Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Support Group

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a psychiatric disorder, more specifically, an anxiety disorder. OCD is manifested in a variety of forms, but is most commonly characterized by a subject's obsessive (repetitive, distressing, intrusive) thoughts and related compulsions (tasks or rituals) which attempt to neutralize the obsessions.

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michiev 02/23/2012

I don't exactly know when this started but I remember it being for a few years back at least.. I don't eat normally.. I have these rituals

When I am eating alone and not with the family.. I have to separate myself from the plate of food..
I can not over eat or eat too fast and sometimes I won't eat one thing if I have already eaten another prior to that..
I don't count some foods as actual foods, (I.E: Mashed Potatos, Waffles, Pancakes, Oatmeal, Cream of wheat)
I have to take small bites of food and it usually takes me about an hour to eat
I worry that I will over eat but I also worry I am not consuming enough food
I can't eat certain foods either because I don't like them or I don't feel safe about eating them.
I have to wait a certain amount of time before taking my next bite of food

Does anyone have anything similar to this and do they know how I could get help for it? I don't have the money right now for CBT or any form of therapy, I also already know I am not eating disordered (anorexia or bulimia or anything of that sort).

michiev 02/25/2012

:( Anyone?

Saraswati 02/26/2012

I don't have this but sounds like the kind where people count, etc. Must be hard! Have you tried getting a book from the library on OCD? It should have some exercises you can do. That and meditation is good.

I am reading about how our gut health can cause OCD, I recently have developed it. I think probiotics can help. There are studies done on this but I need to look them up. Hope you feel better soon!

deleted_user 03/02/2012

I don't share your experience exactly, but I have my own issues with food, especially eating the same for weeks at a time. In the past it has been pb&j sandwiches at one point, frozen taquitos at another, toast often will dominate 90% of my diet for weeks at a time. Right now it is pasta and vegetables with poached eggs and no sauce and I don't even know why, it's not like I am deriving any pleasure from the combination. But, it's better (more substantial, at least) than eating piece of toast after piece of toast.

I also have intermittent issues with food touching (assuming I actually managed a meal with more than 1 food object), sequential eating (needing to eat all of one type of food on a plate before taking a bite of a different kind of food), or needing to clear a plate directionally, such as clockwise or top-to-bottom.

I don't like eating around other people because I don't want to hear any comments about my habits. I am pretty sensitive to criticism because I am afraid that I will stop eating completely if I am associating that criticism with certain and/or all foods. I would rather just hear comments about being anorexic, because that is easier to dismiss knowing it isn't true.

deleted_user 03/06/2012

I used to be able to eat whatever i wanted. i dont know why my problem started to form about half a year ago but i have formed a fear of eating the wrong kinds of food. for a few years ive had ocd symptoms. ( takes me forever to leave my house because i have to constantly stare at my faucet to make sure its not still going, stare at my hair straighter to make sure its not plugged, make sure my alarm is set, make sure lights are turned off. I have to check these things in sets of even numbers. like i cant go back and check the faucet three times because that would be an odd number...so frustrating because i know all these things are off or not plugged but part of me i guess doesnt believe that i actually saw that it was or that im afraid i saw it wrong or something..i dont know. I have never been overweight at all but recently lost a lot of weight. I am trying to gain weight back now but its pretty difficult. I can only have a certain variety of food each day. i obsess about each food that i ate, i cant even explain it really. like if someone offers me one little freakin chip, i feel like it will mess everything up. like i know that i want to gain weight but then that other side of me takes over and tells me not to eat this or that. Theres the side of me that knows im being absolutely ridiculous and then the side that takes over and causes me to deprive myself..or to constantly check things over and over or to cling onto the same thought over and over. i dont really know what to do, im taking vitamins but honestly i havent seen any improvement :(

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