Obsessive-compulsive disorder has two parts to it; obsessions and compulsions. Obsessions are unwelcome thoughts or doubts that appear repeatedly in your mind. This causes you to feel very anxious. On the other hand, compulsions are repetitive activities that you do in order to reduce your anxiety caused by the obsession. An example of compulsion can be repeatedly checking if a door is locked. Now, there are multiple ways to take care of yourself and manage OCD.
Talk to someone you trust/and build your own support network. You might find it difficult to talk about OCD because you might worry that people around you won’t understand. However, strengthening your relationships will help you cope with OCD. Always talk to someone you trust and try to find a comfortable place where there’s no one around. This way they will understand what you are going through and will find out how they can help you. Lastly, spend more time with your friends or family, so when you want to open up you will be ready.
Try to do physical activity for at least 30 minutes. You can do multiple things to let go of your OCD. Firstly, stress and anxiety can make your OCD worse. You can manage your stress and anxiety by looking after your physical health. You can take a 30-minute walk in the morning and enjoy the nature around you.
Lastly, try box breathing to reduce stress. Sometimes, we won’t have time to walk due to work or school, so just doing a relaxation technique at home can be very helpful. Box breathing helps you calm down and helps you focus. Here are the steps for Box breathing:
Breathe in counting to four slowly. You will feel the air enter your lungs.
Hold your breath for 4 seconds. Try your best to avoid inhaling or exhaling for 4 seconds.
Slowly exhale through your mouth for 4 seconds.
Lastly, repeat steps 1 to 3 until you feel relaxed.
These are great ways to let go and focus on yourself. Managing OCD can be very hard and some methods might not work for you, but once you try the methods above you can create a nice routine that helps you to take care of yourself.
Works Cited
Contributors, WebMD Editorial. “Box Breathing: Getting Started with Box Breathing, How to Do It, Benefits and Tips.” WebMD, WebMD, www.webmd.com/balance/what-is-box-breathing.
Fields, Lisa. “OCD: Types, Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Related Conditions.” WebMD, WebMD, www.webmd.com/mental-health/obsessive-compulsive-disorder#:~:text=Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental illness that,nails or thinking negative thoughts.
“Self-Care for OCD.” Mind, www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/obsessive-compulsive-disorder-ocd/self-care-for-ocd/.
