My OCD causes me to worry about silly things. I'm mentally exhausted due constantly overthinking and worrying. What do I do, besides therapy?

Baby steps! Take little steps to practice worrying less over the things that cause you to feel overwhelmed and anxious. For example, if you are constantly washing your own doorknobs and light switches, take the baby step to stop washing YOUR doorknobs and light switches. You already know what "germs" you carry. You will see that "baby steps" will bring a "mile" into reality. Good luck my friend. :0)

Dear Anonymous,

I have an idea for you...and please keep in mind I am not a professional...and I got this idea from reading Tom Jackson's link...

But in my life experience it appears that, at least in my own circle of friends, sometimes these disorders are triggered by trauma; that is, the nature of the coping disorder may be genetic but can trauma be a trigger? Thinking for example of a friend, bipolar and now age 68, whose mother would pour buckets of cold water over her as a child to discipline her...

If this might be so, then lots is being discovered now about brain chemistry in trauma, the Biology of Fear. And that our human brain is tremendously resilient.

You see where I am going...and if trauma is a part of your scenario, the options for healing are expanding...to look into EMDR and trauma-sensitive yoga, for example.

Here is the website for a non-profit org I volunteered with; if you wish, you can scroll down to the bottom left of the first page for a ppt. file by Rick Joens, THE BIOLOGY OF FEAR.                          www.crossroadsofiowa.org

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Here is a sentence I found on Tom Jackson's link...resonates with me, and just thinking how we all do this to some extent...with all best wishes for you...

"if you have OCD ... you overestimate the threat of a situation and underestimate your ability to cope with it."

I to have OCD yes it drives us crazy but yeah baby steps like ying and yang said. Try not to let it control you and I am sure you will be alright.

I am guessing, but it seems that obsession might be a greater issue for you than compulsion.

Two suggestions---If your OCD involves a chemical imbalance in your brain, which mine did, there are medications that can fix that.  Your regular doctor may be able to prescribe them for you to try.

And, here's a good basic link for you to check out. I read it over and it seems pretty useful:

http://www.overcoming.co.uk/single.htm?ipg=8616

Cognitive behavioural therapy is the best thing for OCD because it challenges your behaviour. With OCD you don't have a filter so unfortunately negative thoughts seem to stick. The idea is to brush them off, say STOP! If it continues repeat "Just Stop!" and try and change the trail, refuse to indulge it.  The more you do this you can change the mapping of the brain and so the symptoms become less. You cannot stop your brain intruding with the thought, you can however decide what to do with it. The thought isn't you it's your OCD.

Try and engage in activities that require physical participation rather than too much mental thinking, i.e making things (whatever you are interested in), painting, gardening, so your mind is kept in the present moment rather than dipping into the past and future with fear inducing thoughts.