Coronavirus can have an effect on those with OCD

Fears of transmitting coronavirus can have a dramatic impact on those already suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorder.

NOW, TO THE REBOUND MILWAUKEE& MANAGING THE PRESSURE.WASHAND RE-WASH YOUR HANDS,OBSESSIVELY CLEAN YOURCOUNTERS, WIPE DOWN YOURGROCERIES.

FOR MANY, THESE ARENEW HABITS, BUT FOR SOME, ITWAS A WAY OF LIFE LONG BEFORECOVID-19.

"I had to doeverything in series of fiveand I worried a lot aboutthings getting dirty."THISMORNING, PETE ZERVAKIS TAKES ALOOK AT HOW A PANDEMIC-- ISIMPACTING PEOPLE WITH O-C-D.FEARS OF TRANSMITTINGCORONAVIRUS HAVE MOST CHECKINGTHE NEWS AND BEING EXTRACAREFUL WITH HANDWASHING.

FORPEOPLE WITH OBSESSIVE-COMPULSIVE DISORDER, OR O-C-D,THIS PANDEMIC IS PARTICULARLYDIFFICULT."I would sit on the edge of mycouch with baby wipes, acontainer of baby wipes and acan of Lysol.""I would have totake five steps forward andfive steps back for somereason, five became my number."LIVING WITH EXCESSIVE FEARSTHAT TURN INTO OBSESSIVETHOUGHTS THAT SPARK COMPULSIVEBEHAVIORS, AND NOW CORONAVIRUSIS INTENSIFYING ALL OF IT."Ithink that's the biggest issuefor people with OCD is thateverything is out of control."WITH MEDICATION AND THERAPY,COLLEGE PROFESSOR MICHELLESZYDLOWSKI WAS ABLE TO CONTROLHER O-C-D UNTIL COVID-19RATTLED HER WORLD."On the wayto the store I actually hadwhat I would describe as apanic attack."EXPERTS SAY THEFEAR OF THE VIRUS CANINTENSIFY SYMPTOMS."I haveactually seen that it'saffecting people more in theway that their routines havechanged."BUT THERE ARE WAYS TORE-GAIN CONTROL."The numberone thing would be to limitmedia absorption to maybe oncea day."FOLLOW THE EXPOSURE BYDOING SOMETHING POSITIVE.WRITE A GRATITUDE JOURNAL,EXERCISE OR CONNECT WITHSOMEONE."Have a trustworthyperson nearby to help youdecipher what are thoseobsessive thoughts and whatare true thoughts."AND DON'TLET YOUR BEHAVIORS GET OUT OFCONTROL.

MICHELLE HOPES THEPANDEMIC WILL HELP TO CHANGEOPINIONS ABOUT O-C-D."It issomewhat liberating when I goto the CDC website and seethem making recommendations ofthings that I was doinganyway, I feel like saying,yes!"EXPERTS SAY BEING OVERLYORGANIZED OR EXCESSIVELYCLEAN... THOSE ARE JUSTPERSONALITY TRAITS.

WHEN THEPANDEMIC FADES, THAT ANXIETYLEVEL SHOULD GO DOWN.

FORRESOURCES TO HELP YOU MANAGETHE PRESSURE OF ALL THECHANGES HAPPENING BECAUSE OFCOVID-19... HEAD TO TMJ4 DOTCOM SLASH REBOUND.