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StriplessRED

Registered: 09/05/07
Posts: 562
Loc: Helena
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OCD, Anxiety, Stress
#12578027 - 05/17/10 09:40 AM (13 years, 9 months ago) |
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Hey Shroomerites
I've come to realize I have no one to help me along with this and the Shroomery is the only place I can talk about these issues openly.
All my life I have been quite a victim of my own OCD. As a child my shoes had to be tied just the correct tightness and I could only wear a single color with no logos on any of the clothing. I have always been so obsessed about the cleanliness of my skin that the consistent washing and cleaning leads to bleeding. I pick at blackheads and bumps on my skin until the damage is worse than before I started; there usually isn't anything there to begin with.
Really it's more of a physical appearance OCD, that's where my problems stem from. I have woken up, for the last 4-5 years, 1-1.5 hours before I need to just to make sure my hair is satisfactory. This leads to a lack of energy throughout the day due to lack of sleep, which leads to more problems. My morning routine: I take a shower -shampoo - let conditioner sit until I finish soaping my entire body (5+ minutes)
Then I get out and towel dry my hair and finger comb it to how I like it. I will then not move my head abruptly for the next 1-2 hours to ensure my hair drys the way I want it.
I hate this. I am a straight male, but my obsession with my hair is ruining me. I have not left the house before because my hair didn't dry correctly. It's hard for me to talk about this to anyone because it is so embarrassing. I tell myself not to care what people think and a lot of the time I don't care, but I will not be satisfied with myself until everything is right in my mind. It leads me to depression and anxiety.
A quick google search brought up the word: Automysophobia. The fear of being dirty. I believe I suffer from this and it hinders my quality of life greatly.
Has anyone suffered from the hair issue? It's the one I need to work the most on because it is the most troubling. I don't really have a conflict with the dirt problem, I have been working on the lately successfully.
Keep in mind I have never been diagnosed, or even seen a medical professional, about any of these issues.
Please help me Shroomery
Edited by StriplessRED (05/17/10 09:43 AM)
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SilverSwami
Mystical Wanderer



Registered: 04/11/09
Posts: 350
Loc: NSW
Last seen: 8 months, 26 days
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my friends got that thing about his hair... its weird... once he got a haircut and refused to go outside his house for 2 months... but yeah dude just let it go... go get dirty somewhere and just accept the reality of it...
-------------------- Yes.
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StriplessRED

Registered: 09/05/07
Posts: 562
Loc: Helena
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That's the problem, I'm having a real hard time just letting it go :\
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Adden


Registered: 06/04/03
Posts: 39,201
Loc:
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Cognitive behavioral therapy.
You'll learn triggers, mechanisms of coping, ways to remove the irrational fears and worries and replace them with logic.
I've got my fair share of OCD traits but am not full-blown... it's taken quite awhile to get over some of the most minor obsessions. On the other hand though I have a slew of other worries.
There's no medication to help you with this. Find a therapist that specializes in this area and one that is not a pill pusher. No SSRI, benzo, etc will help you in this endeavor.
It's all in your head and you need some help and direction. The best part of cognitive behavioral therapy is that a therapist will just give you the tools, and then it's up to you to use them.
If you really want this to go away - which it sounds like you do - I'd find someone to talk to. The most important part about mental distress, disorders, stress and whatnot is the feeling of being alone. The world seems small. It's really not, and I know that might be a difficult concept because I've been there and wasn't able to understand it at the time.
Your anxiety may just be tied to your OCD. I'd definitely recommend focusing on the OCD first, in hopes the anxiety will fade over time as you make yourself better.
I hope this helps a little bit.. it's tough to hear that the only person that can conquer this is you, but god dern it, you'll feel like a champ once you do.
Your mind has the power to create your reality.
Dystopia
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StriplessRED

Registered: 09/05/07
Posts: 562
Loc: Helena
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Re: OCD, Anxiety, Stress [Re: Adden]
#12580387 - 05/17/10 04:59 PM (13 years, 9 months ago) |
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Thank you so much
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appleorange
Rainbow Technician



Registered: 12/30/07
Posts: 4,868
Loc: Reykjavík
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For some people it's hair, for others it might be washing their hands, OCD can manifest in so many different ways. For me personally, it was orange juice. I had to constantly check the orange juice in the fridge to make sure I had the cap on tight enough.
The reason for OCD is that the sense of self feels vulnerable and insecure, it tries to reinforce its existence through repititive acts over and over.
OCD is not easy to get over. A good step in the right direction would be to begin putting a time limit on how long you fiddle with your hair. Say 15 minutes or something. After 15 minutes, just walk away despite how strong the desire may be to still keep tinkering around with your hair.
I also recommend you take up something like zazen to help settle your mind a bit.
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Solemente



Registered: 04/24/09
Posts: 4,337
Loc:
Last seen: 3 years, 17 days
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I started shaving my head about a year ago because my hair really started to annoy me. I haven't looked back since.
Just a suggestion.
Edited by Solemente (05/17/10 08:16 PM)
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StriplessRED

Registered: 09/05/07
Posts: 562
Loc: Helena
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Re: OCD, Anxiety, Stress [Re: Solemente]
#12581779 - 05/17/10 08:48 PM (13 years, 9 months ago) |
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Quote:
Solemente said: I started shaving my head about a year ago because my hair really started to annoy me. I haven't looked back since.
Just a suggestion.
I've actually come to the realization that I don't want to keep my long hair forever, why not change now?
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