Quote From: aharris28My girlfriend of a year has OCD and it has become increasingly more evident. She was hurt at work in May and has not been the same since, there where several issues around being hurt. First her employer protested that she was hurt and the workers comp here in washington took until November to accept her claim so that she could recieve treatment. She has become a hermit and rarely leaves the house, so therefore agoriphobia has set in. Since she rarely leaves the house her OCD has taken over. Her OCD comes in the form of rearranging the house and cleaning. If I start a project and leave something out to finish later she automaticly will come behind me and put everything away. The kitchen is one of her worst issues there can't be a dish in the sink when she walks in, she will automaticly stop whatever she was doing and put them in the dishwasher. I have been working 2 or 3 jobs to make ends meet, and when I am gone all day long I always have to wonder what will be changed, our living room has been rearranged probably 20 times in the last 8 months, our bedroom has been rearranged at least 30 times. Meds for her are not the answer, she has taken several different ones over the years and is uninterested in going through the rigors of trying several different meds. What can I do to help her??????
Your girlfriend needs the help of a qualified cognitive behavioural therapist who specializes in OCD. These therapists usually have experience with anxiety disorders as well since OCD is an anxiety disorder. I would try either looking for a counsellor through the phone book, the web, or through universities. I would also try the following web sites:
Support Groups (North America): http://www.viryours.com/showcase/ocd/ocf1170d.htm
OCFOUNDATION.ORG : http://www.viryours.com/showcase/ocd/index.html
All the Best
James
Below is another response I wrote to someone else:
When people hear the word Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, they think about hand washing, checking, the show MONK, etc. But these rituals or examples do not describe OCD. OCD is the occurence of obsessions followed by anxiety and then followed by rituals or behaviors in order to reduce the anxiety. People with OCD want to avoid anxiety at all costs and therefore perform rituals to alleviate the anxiety but still avoid what they fear, increasing the anxiety next time. The never ending search for a perfect non-anxiety related life experience goes on to create an even worse anxiety related experience through avoidance of living.
With a person constantly re-arranging her furniture and not willing to go outside. The ritual she is performing is the re-arranging of furniture in order to avoid (avoidance is OCD related) dealing with her life or facing her fears. The problem with a lot of individuals who have OCD is the insight into when it is occuring. The rule I useis when I am: avoiding anything, doubting, have uncertainty, or am looking for the perfect answer which is also associeted with anxiety followed by a need for me to ruminate about it in my head unitil I have the perfect answer or am waiting for when it feels right, this is OCD.
