You can ask your GP to recommend a self-help book from a Reading Well scheme called 'Books on Prescription'. In fact, some coping strategies can do more harm than good. For families and sufferers struggling with the impact of OCD, education can be your most powerful weapon in the battle to regain control of your lives. Learning techniques for coping with worry, such as analyzing the probability of what you're worried about actually happening and deciding how to cope with the worst-case scenario should it happen, is a valuable self-help strategy. People suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorder can get OCD help from a variety of sources. The more connected you are to other people, the less vulnerable you’ll feel. You might try listening to a favorite piece of music, looking at a treasured photo, savoring a cup of tea, or stroking a pet. Self Directed Course For OCD The OCD course is designed to teach you the evidenced based treatment for your OCD. Think about your end goal (to be able to use a public restroom without fear of contamination, for example, or to drive to work without stopping to check if you’ve hit something) and then break down the steps needed to reach that goal. However, there is growing evidence that exercise such as running may be an important OCD self-help strategy for reducing the frequency and intensity of OCD symptoms. Identify and Write Down Your Triggers. Play the tape back to yourself, over and over for a 45-minute period each day, until listening to the obsession no longer causes you to feel highly distressed. Unf… Authors: Melinda Smith, M.A., Lawrence Robinson, and Jeanne Segal, Ph.D. One in four people will struggle with mental health at some point in their lives. And with the coronavirus pandemic and troubled economy, many are in crisis right now. Join an OCD support group. Practicing Mindfulness: 75 Essential Meditations to Reduce Stress, Improve Mental Health, and Find … Usually, compulsions are performed in an attempt to make obsessions go away. You'll go through understanding your own OCD and how to do effective treatment for it. Talking face-to-face about your worries and urges can make them feel less real and less threatening. Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder characterized by uncontrollable, unwanted thoughts and ritualized, repetitive behaviors you feel compelled to perform. What’s the evidence that the thought is true? Keep communication positive and clear. 1. Do live video sessions with a licensed therapist specialized in ERP, the gold standard treatment for OCD. Stay connected to family and friends. Praise any successful attempt to resist OCD, and focus attention on positive elements in the person’s life. Regain your life from OCD. Although treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) usually entails consulting with a qualified mental health professional, there are a number of OCD self-help strategies that you can start using right now to help cope with your OCD symptoms. Unfortunately, worrying can often consume quite a bit of energy and make it difficult to relax. Record a list of the triggers you experience each day and the obsessions they provoke. The way you react to your loved one’s OCD symptoms can have a big impact on their outlook and recovery. However, the symptoms of other disorders, such as ADHD, autism, and Tourette’s syndrome, can also look like obsessive-compulsive disorder, so a thorough medical and psychological exam is essential before any diagnosis is made. Exercise is a natural and effective anti-anxiety treatment. Identifying and recording your triggers also provides an important tool for learning to resist your OCD compulsions. Create an OCD worry period. (Anxiety Canada Youth), (VIDEO) Obsessive compulsive disorder (Khan Foundation). Practice acceptance, fully experiencing the triggered thoughts, images, impulses, emotions, and physical sensations they set off. There are many ways to educate yourself about OCD, with self-help materials often offering advice on how to apply CBT techniques. But while it can seem like there’s no escaping your obsessions and compulsions, there are plenty of things you can do to break free of unwanted thoughts and irrational urges and regain control of your thoughts and actions. Of course, consult with your doctor before starting any herbal treatment, as St. John's Wort can have some clinically significant interactions with other medications. If you have post-traumatic OCD, cognitive approaches may not be effective until underlying traumatic issues are resolved. When you’re well rested, it’s much easier to keep your emotional balance, a key factor in coping with anxiety disorders such as OCD. Self help guide for OCD: Obsessive Compulsive Disorder using CBT. Our mission is to provide empowering, evidence-based mental health content you can use to help yourself and your loved ones. Each time you expose yourself to your trigger, your anxiety should lessen and you’ll start to realize that you have more control (and less to fear) than you thought. As you sit with the anxiety, the urge to wash your hands will gradually begin to go away on its own. It might seem smart to avoid the situations that trigger your obsessive thoughts, but the more you avoid them, the scarier they feel. OCD Action believes that asking members for a donation to help cover costs is fine, but should always be voluntary. We've tried, tested and written unbiased reviews of the best online therapy programs including Talkspace, Betterhelp, and Regain. Write down your obsessive thoughts. Given that stress and worry are major triggers of OCD symptoms, one of the best ways to boost your OCD self-help skills is to learn and practice a number of relaxation techniques. How will obsessing about it help me and how will it hurt me? The rest of the day, however, is to be designated free of obsessions. Can People With OCD Live Normal and Productive Lives? Having a chronic illness requires that you become an expert on your condition and getting informed is the first step. Compulsions are behaviors or rituals that you feel driven to act out again and again. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder: A Young Person’s Self Help Guide This booklet will help young people to think about some of their worries, and explain how you they begin to stop feeling like they have to do something or act in a certain way to make the worry go away (stop the bad ‘thing’ from happening). You don’t want to have these ideas, but you can’t stop them. 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