes, I have no idea what triggered a panic attack. I just know that, if I have a particularly rough Panic or OCD episode in a certain place, like a restaurant, the movie theater, or church, (church was a big trigger), then I desperately want to avoid that place out of fear that just the memory of the rough time I had while I was there will trigger another Panic episode or more intrusive thoughts. My mom avoids these things and places with me until I feel up to trying them out again. (I had a panic attack in the movie theater, and we didn't go to the movies for at least 2 months after that, and it was my decision to go to the movies when we finally went back.)
Living with a mental health condition, some days can feel like you're hanging on by a thread. Our loved ones can see that most of the time, even if we think they can't. I know the hardest part for my mom is seeing me struggle on my bad days knowing that she can't fix it or take it away.
I also know that having a loved one that struggles with a mental health condition can be hard because some days are tense. Yes, conflict is part of any relationship, but with some mental health conditions that include anger-related symptoms, conflict can occur more often, and life can be tense at times. They love us anyway, and they will continue to love us.
I'll end with this: Life with a mental health condition is a rough road to travel, especially if you try to keep your friends and family out of the loop. I've learned that the hard way. As much as I hate to admit that I need other people to help me, it's a family effort to make the most out of treatment and recovery. You're loved ones truly want to help you and make your life better in any way they can, so if you're struggling, don't keep them out of the loop out of fear of suddenly becoming a burden or anything like that. They love you already, and they will continue to love you.
Wednesday, April 27, 2016
I Wish...
I always talk about accepting the fact that I live with OCD as my new normal and being unashamed to live with a mental health condition. I believe in that idea that I project to the public wholeheartedly. Yet, at the same time, a tiny part of me still gets caught up, sometimes, in wishing that I didn't have a mental health condition that I had to deal with everyday. I catch myself thinking back to a time before THAT DAY (the day I experienced OCD symptoms for the first time) in Art History class, and wishing that my life could be as simple as it was before OCD reared its ugly head.
I think back, and I remember that before OCD, my biggest worries included, "I have a test in class X...did I study enough?" Or something like, "I've worn a (different) Carson-Newman shirt almost everyday this week, but could I get by with wearing another Carson-Newman shirt?" Or, "I wonder if my grandparents will get me some ice cream after class?" Or, "Hey...that guy is cute, I wonder if he'd take me on a date?" All of those things were normal high school student, teenage girl stuff. Sure, my Advanced Placement classes stressed me out, and I was stressed about going to college in the fall. Those were very normal things.
In one day, all that stuff changed. I was suddenly having these thoughts that I was repulsed by. I was worried about things like, "Am I going to burn in Hell...yes, I am, just accept my fate now." Or "Am I evil?" Or "Do I need to be put in a mental health facility for a while?" Later, that would change to, "I still have the will to live, right?" And, "I don't feel like giving up, do I? I'm okay, right?" In one day, it seemed like my life got a whole lot harder to deal with, and life sort of just stayed difficult after that because my OCD symptoms never went away.
Even now, after months of therapy, I still think about my OCD everyday. I imagine my brain has a stereo of intrusive thoughts always playing in the background. Sometimes the volume on the stereo is turned down to nothing more than faint background noise, and I hardly even think about it. Then other days, the stereo volume is cranked all the way up, and it's all I can think about. I also think about the environment that I'm in at any given point during every day, and I sort of watch out for things that I know can trigger my OCD so I can avoid them or at least brace myself for them.
Sometimes, it's so easy to get frustrated with the fact that I seem to live life a lot more carefully these days. So, I get frustrated, and then I catch myself thinking something like, "Man, I wish I didn't have to think about this." Or, "I wish I could just wake up in the morning, in a different life, where I didn't have OCD so that life might be easier." Sometimes, I daydream about what a life without OCD might be like, and that's sort of hard for me to remember since I've been dealing with it for close to a decade. I even tell my mom sometimes, "If I could somehow take my brain out, bleach it, and put it back, clean of intrusive thoughts and anxiety, I totally would." But, I can't.
Wishing for a different brain, a different life, or to go back in time never helps me. I usually end up feeling more frustrated because I can't change the fact that I have OCD, and I even feel a little guilty for being ungrateful for the life I was given. I learned in a psychology class that wishing your life was a certain way and telling yourself that life should be a certain way aren't really a good thing, but I catch myself doing those things anyway.
I'll end with this: There are just some things in life that we can't control, and having a mental health condition is one of those things. Beating yourself up by wishing you were different or thinking that you should be different won't help anything. I've discovered that If I accept myself in whatever moment I'm in with OCD, instead of wishing for a different brain or a different life, or whatever else I could wish for to take away my discomfort, it becomes easier to manage my mental health condition and to see that it's just a bad day that I can recover from.
I think back, and I remember that before OCD, my biggest worries included, "I have a test in class X...did I study enough?" Or something like, "I've worn a (different) Carson-Newman shirt almost everyday this week, but could I get by with wearing another Carson-Newman shirt?" Or, "I wonder if my grandparents will get me some ice cream after class?" Or, "Hey...that guy is cute, I wonder if he'd take me on a date?" All of those things were normal high school student, teenage girl stuff. Sure, my Advanced Placement classes stressed me out, and I was stressed about going to college in the fall. Those were very normal things.
In one day, all that stuff changed. I was suddenly having these thoughts that I was repulsed by. I was worried about things like, "Am I going to burn in Hell...yes, I am, just accept my fate now." Or "Am I evil?" Or "Do I need to be put in a mental health facility for a while?" Later, that would change to, "I still have the will to live, right?" And, "I don't feel like giving up, do I? I'm okay, right?" In one day, it seemed like my life got a whole lot harder to deal with, and life sort of just stayed difficult after that because my OCD symptoms never went away.
Even now, after months of therapy, I still think about my OCD everyday. I imagine my brain has a stereo of intrusive thoughts always playing in the background. Sometimes the volume on the stereo is turned down to nothing more than faint background noise, and I hardly even think about it. Then other days, the stereo volume is cranked all the way up, and it's all I can think about. I also think about the environment that I'm in at any given point during every day, and I sort of watch out for things that I know can trigger my OCD so I can avoid them or at least brace myself for them.
Sometimes, it's so easy to get frustrated with the fact that I seem to live life a lot more carefully these days. So, I get frustrated, and then I catch myself thinking something like, "Man, I wish I didn't have to think about this." Or, "I wish I could just wake up in the morning, in a different life, where I didn't have OCD so that life might be easier." Sometimes, I daydream about what a life without OCD might be like, and that's sort of hard for me to remember since I've been dealing with it for close to a decade. I even tell my mom sometimes, "If I could somehow take my brain out, bleach it, and put it back, clean of intrusive thoughts and anxiety, I totally would." But, I can't.
Wishing for a different brain, a different life, or to go back in time never helps me. I usually end up feeling more frustrated because I can't change the fact that I have OCD, and I even feel a little guilty for being ungrateful for the life I was given. I learned in a psychology class that wishing your life was a certain way and telling yourself that life should be a certain way aren't really a good thing, but I catch myself doing those things anyway.
I'll end with this: There are just some things in life that we can't control, and having a mental health condition is one of those things. Beating yourself up by wishing you were different or thinking that you should be different won't help anything. I've discovered that If I accept myself in whatever moment I'm in with OCD, instead of wishing for a different brain or a different life, or whatever else I could wish for to take away my discomfort, it becomes easier to manage my mental health condition and to see that it's just a bad day that I can recover from.
Wednesday, April 20, 2016
Too Much and Not Enough
When someone finds out that I have a mental health condition, especially some strange type of OCD called Primarily Obsessional Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, they tend to have a lot questions. One of the questions I get frequently is something like, "What sort of medication do you take for it?" That seems to be the thing that people are most worried about asking. I'm not bothered by it. I just think it's odd that people tend to focus on the medication aspect of treatment instead of something more practical like the cost and frequency of therapy, or maybe even the other stuff I'm doing, like lifestyle changes, that are helping me on my journey to recovery.
I feel weird about that question. I don't take any medication every day for my OCD, but I was prescribed Ativan. I only take it if my anxiety has been too high for a set number of days that I give myself in spite of everything I do to get the anxiety to go back down, or if I feel a panic attack looming and I can't fight it off. I take it sparingly. I have told this to people, and I've encountered people on both ends of the judgement spectrum.
Some people think it's a big deal that I don't take something like Lexapro or Anafranil or even Valium every day, and they have recommended self-medicating with pot since I don't want a prescription. Some people also seem very negative about the fact that I take an Ativan occasionally. I've also encountered people that view medication for mental health conditions as un-Christian. It seems like I'm either too medicated or not medicated enough, depending on who you ask.
In our society, we have a huge stigma around taking medication for mental health conditions. In America, it seems like taking medication for your mind is a sign of weakness, or that someone is using it as a Band-Aid or crutch. It also seems that, at least in my area where ADHD medication as well as things like Prozac and Paxil are handed out like candy by doctors who shouldn't really be prescribing such things without sending patients for a psychological evaluation, that being diagnosed with an actual condition but not taking any medications for that condition is just as frowned upon and puzzled over by a great number of people. (Like, I have a free pass to take the happy pills so I should take advantage of that.)
I'm most definitely not anti-medication. I think that if you need medication to help your brain get well and to help you function at a higher level, then you should definitely talk to your therapist about a medication action plan that would work for you. The medication is there to help you, and when coupled with therapy it can be very effective for a lot of people.
I don't even have a profound reason for not trying Anafranil or any other medications. I just don't want to try them yet. I tried Lexapro for 5 days, and it was the worst 5 days of my life. The Lexapro just didn't get along with my brain chemistry. So, I'm trying therapy on its own, and that is currently what works best for me. Although, if my therapist thought I needed medication, I would listen to her.
I'll end with this: Mental health conditions are so very different for everyone that lives with them every day, and so are the effects of the medications used to treat them. Whether or not you choose to use medication in your treatment plan is the business of you and your therapist, and maybe your parents if you're under age. Don't let anyone make you feel weird about your decisions regarding medication because they aren't you. They have no idea how your brain works, and they have no idea what you live with every day.
I feel weird about that question. I don't take any medication every day for my OCD, but I was prescribed Ativan. I only take it if my anxiety has been too high for a set number of days that I give myself in spite of everything I do to get the anxiety to go back down, or if I feel a panic attack looming and I can't fight it off. I take it sparingly. I have told this to people, and I've encountered people on both ends of the judgement spectrum.
Some people think it's a big deal that I don't take something like Lexapro or Anafranil or even Valium every day, and they have recommended self-medicating with pot since I don't want a prescription. Some people also seem very negative about the fact that I take an Ativan occasionally. I've also encountered people that view medication for mental health conditions as un-Christian. It seems like I'm either too medicated or not medicated enough, depending on who you ask.
In our society, we have a huge stigma around taking medication for mental health conditions. In America, it seems like taking medication for your mind is a sign of weakness, or that someone is using it as a Band-Aid or crutch. It also seems that, at least in my area where ADHD medication as well as things like Prozac and Paxil are handed out like candy by doctors who shouldn't really be prescribing such things without sending patients for a psychological evaluation, that being diagnosed with an actual condition but not taking any medications for that condition is just as frowned upon and puzzled over by a great number of people. (Like, I have a free pass to take the happy pills so I should take advantage of that.)
I'm most definitely not anti-medication. I think that if you need medication to help your brain get well and to help you function at a higher level, then you should definitely talk to your therapist about a medication action plan that would work for you. The medication is there to help you, and when coupled with therapy it can be very effective for a lot of people.
I don't even have a profound reason for not trying Anafranil or any other medications. I just don't want to try them yet. I tried Lexapro for 5 days, and it was the worst 5 days of my life. The Lexapro just didn't get along with my brain chemistry. So, I'm trying therapy on its own, and that is currently what works best for me. Although, if my therapist thought I needed medication, I would listen to her.
I'll end with this: Mental health conditions are so very different for everyone that lives with them every day, and so are the effects of the medications used to treat them. Whether or not you choose to use medication in your treatment plan is the business of you and your therapist, and maybe your parents if you're under age. Don't let anyone make you feel weird about your decisions regarding medication because they aren't you. They have no idea how your brain works, and they have no idea what you live with every day.
Wednesday, April 13, 2016
Life Unmuted
We all, at least once in our lives, have felt like life has piled up on us and everything going on is just too much. Sometimes, try as we might, to manage our time and our stress and to balance our lives, too many things can happen at once, out of our control. Some people are better at dealing with these moments in life, but me, well...I like control a little too much to be okay with it when things like that happen. (Okay, maybe a I like control a whole lot.)
This past week, I had a lot going on that was outside of my control. I had what seemed to be a health crisis, but it turned out to be something that wasn't a huge deal. I had an issue with my feelings that I had to take the time to sort out. I was worried about the safety of some people I knew with dangerous occupations. Then, I also had my very first photo session, and it was family portraits. I loved that part, but it was very stressful since it was my first time photographing people. I felt anxiety, intense fear, disappointment, sadness, excitement, and other things in quick succession all week, all as jumbled in my mind as the issues that were causing the feelings. I had no idea what to do with so many feelings going on at one time. I really didn't have control over any of these things, and that just added to my problem because I tried to have control over all of them.
While I was in elementary school, high school, and even in college, life would pile up on me, much the same way as last week. My way of dealing with it was sort of to not deal with it. I would throw myself into school work, and I would ignore the problems. It almost felt like I could shut my emotions down or at least press the mute button until I was ready to feel them (which would have been never if I had my way). Then, at night, when I would try to go to sleep, I would let myself think about the things that were bothering me. I would be so overwhelmed by all the problems. I ended up crying myself to sleep more times than I can count. Then I would wake up, hit the mute button on my feelings, and repeat the same routine as the day before.
This week, while I tried unsuccessfully to take back my control with the same methods I had used all my life, I realized that I could no longer press the mute button on my feelings. I had feelings, and I still didn't like it. This stress and my worry over the fact that my feelings mute button was missing made me feel so out of control. I didn't even know if my feelings were normal feelings, but I couldn't stop them from rolling in like a giant tank. Due to the stress, I felt like someone had cranked up the volume on my OCD, which I had finally turned down to almost background noise.
I had to resort to the new methods I'd learned in therapy. I tried Mindfulness, and I had to just sit with my feelings and observe them. I just had to feel stuff until the stuff was processed and resolved. I also had to accept the fact that I couldn't actually control everything, including my own feelings. That's a pretty scary thing when you're not used letting yourself feel things. (Shocking discovery: I'm noticing that I'm a pretty emotional person, and it doesn't take much to make me tear up.)
I still have the habit of trying to shove my feelings down and ignore them because, even with therapy, old habits take time to break. I am trying to embrace my feelings, but it's also scary because I'm terrified something will set my anxiety off and send me into a panic. I just have to remind myself that living a life unmuted is healthier than pretending I don't have any feelings.
I'll end with this: Our feelings exist for a reason, and it's completely okay to feel whatever we feel. We can't really control our feelings all the time, and that is also okay, as long we don't act in any way that harms us or anyone else because of those feelings. The sooner you can embrace your feelings and just feel them, the quicker the feeling will process and resolve in most cases, according to my therapist. Life with feelings is much more interesting than life with your feelings on mute.
This past week, I had a lot going on that was outside of my control. I had what seemed to be a health crisis, but it turned out to be something that wasn't a huge deal. I had an issue with my feelings that I had to take the time to sort out. I was worried about the safety of some people I knew with dangerous occupations. Then, I also had my very first photo session, and it was family portraits. I loved that part, but it was very stressful since it was my first time photographing people. I felt anxiety, intense fear, disappointment, sadness, excitement, and other things in quick succession all week, all as jumbled in my mind as the issues that were causing the feelings. I had no idea what to do with so many feelings going on at one time. I really didn't have control over any of these things, and that just added to my problem because I tried to have control over all of them.
While I was in elementary school, high school, and even in college, life would pile up on me, much the same way as last week. My way of dealing with it was sort of to not deal with it. I would throw myself into school work, and I would ignore the problems. It almost felt like I could shut my emotions down or at least press the mute button until I was ready to feel them (which would have been never if I had my way). Then, at night, when I would try to go to sleep, I would let myself think about the things that were bothering me. I would be so overwhelmed by all the problems. I ended up crying myself to sleep more times than I can count. Then I would wake up, hit the mute button on my feelings, and repeat the same routine as the day before.
This week, while I tried unsuccessfully to take back my control with the same methods I had used all my life, I realized that I could no longer press the mute button on my feelings. I had feelings, and I still didn't like it. This stress and my worry over the fact that my feelings mute button was missing made me feel so out of control. I didn't even know if my feelings were normal feelings, but I couldn't stop them from rolling in like a giant tank. Due to the stress, I felt like someone had cranked up the volume on my OCD, which I had finally turned down to almost background noise.
I had to resort to the new methods I'd learned in therapy. I tried Mindfulness, and I had to just sit with my feelings and observe them. I just had to feel stuff until the stuff was processed and resolved. I also had to accept the fact that I couldn't actually control everything, including my own feelings. That's a pretty scary thing when you're not used letting yourself feel things. (Shocking discovery: I'm noticing that I'm a pretty emotional person, and it doesn't take much to make me tear up.)
I still have the habit of trying to shove my feelings down and ignore them because, even with therapy, old habits take time to break. I am trying to embrace my feelings, but it's also scary because I'm terrified something will set my anxiety off and send me into a panic. I just have to remind myself that living a life unmuted is healthier than pretending I don't have any feelings.
I'll end with this: Our feelings exist for a reason, and it's completely okay to feel whatever we feel. We can't really control our feelings all the time, and that is also okay, as long we don't act in any way that harms us or anyone else because of those feelings. The sooner you can embrace your feelings and just feel them, the quicker the feeling will process and resolve in most cases, according to my therapist. Life with feelings is much more interesting than life with your feelings on mute.
Wednesday, April 6, 2016
How Do You Do It?
I was talking to a friend the other day, and we were chatting, like usual. The person knows that I have OCD, and the topic of mental health came up. Then the person asked me a question that surprised me. "How do you do it?" the person asked me. Meaning a number of things: how was I handling my OCD, how was I functioning so well, how did I still seem to be at least okay while I was dealing with OCD.
The question surprised me because they thought I was doing well enough to ask such a question. I've only heard this question applied to parents that are super-parents or college students that go to class full-time while they work full-time and maintain a 4.0 GPA, people that seemed to do exceptional things. So, it wasn't a question I expected to hear. So, this got me thinking. I started thinking about the way I appear to other people.
While I was secretly living with OCD I remained high functioning because I had to be high functioning in order to hide the fact that I was dealing with the possibility that I was losing my mind. No one could know that I was dealing with intrusive thoughts that I didn't understand and mental compulsions that I didn't even know were compulsions. I hid it so well that not even my mother knew what was going on until this past year when I literally couldn't deal with it on my own any more.
Then I started therapy. I assumed that when I came forward with an OCD diagnosis and my decision to seek treatment that the way people had viewed me would change. I had assumed that everyone would suddenly view me as some lower functioning weakling that couldn't manage on her own. I viewed myself that way in the beginning, like the OCD made me weaker. It didn't occur to me that some people, maybe those struggling with some mental health condition, or maybe just those people that understood OCD or mental health in general might view me as stronger for having more on my plate to deal with. I also hadn't thought that I would be viewed the exact same as before my diagnosis, but that has also been the case (with a couple of exceptions).
I still have bad days, and to me those bad days are so terrible that I know they have to be obvious to everyone around me. I'm even a little bit afraid that, if I go out when I'm having a bad OCD day, that people will be able to read it all over my face. It feels like I have OCD stamped on my forehead. That has never been the case. When I have bad days, no one even notices. I appear normal to everyone that doesn't know me on a personal level. I still appear to be a very high functioning, well adjusted person instead of the anxiety-riddled, OCD-labeled person that I see when I look in the mirror some days.
So, I've been thinking. How do I do it? I have no idea how to answer that question. I just take life with my OCD one day at a time, and I hope and pray that I have more good days than bad days. I also think the answer depends on the person that asked the question. I would probably give a different answer to every person that asked. If a fellow OCD sufferer asked, I would give a technical, therapeutic answer. If another friend asked, I might list off the lifestyle changes I've made since October. If a stranger asked, I might just say that I sought out the help of a therapist, and that I've used a workbook.
I'll end with this: Be aware of how you see yourself versus how other people see you. You're worst days might look like just an average day to the casual observer, so don't stress about how you appear to everyone else so much. You never know, someone might look up to you for the fight you don't even realize you're winning against a mental health condition.
The question surprised me because they thought I was doing well enough to ask such a question. I've only heard this question applied to parents that are super-parents or college students that go to class full-time while they work full-time and maintain a 4.0 GPA, people that seemed to do exceptional things. So, it wasn't a question I expected to hear. So, this got me thinking. I started thinking about the way I appear to other people.
While I was secretly living with OCD I remained high functioning because I had to be high functioning in order to hide the fact that I was dealing with the possibility that I was losing my mind. No one could know that I was dealing with intrusive thoughts that I didn't understand and mental compulsions that I didn't even know were compulsions. I hid it so well that not even my mother knew what was going on until this past year when I literally couldn't deal with it on my own any more.
Then I started therapy. I assumed that when I came forward with an OCD diagnosis and my decision to seek treatment that the way people had viewed me would change. I had assumed that everyone would suddenly view me as some lower functioning weakling that couldn't manage on her own. I viewed myself that way in the beginning, like the OCD made me weaker. It didn't occur to me that some people, maybe those struggling with some mental health condition, or maybe just those people that understood OCD or mental health in general might view me as stronger for having more on my plate to deal with. I also hadn't thought that I would be viewed the exact same as before my diagnosis, but that has also been the case (with a couple of exceptions).
I still have bad days, and to me those bad days are so terrible that I know they have to be obvious to everyone around me. I'm even a little bit afraid that, if I go out when I'm having a bad OCD day, that people will be able to read it all over my face. It feels like I have OCD stamped on my forehead. That has never been the case. When I have bad days, no one even notices. I appear normal to everyone that doesn't know me on a personal level. I still appear to be a very high functioning, well adjusted person instead of the anxiety-riddled, OCD-labeled person that I see when I look in the mirror some days.
So, I've been thinking. How do I do it? I have no idea how to answer that question. I just take life with my OCD one day at a time, and I hope and pray that I have more good days than bad days. I also think the answer depends on the person that asked the question. I would probably give a different answer to every person that asked. If a fellow OCD sufferer asked, I would give a technical, therapeutic answer. If another friend asked, I might list off the lifestyle changes I've made since October. If a stranger asked, I might just say that I sought out the help of a therapist, and that I've used a workbook.
I'll end with this: Be aware of how you see yourself versus how other people see you. You're worst days might look like just an average day to the casual observer, so don't stress about how you appear to everyone else so much. You never know, someone might look up to you for the fight you don't even realize you're winning against a mental health condition.
Wednesday, March 23, 2016
Dealing with Anxiety in Public
I'm just sitting at a table waiting for the dinner that I ordered. A door slams. I hear yelling in the kitchen. A toddler over at the next table is screaming. People are talking loudly to be heard over all the other noise. Maybe I'm already trying to manage my anxiety that day because I've been having a particularly bad day due to my OCD intrusive thoughts. My anxiety is quickly climbing to the level that usually means the tears are going to start flowing. I'm in public, and realizing that only adds to my anxiety. I feel a panic attack looming. What will everyone think? I CANNOT have a panic attack in public, in front of all these strange people.
The scenario I depicted above is one that I still find myself in at least once a month. I go somewhere, and I'm perfectly fine the whole time I'm in the car. Then I get inside (movie theater, restaurant, shopping mall, store crammed with people, or the grocery store around a holiday when people frantically hurry from one aisle to the next), and something makes my anxiety skyrocket. Suddenly, I feel like I can't breathe, the tears come, and I'm about to be in full-on panic. This sort of thing happens at home sometimes, too, but it always seems so much worse when I'm out in public.
I used to just suck it up as best I could while I was in public. I vowed that I would behave as normally as possible no matter what. This just made the anxiety worse, and I would usually push myself right into a panic attack because I was so aware of my body and the anxiety symptoms.
I showed up for a therapy appointment not too long ago in a state of heightened anxiety, trying to force myself not to have a panic attack. I had been trying the deep breathing exercises like I was supposed to. I had even tried the grounding technique that I was familiar with. I was still on the verge of panic. Then my therapist taught me a new grounding technique that worked. She called it Being Like a Dog, but in my mind I refer to it as Zoning In because that makes more sense to me. I use it all the time now because it doesn't require movement or any objects that I would have to carry around. It also doesn't require the deep breathing, but you can do that, too, if you want. I also chew gum when I get very anxious, but you don't have to do that.
Being Like a Dog (AKA Zoning In):
You're basically zoning in on each of your senses, one at a time. It gets you to focus on things outside of yourself and your anxiety symptoms. It also makes you focus on the present moment, what's around you right now. It's unnoticeable to everyone around me, so I like it especially for when I feel panicked in public. You can say these things to yourself or a friend, or you can type them in your phone notepad, or write them down. (I usually silently say them to myself.)
1. What do you hear? Ex. right now I hear my fan humming and the TV in the next room.
2. What do you see? Ex. I see my orange blanket, coffee cup, and the sun in my window.
3. What do you feel? Ex. I feel the breeze from my fan, and my warm coffee cup in my hand.
4. What do you smell? Ex. I smell coffee and lavender.
5. What do you taste? Ex. I taste the coffee I'm drinking. (Gum, your food at the restaurant, ect.)
I may have to repeat this a few times, depending on how much anxiety I'm dealing with. You can repeat as many times as you need to. It's okay if you don't have something going on for all five of your senses. Maybe it's quiet wherever you are or you don't smell or taste anything, but you should still include all 5 senses in your list each time.
I'll end with this: Experiencing an anxiety attack in public can feel worse than the ones you experience at home. Holding it all in and pretending to be perfectly fine can make it worse. Just remember: odds are in your favor that no one is watching you at all (let alone to see if you're normal or anything like that). The grounding technique I mentioned above is a wonderful thing, but I'm definitely not saying that is the ONLY tool to manage your anxiety in public.
The scenario I depicted above is one that I still find myself in at least once a month. I go somewhere, and I'm perfectly fine the whole time I'm in the car. Then I get inside (movie theater, restaurant, shopping mall, store crammed with people, or the grocery store around a holiday when people frantically hurry from one aisle to the next), and something makes my anxiety skyrocket. Suddenly, I feel like I can't breathe, the tears come, and I'm about to be in full-on panic. This sort of thing happens at home sometimes, too, but it always seems so much worse when I'm out in public.
I used to just suck it up as best I could while I was in public. I vowed that I would behave as normally as possible no matter what. This just made the anxiety worse, and I would usually push myself right into a panic attack because I was so aware of my body and the anxiety symptoms.
I showed up for a therapy appointment not too long ago in a state of heightened anxiety, trying to force myself not to have a panic attack. I had been trying the deep breathing exercises like I was supposed to. I had even tried the grounding technique that I was familiar with. I was still on the verge of panic. Then my therapist taught me a new grounding technique that worked. She called it Being Like a Dog, but in my mind I refer to it as Zoning In because that makes more sense to me. I use it all the time now because it doesn't require movement or any objects that I would have to carry around. It also doesn't require the deep breathing, but you can do that, too, if you want. I also chew gum when I get very anxious, but you don't have to do that.
Being Like a Dog (AKA Zoning In):
You're basically zoning in on each of your senses, one at a time. It gets you to focus on things outside of yourself and your anxiety symptoms. It also makes you focus on the present moment, what's around you right now. It's unnoticeable to everyone around me, so I like it especially for when I feel panicked in public. You can say these things to yourself or a friend, or you can type them in your phone notepad, or write them down. (I usually silently say them to myself.)
1. What do you hear? Ex. right now I hear my fan humming and the TV in the next room.
2. What do you see? Ex. I see my orange blanket, coffee cup, and the sun in my window.
3. What do you feel? Ex. I feel the breeze from my fan, and my warm coffee cup in my hand.
4. What do you smell? Ex. I smell coffee and lavender.
5. What do you taste? Ex. I taste the coffee I'm drinking. (Gum, your food at the restaurant, ect.)
I may have to repeat this a few times, depending on how much anxiety I'm dealing with. You can repeat as many times as you need to. It's okay if you don't have something going on for all five of your senses. Maybe it's quiet wherever you are or you don't smell or taste anything, but you should still include all 5 senses in your list each time.
I'll end with this: Experiencing an anxiety attack in public can feel worse than the ones you experience at home. Holding it all in and pretending to be perfectly fine can make it worse. Just remember: odds are in your favor that no one is watching you at all (let alone to see if you're normal or anything like that). The grounding technique I mentioned above is a wonderful thing, but I'm definitely not saying that is the ONLY tool to manage your anxiety in public.
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