I am human. I make mistakes. Sometimes the mistakes are minimal, and sometimes they may have larger consequences, such as hurting someone's feelings. However, whether the general public would consider them major or minor mistakes, I still treat each mistake as if it is catastrophic. I would say that most people with OCD experience this to some extent. Being that I was diagnosed with OCD at young age, I have become accustomed to these feelings and have learned to repress them enough that I can still function normally in both my professional and personal life. I mean not to say that I am a perfectly normal individual, however. First of all, normality, in itself, is a matter of opinion and an unattainable state. Secondly, my close friends and family members know that I am afflicted with OCD and are able to notice some (if not all) of my obsessive-compulsive tendencies. Having people that are close to me that can recognize these tendencies is also helpful, because they are able to point out when I am worrying too much about a mistake I may have made; or perhaps even a mistake that I am simply fearful of making in the future. Personally, it is helpful for me to have people that bluntly tell me that I am being too fretful and that I needn't worry. Although I already know, deep down, that my concerns are unfounded, having loved ones point this out to me helps me to worry less, for some reason. It is not that they are trying to be cruel or poke fun at my condition. They simply know that stating the obvious will help improve my mood, and so that is what they do.

Still, however, when a mistake is made, the worries come. A particular issue that is plaguing me right now is what some might consider to be minute, and absolutely understandable, given the circumstances. Also, the issue has been addressed and there is nothing to do now but to move on. It is just that the "moving on" part is so difficult. I would assume that this is because, as I recently saw in a video of a professional explanation of OCD, the brain of someone with OCD is altered so that, when a mistake is made (or when the person feels as if a mistake has been made), the panic and response portions of the brain are continuously stimulated, so the anxiety is looping constantly throughout the brain. I'm not sure if that explanation is easily understandable, but I found the video to be very thorough and to increase my understanding of what is happening in my brain when my anxiety is triggered. Anyway, although I am able to continue with my daily functions and to not let my worrying interfere with my work (in fact, it might help, because I remember all of my mistakes, and make sure that they are never repeated in my professional or personal life), I was wondering if any of you knew of any other coping strategies that might help me to "break the cycle" of worrying that occurs in my brain each time a mistake is made. I feel as if I have mastered the art of functioning despite my OCD, which is a huge accomplishment. However, I have joined the tribe because I would like to learn how to deal with the reoccurring thoughts and feelings that can cause so much anxiety and grief. Any advice is much appreciated.

Thank You,

Keri