I wrote earlier about my OCD regarding turning things off and such. I still have that battle but have learned how to calm it down so that it does not effect my daily life. It was a long process but, it worked.
One day while I was watching a talk show, back when I watched those many years ago, there was an episode on OCD and self help on how to calm it down. I watched with a little trepidation but took it all in none-the less. I tried it and well, it worked!
The first thing you do is talk loudly to yourself as you are completing tasks that OCD requires you complete over and over again. Since I checked my coffee pot, doors, curlers etc every time I went to complete the task I said to myself " I am now turning off the stove" or "I am now locking the door." this told my brain that I had done those tasks. I did this for everything and felt like quite a fool doing it. After several weeks though I noticed that I was able to only do those things one time and then move on with my day. I no longer felt the strong need to check things over and over again.
The next step of the process was to whisper the commands to myself and then say them silently in my head. In time I actually would not feel the need to check anything more than once. What a relief.
I did discover though that I was not cured, I revert back to those tendencies still but only when I am very stressed in life. I have learned throughout the years what my stress triggers are and when I feel extra stressed I talk myself through things as I do them which helps prevent those tasks from becoming life altering.
I still have episodes of OCD but am thankful I know how to manage them. I know my stress triggers which are triggers that were present the last years of my marriage. One of those triggers is my ex husband so I try to avoid contact with him as much as possible. At the present time that is not possible so I have to talk to myself a lot.
I don't think people are ever cured of OCD but there are ways to manage the symptoms.
