Spacegoat

Hi. So I have been reading a bit about this, and turns out that its classed as an anxiety disorder. I never knew that.

Does anyone here suffer from it? Or are living with someone who does? What do people do to recover from or otherwise alleviate symptoms?

Any discussion would be helpful

ANewDayNYC

Meditation is extremely helpful for obsessive thinking. Exercise is helpful too.
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I am also a huge fan of this book below which helped me a great deal:

http://www.amazon.com/Mindfulness-Ac...tance+workbook

Another good one is this one -
http://www.amazon.com/The-Mindfulnes.../dp/1608828786

ANewDayNYC

There are different types of OCD (although they all fall under the same branch of anxiety). The second book I listed goes through techniques for each one - Contamination OCD, Responsibility OCD, Checking OCD, Just Right OCD, Harm OCD, Perverse/Sexual Thoughts OCD, Relationship OCD, Scrupulosity OCD, and Hyperawareness OCD.

Spacegoat

Thanks for your reply. Just to clarify, it's not me that has it. Though, as a new to recovery alcoholic (did I just say that? retired drinker would suffice!) I am certainly familiar with obsessions, compulsions and disorders in general. I'd be familiar with anxiety also, though a lot of it was stemming from the alcohol too I think, time will tell.

This is a bit different. The person in question just cannot sit down and relax, not for any length at least. Is up and down the stairs, in and out of doors, in and out of town, I don't what they do be at!But it never stops. I'm the complete opposite, if I was any more laid back I'd be dead, so i really don't understand it myself. It's a bit unsettling for me, and makes me anxious too as I can't even make a sandwich without getting nervous, it's a bit like having a human sized bumblebee in the room! It's strange.

But anyway, this isn't about me. I suppose now that I am getting myself sober that instead of being pissed off with all this awkward energy flowing everywhere, that the responsible thing to do here, would be for me to try and understand what is going on with this person. Like, maybe I could even try to help them perhaps?? Thats basically the angle I'm coming from here, though i wouldn't even begin to know where to start...

Spacegoat

That looks like a good book you mentioned. Yeah look, I'm not sure if this person has a diagnosis or not but Id say she is aware of something. She got two meditation cds in the post a while, she was asking me about them and I said 'they are not meant for me are they' (typically self centered drunk).

Anyway I told her would work best by herself but she wanted me to do it also, I agreed but we never got around to it, there is no sound system here (another long story). I bought her an iPad recently so she could look into things for herself but, she doesn't seem to be making much use of it.

How would I even go about broaching the subject would be the fist port of call I guess? Don't want to make the situation worse anyway, lol

ANewDayNYC

Everyone has anxiety (and coping mechanisms for dealing with it), the litmus test on whether it is a disorder is if it is interfering with the person’s life. If someone checks a door an extra time or washes their hand a little longer than they should – then maybe they don’t feel it really interfering with their life.

The other thing about anxiety is the way to “defeat” it is extremely counter-intuitive. The classic example is the Chinese finger-trap. When you try pulling your fingers out more aggressively, the tighter it gets. Thoughts are sort of like that. If you try to deny your thoughts (don’t think of a pink elephant) – it doesn’t work. However, if you accept the anxiety-ridden thought and let it “do its dance” then it will float away. Meditation teaches you how to do that “catch and release” and not get stuck on turbulent thoughts.

I think the best thing would be to read information on it yourself so you educate yourself and can notice the solutions when they arise. Also, mindfulness and meditation is helpful for everyone. It might teach you how to be happier and be more relaxed and “in the moment”. Most people have trouble focusing on the task at hand.

There is also an Iphone app that has a free trial called Headspace that I have been checking out. It has some good animations you can also find free on YouTube.

The book that helped me start meditation is called 8 minute meditation (Victor Davich). I don’t like the hippie-dippie books but this book helped me start as a true beginner.

Spacegoat

It's interfering with my life! As a lot of her obsessiveness is directed towards me right now, but I am not too concerned about that.

I totally get what you are saying. Meditation was such a foreign concept to me at the start, I just could not control my thoughts at all. But I get it now, luckily I'm a lot better off in that regard.

What I do know though, is that sh*t is gonna hit the fan for this person when they retire, wether I am around or not. And I'm worried about that. They will absolutely not know what to do with themselves and I'd be worried where that will lead them. I have been thinking about this before.

You know what, thats what I am going to do. I am going to download the books and resources you mentioned to put on her iPad. I have been thinking about this before but, the kind of stuff that I find helpful I don't think would be best for her, and so i basically don't know where to start. Stuff that would be more geared towards her age group, her experiences etc.

So I appreciate that. If you have any more suggestions, stuff for beginners or the older woman etc, or anyone else has suggestions please feel free to post them here. I will gather them up and try to arrange them for her.

Thanks a lot, peace