7 Tips for Living With OCD
Even when everything is going well, OCD can make your day worse. Obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors can take your lot of energy.
Though medication and therapy are the best ways to overcome OCD, self-care is a secret weapon to deal with your obsessive disorder. Here are some of the tips that you can follow to avoid OCD attacks:
Eat healthy for a better mood – Eating healthy and regularly is one of the most important things to overcome OCD. When you’re hungry, the blood sugar levels in the body gets dropped, making you tired and crankier. To avoid an OCD attack, make sure that you’ve proper meals.
- Start your day with a proper breakfast.
- Eat small meals 3-5 times a day instead of having big meals at lunch and dinner.
- Fill in yourself with nuts and seeds. These are packed with healthy nutrients.
- Add beans, eggs, and meat to your diet to keep yourself in better balance.
- Eat carbs like veggies, fruits, and whole grains to keep your blood sugar levels steady.
- Avoid drinking tea, coffee, soda, and other energy drinks as caffeine in them can kick up anxiety levels in you.
Stick to your prescriptions – You can avoid having OCD triggers by taking drugs and alcohol, but in reality, these are triggers in disguise. You may offset your anxiety with alcohol, but alcohol makes you more anxious before it leaves your system. Same goes for nicotine, the stiulant in cigarettes can lead to OCD triggers.
Sleep well – Anxiety can make it hard for you to sleep. However, the sleep of 7-9 hours is really important for good mental health. Build a bedtime routine to settle down yourself for sleep. Rather than spending time looking at your screens, take out 10 minutes of relaxing music or a warm bath. Adjust your room temperature and lights to relax and stay asleep all night.
Get active – When you feel anxiety or stress, your body releases cortisol hormones. These hormones are good for health in small doses but harmful at high levels. Regular exercise not only keeps your cortisol levels in control but keeps you fit and healthy too. There is no harm in working out regularly.
Take your meds – Make sure that you follow your doctor’s prescription to treat OCD. If you forgot to take your medicine, make sure that you take it next time. It’s important not to skip your dose as it could offe to your medicine, set your symptoms. Talk to your doctor if you experience any side effects due to your medicine, or before you take anything new, including OTC medicines and vitamins. Don’t forget to use a free prescription discount card to buy your prescription medications.
Learn to relax – You can practice yoga and meditation to relax. Spend some quality time with your family and friends. Indulge yourself in any activity that you wanted to do from a long time such as join music classes, go on a vacation, hit dance classes or whatever you want to do. Try a few to find what works best for you, and spend 30 minutes a day on it.
Seek support – Don’t hold it all in. You’re not alone in this. According to the latest OCD statistics, experts estimate that 1-3% of the U.S. population suffers from OCD and 1 in every 200 children has the disorder. Remember, that help is just a call away. Consult with a healthcare provider, find a therapist, OCD coach, or support group to connect you with people who understand.
Following these tips doesn’t mean you should stop taking your medicines. Make sure that you follow your prescription properly to treat OCD. However, if you feel any side-effect due to your medications, consult with your doctor immediately.
