OCD & Coronavirus

Coronavirus guidance and OCD - are they in conflict ? This article discusses the subject and provides a guidance for those battling with OCD

If you are someone who is battling OCD or have defeated OCD in the past, the current instructions on washing hands and hygiene can seem to conflict with your anti-OCD regimen. So, this article will help raise a few important points :

Special times - special rules

These are surreal times, and special times call for special rules. It is important to understand that the current set of rules and recommendations from health organisations are not for “normal times” e.g. the social distancing , the face masks, washing hands frequently etc. are special instructions. As you wouldn’t expect to carry on social distancing in times after the virus, you shouldn’t also extend precautionary frequent hand washing to times after the virus.

Lessons in disguise

When we are told to wash hands for 20 or 30 seconds, this is a method we can apply if we are battling OCD:

• If we already are battling hand-washing OCD, we can use this opportunity to stick within recommended guidelines. Think : If even in these surreal times 30 seconds is enough, it’s definitely enough in normal times
• We establish tracking method for time spend on other rituals, and slowly reduce the time.

Stuck at home ?

If you’ve been using exercise out in the open as a therapy and you’re now in lockdown which prevents you from doing that. You can still release those precious endorphins by working out at home, you can use online videos as a guide and workout in front of a window (It’s very refreshing)

Busy Routine to no routine

You may have been following a strict regimen to keep busy and avoid giving in to OCD temptations. The world might feel like in a halt right now, and it may be difficult to form a routine. If you have not done so yet, re-think and establish a new lock down routine. In this digital world, what we can do in the confines of our home is limitless. So, come up with a creative routine, and as an added bonus as you’ve now saved up on commute time, work time (if you’re on furlough) etc. , more of your daily time can be about bettering yourself. Find your thing - and create a routine that focuses on what you enjoy.

Help yourself by helping others

You can make a difference. No matter where you live, you’ll see the impact this virus has caused to those around you. Get in touch with local charities or councils and see how you can help. There’s a wide array of options available to make a difference - from financial donations, sharing authentic information, organising humanitarian efforts etc. This is an unprecedented opportunity to make a difference - where we can take a break from our daily self-centred routines to bring about a small difference to the world around us. This in turn, we’ll give us unparalleled inner bliss. Make this part of your daily and weekly routine.

Minimise Treatment Disruptions

If you’re going through psychotherapy sessions and they are impacted by closures, lock-down etc. , try and check with your psychologist, therapist if they can be continued online. If for some reason, that cannot happen, practice self-help : where you can track and evaluate your progress yourself through a structured method. Guidance is available in the knowledge base section of this website on how that can be done.

Pause & Reflect

This is a God send opportunity to pause and reflect. We often talk about breaking the OCD cycle, now that the cycle of normal worldly life is broken, it’s also an opportunity for us to reflect on the cycle of our OCD routine and try and disrupt it and break it from the core.