Stopping Your Home From Becoming a Stronghold of OCD
For most people, your home is a place where you can relax. However, those of us with OCD know all too well that there can be no peace here... at least not as long as dust exists and things can be unorganized. Unless you like living in a cloud of anxiety, chances are that you'd like your home to be a place where you can relax instead of a place to stress about how symmetrical and dust-free everything is. Follow these 5 easy tips to transform your home from a center of OCD to a fortification from it.
1. Utilize relaxing sounds
Anxiety can exacerbate your OCD, and your OCD can induce more anxiety. To prevent these two from feeding off each other, it's important to create a stress free environment in your home. Try getting something auditory like a water fountain. The sound of the water trickling is not only relaxing, but can distract you from obsessing over thoughts. Also playing relaxing music throughout your house can achieve the same therapeutic effect.
2. Don't leave "negative" things out
By negative things, I mean things that will prompt anxious thoughts. For instance, do leave things like bills or work you've taken home lying around in the open. Not only can the clutter of papers lying around set off your OCD, but just the anxiety alone from these things can keep you in an anxious state if they're littered all over your house.
3. Load your kitchen with healthier foods
I'm not referring to foods that Jared from subway would approve of, but foods that can increase the prevalence of the three neurotransmitters that are responsible for OCD. Pretty much anything with protein contains tryptophan and tyrosine (amino acids that convert to serotonin, and dopamine and/or norepinephrine, respectively), but chicken, tuna, and granola have naturally high levels of this. Just be sure to not go over board with sugary foods or caffeine, since they will release these neurotransmitters in the short run, but will cause you to crash shortly after, sending you into OCD overdrive and possibly even a panic attack.
4. Get a scent
I'm not saying to not take a shower for a week, but to use scented candles or a plug in air freshener to create a clean smell. Not only will the smell distract you from your compulsions like the sounds in #1, but it will trick you into thinking that your home is clean, which will help if you have a dust or organization OCD.
5. Don't have pets
Although having an animal can reduce your anxiety and your OCD, the amount of dander they have and the messes they make can be an OCD practitioner's worst nightmare. If you really must have a pet, get a shorthaired cat or a fish tank.
1. Utilize relaxing sounds
Anxiety can exacerbate your OCD, and your OCD can induce more anxiety. To prevent these two from feeding off each other, it's important to create a stress free environment in your home. Try getting something auditory like a water fountain. The sound of the water trickling is not only relaxing, but can distract you from obsessing over thoughts. Also playing relaxing music throughout your house can achieve the same therapeutic effect.
2. Don't leave "negative" things out
By negative things, I mean things that will prompt anxious thoughts. For instance, do leave things like bills or work you've taken home lying around in the open. Not only can the clutter of papers lying around set off your OCD, but just the anxiety alone from these things can keep you in an anxious state if they're littered all over your house.
3. Load your kitchen with healthier foods
I'm not referring to foods that Jared from subway would approve of, but foods that can increase the prevalence of the three neurotransmitters that are responsible for OCD. Pretty much anything with protein contains tryptophan and tyrosine (amino acids that convert to serotonin, and dopamine and/or norepinephrine, respectively), but chicken, tuna, and granola have naturally high levels of this. Just be sure to not go over board with sugary foods or caffeine, since they will release these neurotransmitters in the short run, but will cause you to crash shortly after, sending you into OCD overdrive and possibly even a panic attack.
4. Get a scent
I'm not saying to not take a shower for a week, but to use scented candles or a plug in air freshener to create a clean smell. Not only will the smell distract you from your compulsions like the sounds in #1, but it will trick you into thinking that your home is clean, which will help if you have a dust or organization OCD.
5. Don't have pets
Although having an animal can reduce your anxiety and your OCD, the amount of dander they have and the messes they make can be an OCD practitioner's worst nightmare. If you really must have a pet, get a shorthaired cat or a fish tank.
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