Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

My name is Kearsten! I just got married and am living in Colorado. I am a teacher and I love my job. God, my family and friends mean the world to me. I struggle everyday with my OCD and am so happy to have found a place to talk with other people who have OCD as well.

The first time I remember having any signs of OCD was when I was seven years old. I would wash my hands over and over again with scalding hot water. My hands would get raw, burned, and blistered, and I still would not stop. I stopped wanting to go to school and was constantly worried about germs. On top of that, I always felt dirty...inside and out. I constantly worried about things and felt guilty all the time. I generally elaborated the truth, confessing things I had never really done, just thought I had done.

When I was young, the doctors just contributed my symptoms to the childhood I had growing up. From the time I was born, my Dad was really sick and in need of a new kidney. I had to wear a mask when I was around him and keep everything "clean." If I got sick I had to be completely separated from him, because even a cold could kill him. Luckily, when I was three, he did get a kidney transplant and has been healthy ever since. However, I think as a child I was so confused and overwhelmed by his sickness, that it triggered my OCD later in life.

For a period of time in my teens my symptoms went away. However, in high school they came back. Instead of washing though, I was now obsessed with checking things over and over again. It got so bad that I finally got treated and put on medication. The medicine seemed to help a little, but never made a huge impact.

In college I just stopped taking my medication and basically went really crazy for awhile. I got really sick and actually had to fly home and miss half of my sophomore semester. I got back on medication and have been on meds ever since. I really wish I did not have to take medicine though...I hope to someday get off. I have graduated college and now teach, but my OCD still is present everyday. Mostly I have symptoms at night. I will stay up for hours checking and obsessing. It really effects my marriage and I hope somebody has advice on how to get better....I am going to start counseling again...but I just hate night time and knowing all the checking I have to do before I go to bed!

But ANYWAYS...that is my OCD in a nutshell...I like to think that it does not make me who I am...that eventually I will overcome it. I guess that is what we all hope! I will be praying!

I love God, my husband, my family, my friends, kids, teaching, dancing, working out, photography, animals, hiking, watching movies, writing, and traveling the world!

OCD, selfishness, ignorance, pain, arguing

I love all kinds of music...my favorite is country though!

The Bible, My Sister's Keeper, 90 Minutes In Heaven, Kite Runner, The Pact, Keeping Faith, Salem Falls, Nineteen Minutes...I love to read so I could go on forever, so I am stopping now haha!

Dirty Dancing, The Sweetest Thing, Anchorman...all kinds except scary!

Photography, writing, and working out!

Animal lovers with OCD	Book Lovers
OCD News/Studies	OCD/self medicating Issues