Stress Center Peer Support

Hi Everyone,

Does anyone else have the feeling when their having a bad day that they actually did the things they fear the most. For example, when I'm driving sometimes, it actually feels like I hit somebody, and when I go back to check, nothing is wrong. The same thing when I use household cleaners, I feel like I can contaminate somebody if I don't wash my hands or clean my clothes right away. I would like to hear from anyone who is like this. Maybe, it will help me feel better. My therapist says it's the anxiety that causes these feelings. I just wish I could get over these fears and try to live a "normal" life. Since my Mother died last year, it has been especially difficult. She was my main support person, and now I don't have one, because the rest of my family doesn't understand my illness, and thinks I should "grow up" and get over it. All I know is I'm extremely lonely, and sometimes feel like "giving up". I live in PA, and the rest of my family is in MO, so I really have an issue with dealing with this alone. Thanks for listening!

I've had similar fears in the past, particularly about worrying that I might have hit someone while driving. I finally got over that fear by paying attention to what I was doing and being aware that there was no "thump". I also kept reminding myself that the fear is irrational. Eventually, I stopped worrying about it. I still have other problems with OCD, particularly with checking locks, doors, and appliances (to make sure they're off), so I'm still working with those issues.

Thanks Searunner for your reply.

I never had the running somebody over thought, but I do suffer from "someone's in the backseat" thought. It has made it difficult to drive alone.

I would say that losing your mom probably exacerbated your symptoms. And that's to be expected. My therapist always says to be nice to myself.

Thanks for your response, Christian 73.

Oh my gosh! You are SO not alone! I'm not saying I know the answers, but I'm certainly learning a lot.

I hope this helps, but the same center of our brain that AUTOMATICALLY reacts to stress is the same center that seems to affect our OCD. The good news is, we don't need to feel guilty about our condition!

I'll find the article I read and post about it. It really helped me understand the condition.

Great information about OCD and treatment at http://www.ocdonline.com =)

Thanks for your help Charliechap. I really appreciate it!

Hi. I'm new and this is my 1st time in any chatroom I like your name, you remind me of me. I hope we'll get support from this site

Hi to you too, fredcz. I think you'll find the people on this site very supportive. I know I have. Good luck!